Being Renewed In Jesus Christ is Enough
A.W. Tozer once said, “It is simply not enough to know about God. We must know God in increasing levels of intimacy that lifts us up above all reason and into the world of adoration and praise and worship.” We must be renewed in Him.
What does it mean to be renewed in Christ?
Throughout the New Testament, we see not only Jesus Christ but also the Apostles and even Paul himself speak on this topic.
Colossians 3:9-10 (NKJV) says, “9. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10. And have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him…”
As Christians, we are called to let our old sinful flesh die and become a new creation in Christ but it’s not easy. When we first begin our walk with God, it can become easy for us to indulge in the desires of our flesh but here’s the thing:
As we grow in our walk with God, renewing our hearts and minds should be paramount.
One story in the Bible that talks about being renewed in Christ is the story of Paul and how he went from killer of the Christians to becoming one of its most prominent speakers of the Gospel.Through Paul’s life, we see the power of God and how He renews us and restores us, particularly when we feel that we are pursuing God’s calling for our lives and He corrects our misconceptions.
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Through examining Paul’s life and how he went from a murderer of the followers of Jesus to one of Christ’s Apostles, there are several lessons we can learn about what it means to have renewal in Jesus Christ.
1). God will show us a different perspective on who He is
Acts 9:5-6 (NKJV) says, “5. And he said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ Then the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads. 6. So he, trembling and astonished, said, ‘Lord, what do You want me to do?’ Then the Lord said to him ‘Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.’”
In this passage of Scripture, we see how God is already beginning to correct Saul’s misconception of who He is. To Saul, those that followed Jesus were straying from the faith of their families and following a heretical teaching.Later within the chapter, Saul’s sight restores to him through the disciple Ananias. When his sight restores, the first thing Saul did was get baptized. Then he spent time with the disciples in Damascus.
“Changing a person’s reality comes from changing a person’s mentality.”
Matthew 5:16 (NKJV) says, “16. Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven.”
2). Through faith, Christ lives within us.
Galatians 2:20 (NKJV) says, “20. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”