CASUALLY CHRISTIAN. 093

The first time I was baptized I was pretty young. In about fourth grade I decided that I wanted to get baptized but I didn't know what giving my life to Jesus looked like. Giving my life to Jesus and getting baptized were not the same thing in my head. Chances are, when I say a phrase like "giving my life to Jesus" we don't really take it in because it is such a familiar term. To be clear, giving my life to Jesus means, I literally give my life, and all its contents, the things I like and don't like, the things I do and don't do, my thoughts, my habits etc etc etc are being handed over to Jesus, this concept was alien to my brain. Maybe not alien but at best, it was superficially in my brain. After my baptismal service my older brother's friend was joking with me but said something quite serious. He said, "so now that you're baptized no more Dragon Ball Z and all the other stuff." I definitely don't think that Christians should be watching, playing or doing anything with dragon ball Z, but that is beside the point. The point is that when he said that I remember thinking it weird that he just assumed that because I was baptized I would just stop all these ungodly things. In my mind me being baptized did not have that significant of a bearing over my life; I lived how I lived, was baptized because it was my christian routine, and then went straight back to living how I was living. There was no spiritual rejuvenation to even prompt a change in my behaviour.

If we would escape having a sickly experience, we must begin in earnest without delay to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. There are many who give no decided evidence that they are true to their baptismal vows. Their zeal is chilled by formality, worldly ambition, pride, and love of self. Occasionally their feelings are stirred, but they do not fall on the Rock, Christ Jesus. They do not come to God with hearts that are broken in repentance and confession. Those who experience the work of true conversion in their hearts will reveal the fruits of the Spirit in their lives. Oh, that those who have so little spiritual life would realize that eternal life can be granted only to those who become partakers of the divine nature and escape the corruption that is in the world through lust!

The power of Christ alone can work the transformation in heart and mind that all must experience who would partake with Him of the new life in the kingdom of heaven. “Except a man be born again,” the Saviour has said, “he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3. The religion that comes from God is the only religion that can lead to God. In order to serve Him aright, we must be born of the divine Spirit. This will lead to watchfulness. It will purify the heart and renew the mind, and give us a new capacity for knowing and loving God. It will give us willing obedience to all His requirements. This is true worship. {9T 155 & 156}

How is it with you? Does your life, the consistent day-to-day life that you live (not your mistakes here and there) does it deny the vows you made at your baptism? Have you been, are you being genuinely born again? If not do you even care to ask God to address that?

Solemn thoughts.

Father,

transform us please,

IJN,

amen

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