Beginning
Anew
Word
Count: 3,672
Reading time: 15-20 minutes
Introduction
"I'd
sure like to start over."
"I
wish I knew then what I know now."
We have said, or at least felt, that way numerous times. We would
like a new beginning. In our relationship with God, we would like
to start again. Deep within our hearts we want to be Christians-to
live close to God. At times we push away the idea, but the desire
to live differently surfaces. We may stifle our longing for God
by a show of independence, redoubled activity, a constant round
of pleasure, but to no avail. Our hearts inform us: We want God
in our lives. We are inclined to think we can handle life and
living on our own. Perhaps we have laughed at the idea of becoming
a Christian-put it from our minds-but never completely If remembering
were our job alone, we might forget. But God continues to invite
us to become His-to begin a new relationship with Him. His approach
is appealing. When we think about starting a new relationship
with God, questions arise-questions that need answers.
Chapter
1
Why Should I Start a Relationship with God?
1.
My Sin Reveals I Need God
Sin
separates us from God. As children when we disobeyed our
parents, we experienced their disapproval. We felt distance between
them and us. We knew the wrong act had grieved them. Oh, the loneliness
of those moments! The awareness of our sins interrupts the warm,
close relationship with our Father. Separation may not jut from
the surface of our consciousness, but below lies the knowledge
that all is not right. Sin enslaves us. We find it so
easy to do wrong. We don't want to sin. But we sin. We go directly
against what we know to be right. Once we have sinned, the next
time we put up less of a fight. We justify the second sin because
of the first sin. Before long sin does not seem to be wrong. What
would have shocked us becomes acceptable. We have become slaves
to sin. God asks this personal question: "Don't you know that
when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you
are slaves to the one whom you obey- whether you are slaves to
sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?"
(Rom. 6:16).
Sin
brings spiritual death. "For the wages of sin is death; but
the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lard"
(Rom. 6:23, KJV). We may isolate our sins from their consequences.
But the result of sin is set. Death. We possess no life with God-now
or later.We may respect God. We may desire a friendship with Him.
But if we continue in sin, we are not saved. We are strangers
to God's love because we don't enjoy His forgiveness. We don't
understand His ways because His presence does not live in our
hearts.
We may note our sin, long to live right, and expect to be saved
someday; but now sin rules our lives. We are lost. Heaven, with
all its glory and splendor, may be desirable, but if we are
unsaved, we cannot enter heaven. We are spiritually dead.
2.
Conscience Tells Me to Get Right with God
Conscience, the watchman of the soul, pleads: "You should start
anew with God." Conscience reacts to sin. Conscience says, "You
need to make that right. You should not do that. You will pay.
Look at your past." 10 The Psalmist, a godly man, describes his
conscience at work: "For troubles without number surround me;
my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see. They are more than
the hairs of my head, and my heart fails within me" (Ps. 40:12).
Guilt follows our wrong deeds. We repress the guilt.
We justify the wrong in order to make the sin tolerable. We look
at the circumstances for evidence as to why we could not help
sinning. Guilt can be kept down only so long. The inner condemner
rises to announce the regrettable verdict: Guilty! Busyness pushes
the guilt to the back of the shelf. In the quiet moments conscience
awakens. Guilt convicts again. The process of repressing guilt
may seem successful. Then we realize that guilt can disguise
itself in anger. Anger turned inward becomes bitterness.
The bitterness within edges its way out through our tempers. We
act resentful. Unprovoked we may strike out. We wonder why. Guilt
has spoken once more. God has given us the gift of guilt. He really
wants us to listen to this inner voice of conscience. God calls
to us through guilt's voice. He says, "Let Me give you a new beginning.
We have been separated too long. Stop sinning. Become Mine."
3.
A Relationship with God Is Highly Desirable
If a person is unsure about starting a relationship with God,
often the obstacle to the new beginning is created by
a misunderstanding of God. A student at a state college heard
a pastor lecture on the Bible in a humanities class. After the
lecture, the student followed the minister outside. The skeptical
student expressed doubts about God. The pastor listened to the
student and then made this observation: "The God you describe
is not the loving caring, and forgiving God of the Bible. Jesus,
who knew God best, described Him as a loving Father." One adult
woman admitted, "My dad wasn't a very good father to me. But I
sure know God's an excellent Father. He is the One I always wished
I had."
