(This is a real letter to a new Christian.
S. has no background at all in Christianity or in the Bible.
These series of emails help her understand what's happened to her.)
A new Life
S., I hope to help you know what a person experiences when they become a Christian. It has mystery to it, how God connects to us, enters our lives and changes us. Perhaps I can make it less mysterious? Here’s some thoughts:
When you became a Christian, you came alive (Eph. 2.4-5) as a spiritual being. Before you were a Christian, you weren’t spiritual. This is why the Bible says we’re “dead” before we open our hearts to Jesus – a strange thought, right! You’re alive physically, but not spiritually. That dimension of life is inactive, non-functional. Dead.
How about an analogy: imagine someone who’s blind, then gets sight. A new dimension of existence opens up! That’s something like becoming a Christian. A new (2 Cor. 5.17) dimension of life begins.
Now you’ve a spiritual dimension, a spiritual identity you didn’t have before, S. And it’s from God, so it’s his identity – how can I say this? – well, the Bible expresses it this way: His seed (1 Peter 1.23). It’s the new you, a new S., re-created to be like Jesus. It’s God’s life plus your personality.
Perhaps another analogy? it’s like a heart transplant – out goes your old heart (that’s diseased with evil). You get a transplanted heart, God’s heart. A spiritual (Ezek. 36.26) heart.
You may not be aware of this immediately, S., but you’ll see it, sense it over time. (Others will too…). You start thinking God-thoughts (1 Cor. 2.12-13). Not just thoughts about God, but thoughts like God thinks, his perspective.
Here’s an image – don’t know if it’s helpful: before we were physically born, we existed in a water/fluid environment in the uterus. But when we were born, we left the fluid world and burst into an air/oxygen environment. Instantly, we did! We didn’t know this as babies – it just happened. And we somehow began functioning in an “air” atmosphere, not a water atmosphere.
Same thing when we believe in Jesus and welcome him into our lives, S.. There’s an instant (perhaps not immediately recognized) change: we begin to function in a spiritual environment, not just a materialistic environment.
So you’re the same height, weight, looks, etc, but you’re not the same, S. You’re a new person, with a new dimension: spirit. In time, you’ll come to be dominated by this new nature – you will primarily be/function/think spiritually. The Bible uses the term (Gal. 5.25) “walk in the Spirit” to describe this.
One thing you’ll find: you develop a new focus (Eph. 4.22-24) in life. Instead of following the Me-god or the Sex-god or the Money-god (which everyone in
Your spirit starts to resonate with God, harmonize… I don’t know this is entirely rational, S. I mean, we don’t just “think” it into being. It happens at a deeper level than thought processes.
Another birthing picture: when some animals are born, an imprinting happens, a bonding between a duckling, say, and the mother duck (or the unlucky person that the duckling thinks is his mom!). In human birth, there’s a bonding of mother and child too, although it’s not instinctual.
So too with us. There’s a bonding, a spiritual zoning-in that occurs between us and God. I’m not describing it well, because it’s heart-to-heart (really, spirit-to-spirit) bonding. It’d be like answering the question, ‘What colour is love?” How can you describe real love? You can’t. You must experience it.)
You’ll start seeing things from God’s (Col. 3.1-4) perspective, S., not just your own, not from the culture around you. You get God’s view of life, of people, of yourself and the future. You start thinking from the perspective of eternity!
And God’s Spirit begins to communicate with you, deep within yourself. I can’t quite describe it, because almost unique for every Christian. I think others aren’t much aware of this happening within you – it’s very personal.
Perhaps it’s like two people in love, S.? There are levels of communication happening beyond words, beyond looks at each other. Both of them know the communication’s going on. In some strange way, both understand the other’s thoughts. Perhaps that’s similar to us and God?
God’s Spirit is real, personal and present everywhere. And within you now! He can communicate with you and you can understand him. Maybe it’s like having radio waves swirling around you, but no radio receiver? Now you are attuned to him, can receive his communication, can communicate back.
God’s Spirit will give you a sense of belonging, S.: you’re in God’s family now, you are God’s child (John 1.12). I’ll talk about this in another email.
He’ll give you a sense of acceptance: you’re precious (Romans 8.35-37) to God, valued by him. You’ll start to sense God’s love (and get spoiled by it – that’s what a friend says…) He’ll give you his love (2 Tim. 1.7) for God and others, encouragement and hope, and courage to face life as a Christian. You’ll start to care and love at levels you hadn’t before.
He’ll give you insights and wisdom you didn’t have before too…
What does all of this mean? You’re primarily spirit now, S.! You’re a new person, deep within, with the capacity to connect with God. That’s the most significant aspect of your life – and sometime, as you mature as a Christian, it will be the most dominant factor in you.
Make sense? Actually, it doesn’t have to make complete sense. Just like a baby doesn’t have to think, “I’m breathing air!” right after birth, so you don’t have to “figure it out.” Start enjoying it! Thank God you have a spiritual dimension now!
Hope it’s helpful, S.. I’ll send you some more ideas, but this is enough for now.
Paul