Life transformation

"Life transformation is the first manifestation of the work of theHoly Spirit in the life of a believer"

 

Dear Brethren,

 

If we look around us, we see many Christian churches sprouting up like mushrooms compare to five or ten years ago.  There are mega churches today with congregation of more than twenty thousand members.  I have seen churches with more than ten thousand people attending worship service at once.  It looks amazing how the Lord works in these churches and surprisingly, all of these churches are contemporary ones.  Question arises, what is the new trend in evangelism today?

 

One thing is known, contemporary worship uses entertainment and light preaching that does not convict sinners to repent, mostly love and blessings.  Some pastors say, it’s up to the Holy Spirit to move their hearts.  Although it is true, but it is also commanded that preachers should deliver the straight forward message to convict the hearts of the hearers.  2 Timothy 4:2 “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.”

 

The aim of the preaching of the Word of God is to transform the lives of the guilty sinners for Jesus.  The Bible says in Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

 

We have to be reminded again that when a person becomes born-again Christian, changes must take place in his life.

 

Life transformation is the first manifestation of the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer.  First of all, the word “again” from the word “Born-again” (John 3:3) is the Greek word “anothen” means born from above.  So, believers who received Jesus as Lord and Savior will definitely have changed life:  from worldliness to godliness, from unrighteousness to righteousness.  Everything in his/her life changes from the way he or she thinks, to the way he/she does things.  Paul said it in 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

 

Old sinful deeds in a person’s life will drastically be changed into righteousness through the work of the Holy Spirit.  The work of the Holy Spirit is to sanctify the person to produce good fruits pleasing to God.  Ephesians 1:13 says “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise”, through the power of the Word of God.  1 Thessalonians 2:13 says “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.”

 

When we therefore see “Christian friends” still dwelling in their old worldly life, his/her deed is detrimental to his/her claim to be a Christian, and might still be unsaved and in darkness.  Leading them back again to Christ would be the best thing we should do for them.

 

May this issue gives you a new insight of knowing your true relationship with Christ and the joy of understanding a transformed life.