When we come to God with our sins and the ugly marks they have
left upon us, God accepts us. He cleans up our lives. He takes
us into His family. God forgives. He mends broken lives. Sin brings
sorrow, but God fills us with joy. We were made for this kind
of relationship with God. Our lungs were made for air, our
eyes for sight, our lips to speak. Our souls were made for God.
We discover life's greatest possibilities with God as our Father.
Our feet were not created to walk the paths of sin, but the paths
of righteousness. Our minds were not made to be filled with the
cheap, sensual, and negative thoughts, but to think the thoughts
of God. Thinking as God thinks will bring a new and beautiful
dimension to living. Whereas wrong emotions such as jealousy,
hatred, strife, lust, anger, and selfish ambition characterize
our thoughts, God teaches us to think new thoughts. God
plants within us the seeds of love, joy peace, patience, goodness,
and self-control. We are able to think about the true, the noble,
the right, the pure, the lovely. Admirable thoughts become typical
thoughts when God gives us a new beginning.
Regrettably
some people would forfeit such a relationship with God. To them
the concerns of this life seem more pressing than a relationship
with God. The self-interests, the need to control, the desire
for recognition are more real than God is. Jesus asks a priority
question: "What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole
world, yet forfeits his soul?" (Matt. 16:26).
4.
Jesus Provides for a New Start
Jesus
Christ's death on the Cross made salvation possible. Jesus informed
us in His own words: "For even the Son of Man did not come to
be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for
many" (Mark 10:45). Jesus took our sins upon himself.
He died so that we could be spared the consequences of our wrongdoing.
The resurrection of Christ from the dead gives hope for a new
beginning. God gave life to Jesus. He gives life to us. We are
resurrected from death due to our sins and provided with a new
life in Christ.
Even if we are "good," Jesus' death and resurrection are necessary
to bring us new life. If we are horrible sinners, Jesus still
pardons.
A lady spoke with her pastor about wanting to accept Christ into
her heart, "I wish Jesus could forgive my sins." Her pastor said,
"Be assured. Jesus will forgive you."
"But
you don't know what awful sins I've Committed. I've had a live-in
boyfriend. I know that's wrong. And I've sinned before that, too."
The pastor read to her John 8:1-11 about the adulterous woman
to whom Jesus said, "Then neither do I condemn you. . . .Go now
and leave your life of sin."
"I
never knew that story was in the Bible," responded the seeking
lady "I guess God can forgive my sins."
The Cross and the Resurrection prove God's love for sinners.
Jesus cared for us so much that He died so we could start anew.
Chapter
2
How Can I Start a New Relationship with God?
The
conditions we meet in order to start afresh with God are only
two:
1.
Repent
Jesus
spoke about repentance. He set up repentance as a necessary
step in getting right with God. Jesus used the word repentance
to mean a thoroughgoing change of attitude toward sin. Some
have misunderstood repentance. Repentance is more than being
emotionally moved. People have reported spiritual experiences
as impressive and moving events. Unfortunately these experiences
did not produce behavioral changes. Life trudged on unchanged.
Repentance is not being afraid. Wicked King Ahab, scared
by Elijah's prediction of his tragic death, changed temporarily
Fear produced change, but only for a short time.
Repentance is more than reform. People, by themselves
and without God's help, overcome obstacles to live a different
way. But reform does not pass for genuine repentance. Reform is
superficial. Repentance is divinely inspired, implemented, and
reaches to our inner being. Sorrow should not be mistaken for
repentance. Remorse may counterfeit repentance. Regret
can easily substitute for repentance. For example, Judas returned
the 30 pieces of silver after betraying Jesus. With remorse and
regret Judas then hanged himself.
Repentance leads a person to Jesus. Repentance brings on life-new
life, real life. Repentance is a turning point. Instead
of following sin to spiritual death, we change directions and
head toward the Savior. Jesus gives new life. He makes us into
new persons. We become someone else-new creations.
Repentance
is a deep, complete change. We stop sinning. Deliberate,
intentional, and continual sin is forsaken. We let go of self-rule.
We permit God to become God of our lives. Jesus spoke this principle:
"The kingdom of God is near. Repent . . ." (Mark 1:15). When
we repent God becomes King of our lives. Repenting gives Him
the right of Lordship. Because God's kingship is near, that
is, available, we are instructed and urged to repent.
