hatchcreek.com Bible blog

We have to understand that God’s way and man’s way of solving problems are different.  If we are not believers then all we have is man’s way.  Man’s way of solving problems includes such things as psychology, philosophies and ungodly theories.  On the other hand the Word of God has been given to believers as the sole source for solving man’s problems.  The Bible is sufficient for problem solving.

What is the biggest difference between man’s way and God’s way:  SELF

We try to please self, comfort self, rely on self, fulfill self, forgive self, exalt self, and to love self.  We are basically selfish people.  It’s all about ME.  That is man’s way.

While God’s way is applying the Word of God to our problems.

The other day I wrote a piece called, Key to Recovery.  In it I stated that the key is developing an intimate relationship with God.  That is so true.

In order to have an intimate relationship with anyone we have to get to know all about them.  It’s the same way with God. 

I’d like to expand on that thought a bit and think about the benefits that believers have been so graciously given by our wonderful Heavenly Father. It will help us to get to know God better as we see how much He loves us and what He had done for us.

When we know God in a personal way He bestows upon us certain benefits.  All true believers have these benefits, but not all true believers enjoy them, or even realize how loving and kind our heavenly Father has been to us.  It would be helpful if we go through some of these benefits and remind ourselves what a marvelous God we serve.

1. We are forgiven of all our sins. Every one of us had a death sentence upon us.  For God said in Rom 6:23 NASB “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” We were spiritually dead because of sin.

But, God, in His marvelous grace, made a way for our sin payment to be paid in full.  Jesus Christ hung on the cross on our behalf.  He canceled what we owed to God for sin, and satisfied God’s justice.  Because of His great love for us our sins are forgiven, past, present, and future.  Now that is mind boggling to me.

Col 2:13-14 NASB When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.”

2. At the time we are born-again we actually become a new creation.

2Co 5:17 LITV So that if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new!

Sometimes it is hard to understand this new change because we do not look any different on the outside. We have the same bodies and the same physical problems.  So, the new creation has to be on the inside. 

What does it mean that we are a new creation?  We are born again spiritually and we actually become new in the inner man. This is a divine act of God. Our old views of life are passed away and we now have new views.  We see things differently than before. 

I remember when I was young I was arrogant and prideful.  I don’t like to admit it, but I looked down my nose at certain people.  Usually, they were the poor and unlovely people.  In some twisted way I thought those people deserved what they got.  I had no pity for them.  At one point I too became impoverished and the shoe was on the other foot.  Part of that lead me to find the Lord. 

After conversion to Christ my views toward people changed a great deal. Then when I saw poor people I had real sympathy in my heart toward them.  I looked at them as beautiful souls that the Lord created and I wanted to help them if I could.  Sometimes I would see a poor soul on the street and I would pray for them.  My whole attitude changed toward people, and I wanted to tell them all about my precious Savior.  I also began to understand why people acted the way they did.  I could see the selfishness that I couldn’t see before.  It was as if my eyes were opened for the first time. 

Barnes in his commentary talks about the “old things have passed away.”

“…, it is also true that old things pass away. Their former prejudices, opinions, habits, attachments pass away. Their supreme love of self passes away. Their love of sins passes away. Their love of the world passes away. Their supreme attachment to their earthly friends rather than God passes away. Their love of sin, their sensuality, pride, vanity, levity, ambition, passes away. There is a deep and radical change on all these subjects – a change which commences at the new birth; which is carried on by progressive sanctification; and which is consummated at death and in heaven.”

Isn’t it wonderful what God has done for us?  He has allowed us to be changed in a way that we could have never done on our own.  Do you see change in your life?