What does God’s grace do to a sinner who believes in Jesus Christ?
A radical transformation
Everything that we were in our flesh before coming to Christ is radically transformed from the inside out by God’s grace. We cease to be what we were, and we are radically transformed. Our soul undergoes such a transformation that although our body remains the same we are literally not the same person we used to be.
A new life
This radical transformation is called regeneration, meaning “new life” or “rebirth.” We literally have been raised from the dead and recreated by God as new creatures. Because we have been given a new life, we will now live in a different manner.
A new heart
Part of this transformation is that God gives us a new heart. We are given new desires and are filled with His Holy Spirit. We now go in a new direction because we are a changed person with a transformed soul. There is no visible outward thing that brings about this transformation. It is a miracle of God’s grace that is brought about within the soul of man.
A new direction
Because our souls have been given life, our hearts have been changed, and we have been given a new nature we now go a different direction with our lives. What we once loved we now hate, and what we once hated we now love. We do not become sinless, but we delight in obedience to God’s Law and we sin less.
An assurance of sins forgiven
It is this radical change that gives us an assurance of our standing before God. We still sin, but our response has changed drastically. We repent more quickly and more fully. We no longer hide our sins or pretend that we have not sinned. We are being delivered from the power of sin, and we now love the people of God. Our assurance is based upon the work of Jesus Christ both on the cross and in our lives; it is no longer based upon our own works.
Application
Are you a new creature in Christ? Do you know that you are born again?
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