2.
Trust Christ Alone
Faith
is absolutely essential to salvation. "Without faith it is impossible
to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe
that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek
him" (Heb. 11:6). Just as repentance is misunderstood, so is
faith. Faith is more than an intellectual understanding
about God. Faith exceeds even a mental concept that God exists.
The scripture just quoted says, "Anyone who comes to him must
believe . . . that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."
Faith believes in a "rewarding" God. God always responds to
a seeking person. God explains why He forgives, "I, even I,
am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and
remembers your sins no more" (Isa. 43:2 5). God wants to remove
our sins. We are to trust Him to do what He says.
Rose,
crippled with arthritis until her feet and hands were gnarled
and distorted, claimed God had not forgiven her.
"Have
you asked God to forgive you?" inquired her friend.
"Oh
yes. Every day of my life I have asked God. But I don't feel
He has forgiven me."
"Why
do you maintain God has not forgiven you?"
"Because
He is punishing me with this arthritis."
"God
is not punishing you. But you are convinced. Why?"
"When
my husband died I shook my fist at God and said, 'A loving God
could never do that.' I was sorry I ever said that. I've asked
God to forgive me. But He hasn't."
God
had forgiven her, but she never believed Him until that day.
Her friend read 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful
and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all
unrighteousness."
Rose's
friend asked, "Why do you suppose the scripture says God forgives
because of God's faithfulness and justice?"
Her
friend explained, "Jesus died to save us from our sins. God
would be unfaithful to himself and unfair to Jesus if He did
not forgive the person who admitted his need for salvation.
The reason for God's forgiveness is Jesus." Rose believed God
for a new start. The first time in 40 years!
Chapter
3
Starting Anew with God-What Does It Mean?
Four
wonderful things happen when we repent and trust Christ to save
us: First, guilt is removed. Our sinning makes us guilty
Christ's death and resurrection erases our past. God provides
a complete pardon for us. We may never be found guilty for the
sins of our past. We go free. In the eyes of God we are as free
of guilt as though we had never sinned.
After President Gerald Ford offered a pardon to former President
Richard Nixon, the press asked Ford if Richard Nixon was admitting
his guilt by accepting the pardon. President Ford replied, "Yes,
he is." We admit our need for forgiveness. Also just as Nixon
has never been tried for the crimes of Watergate, so God's pardon
is complete.
Justified in God's sight we no longer are condemned. The feelings
of guilt have no basis. God says, "Not guilty" Now we begin anew.
Second, we are cleansed.
God scrubs our hearts clean. The old motives are purified. We
no longer strive to live life under the commands of lower priorities.
God is first in our hearts-our love. We may be tempted, but sin
does not have the power that formerly pulled us into its clutches.
Through obedience our hearts express love for God. Cleansing removes
the corrosion surrounding the image of God that is present in
us. Each of us was made in God's image-His likeness resides in
us. Unfortunately our sin stains and corrodes God's image so that
it is not clearly evident in the sinner. When God purifies us
He scrapes away the accruements. Now God's characteristics shine
through. Love, joy peace, patience, goodness, and self-control
begin to shine through. God has cleansed our hearts.
Third,
we are adopted into God's family.
"Yet
to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he
gave the right to become children of God" (John 1:12). God wants
us in His family Romans 8:15 states this fact: "For you did not
receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you
received the Spirit of sonship."
God looks at us-the person He forgives and cleanses-and He says,
"I want you to be My child, live in My love, eat at My table."
God wants you to be His family member. Think of this: Christ becomes
your brother.
What a privilege! What a relationship! As family we may come to
our Father for help and comfort in the time of need.
Fourth,
new life begins.
When we repent and trust Christ, we are born again. God gives
us a new start. We are made new. We are re-created. Spiritual
life is planted in us. Once being dead in our sins we now have
life-real life.
When we accept Jesus into our lives, we possess life-the new beginning.
"He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of
God does not have life" (1 John 5:12).
All that we hoped for in a new start begins now. The chance to
be at ease with God. The longed-for opportunity to quiet the voice
of guilt. The possibility to reach the potential trapped within.
New life. A new start.
Chapter
4
When Should I Start My Relationship with God?
1.
