“Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God…This is HOW WE KNOW that we love the children of God: by LOVING GOD and OBEYING HIS COMMANDS.” (1 John 5:1-3) We must believe that Jesus is the SON OF GOD and we must OBEY GOD, “We know that we have PASSED FROM DEATH TO LIFE, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer HAS ETERNAL LIFE abiding in him. By this WE KNOW LOVE, because JESUS LAID DOWN HIS LIFE FOR US. And WE ALSO OUGHT (opheilō: to be under obligation) TO LAY DOWN OUR LIVES for the brethren.” (1 John 3:14-16) We must LOVE OUR BROTHERS and LAY DOWN OUR LIVES for them, put ourselves in service to them.
“I beseech you (I plead with you) therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a LIVING SACRIFICE, HOLY, ACCEPTABLE TO GOD, which is your reasonable service. And do not be CONFORMED (suschēmatizō: to go along with) to this world, but be TRANSFORMED (metamorphoō: to be changed by God into another form) by the RENEWING OF YOUR MIND, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Rom. 12:1-2) You see, we are born with the nature of Adam, Adam sinned and became SEPARATED FROM GOD, his spiritual man DIED! When we are born (because of Adam) we have a DEAD SPIRITUAL NATURE, therefore our spiritual man must be BORN AGAIN (anew)! This is a work that only God can do, WE CANNOT DO IT! Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, unless you are BORN AGAIN (saved) you CANNOT SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD.” (John 3:3)
I lived a life heavily involved in drugs, alcohol and the perverted lifestyle along with that. On may 17th 1972 I was at work, I went to my private restroom, closed the door, turned around and someone put their arms around me, flooding my soul with a LOVE like I had never experienced. A voice spoke to me saying “Bill, I love you!” Conviction gently but firmly flooded my soul and I knelt down using the toilet as an altar, and cried out “I’M SORRY” (I didn’t know what else to say) and I experienced a massive burden being lifted off of me and I began to cry (very unusual for me) The Lord God almighty transformed me and I became a new creation in Christ Jesus. It will be 50 years ago this coming May. I WAS BORN AGAIN…
Your personal Pastor -Bill Stockham