While You Have Time
This truth is not to be misinterpreted as pressure. It is fact.
Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow may never come. Now is the only moment
we have for sure. "I tell you, now is the time of God's favor,
now is the day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:2). Now is the time
because God's claim on you is constant. Since it is right
to become a Christian, it is wrong to delay Since it is wrong
to delay there is no reason why you should not be saved now. Satan
tempts you to postpone. Salvation is a matter of priority.
Since it is right to be a Christian, then nothing should hinder
you from giving your heart to God. Family friends, job, pleasure,
position-nothing should prevent you from obeying God. All of life
fits into the pattern of proper relationship when Jesus is Lord
of your life. God promises us, "But seek first his kingdom and
his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as
well" (Matt. 6:33).
Every
moment of postponement adds to the accumulation of sin. Postponing
wastes more time. More of your influence will be misdirected.
Additional guilt will be heaped on the load you already carry
Delay, even for a few hours, may divert your attention from this
present, important consideration. Days, months, even years may
pass before you reconsider.
Several years ago a young couple refused an invitation to pray
to start anew with God. They promised they would seek the Lard
at church. But they skipped the church service. Other events stole
their attention. Today they are still unsaved. Could it be that
the moment in which they so nearly gave their hearts to God was
the nearest they will ever come to being saved? Apparent reasons
will always be handy as to why it seems better to wait. Satan
suggests these excuses: "I am not ready yet." "I want to think
it over a little longer." "I don't understand many things." The
only preparation you need is the determination to seek God.
You don't need to think it over any longer; indecision is the
enemy of your soul. A 50-year-old man, upon hearing how he could
begin a relationship with Christ said, "I want to think it over
a little longer." He needed God more than he needed to think.
People sometimes wish their lives were cleaned up and their problems
solved first before being saved. They will never be saved, for
problems are always present. Furthermore, they may feel they have
no need for God. God cleans up our lives. While He does not solve
all problems, He dissolves many Accept God into your heart
now. He will take care of the other considerations.
2.
While You Still Have the Opportunity
Sin's
grasp gets tighter and stronger. Years of rejecting God deepen
the groove of habitual resistance. It is hard to jump out of an
old rut. People tend to die as they lived-with or without God.
Sin gets a choke-hold on us. Sin is more than wrong actions, it
is a way of life. Sin is disobedience and rebellion against God.
Sin is rooted deep in our nature, making a new start is not easy.
It never becomes easier to make a decision for Christ.
Life keeps pulling us down. Responsibility mounts upon us. Life
becomes complex. Difficult decisions never are easier to make
merely with the addition of time. Decide now Decide now while
you have the will to do so. Terry laughed.
"I know God will forgive me anytime I ask. I plan to go to heaven,
but I'm going to wait until the last 30 seconds of my life before
I repent."
I started to speak, but he interrupted, anticipating what I might
say, "I'll just take my chances on being conscious the last few
moments of my life."
'Terry," I said, "You recognize the risk you are taking. But I
have worse news for you: unfortunately God will not forgive you
in the last 30 seconds of your life, even if you asked."
"What! He has to. He promised He would."
"God promised He would forgive if you repent."
"I could repent. Don't think I couldn't! If I knew I were 30 seconds
from hell . . . "
"But, Terry the first and greatest commandment is to love God.
Repentance means to change your focus of love. You are trying
to beat God with His own rules. I don't see how you are loving
Him. You may be asking for forgiveness, but you are not changing
your mind about God. You refuse to love Him."
Two weeks later Terry phoned. "I accepted Christ into my heart
today. I wanted you to know. God wouldn't quit dealing with me."
3. While God Calls
Terry experienced God tugging at his heart-calling him to himself.
He almost begs you in this scripture: "Say to them, 'As surely
as I live, declares the Sovereign Lard, I take no pleasure in
the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their
ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die?"'
(Ezek. 33:11).
God pleads gently "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If
anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat
with him, and he with me" (Rev. 3:20).
Our loving Father appeals to you. Come to Him. His call for you
is clear and persuasive. Begin anew. Be saved while God calls.
Will you seek a place of prayer right now?
Will you give Him your heart?
Repent of your sins.
Confess your guilt.
Accept His pardon.
Give Him your life.
Don't delay until hope trickles away.
Pray today, for He will save you.
He will make you new.
You can start fresh.
