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.”
What does it mean to be in Christ?
What does it feel like to be in Christ?
What are the identifying marks of the life that’s immersed in Christ?
Marilyn Baker sang:
Jesus, you’re changing me
By your Spirit you’re making me like you
Jesus, you’re transforming me
That your loveliness may be seen in all I do
You’re the Potter and I am the clay
Help me to be willing to let you have your way
Jesus, you’re transforming me
As I let you reign supreme within my heart
I think the ageless lyrics above capture the very essence of being in Christ; it is to have Him living in us and reconstructing our broken lives back to what it was meant to be from the beginning before it was marred by unbelief and sin.
So many people have trusted in religious piety and/or rigorous spiritual discipline to help them experience harmony with God, but to no avail because spiritual redemption is far beyond the ability of a mortal being. The only One who can restore the lost soul of man to its original glory and, thus, reconcile man to Himself again, must be the only One who has the blue print of the soul’s original design. GOD IS THAT ONLY ONE!
He is willing to restore the lost soul back to harmonious fellowship with Him again as it was from the beginning before the fall of man.
However, the last stanza of the lyric holds a very important truth that is fundamental to this transforming work of grace in the heart of anyone who believes in and submits to Jesus Christ. It says:
Jesus, you’re transforming me
As I let you reign supreme within my heart
What a great revelation!
God can do nothing to help the unyielded heart to achieve the newness of life He wished for them because they’ve not granted access to Him to work on them. God is a gentle Man who never barges into the heart that’s unwelcoming to Him; this is where the seeker must take charge for themselves and decide whether they want Him to come in or not. In Revelation 3:20 Jesus Christ says: ” Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears me and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with me. “
This is a great opportunity for anyone who’s interested in beginning a new relationship, or reviving a dying one, with Jesus Christ.
So many people have expressed their frustration at not being able to live the Christian life. Some have almost accused God for giving up on them because they are still unsaved after so many unfruitful efforts at getting reconciled with GOD.
To all such person’s, the last stanza of the song admonishes them to surrender their lives to Jesus Christ completely!
TO LET HIM REIGN SUPREME WITHIN THEIR HEARTS.
They must be willing to trust Him completely with their lives, without holding back on anything.
This is where sincerity and trust is advised because with God you’re not dealing with someone from whom you could hide anything; in fact Hebrews 4:13 say this of Him:
“Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. “
Your sincerity is under test Whenever anyone approaches God for forgiveness and reconciliation with His, He knows if they’re truly sorry for and are done with their sinful living. He sees right through into their hearts so that if they’re truly ready, He begins His transformation work at once!
Some folks take Him on a hide and seek frolic, trying to keep one sin or the other unforsaken, though confessed, until the grace extended to them is exhausted in vain and they fly away at death to face the horror of a Christless eternity.
Jonah 2:8: “They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.”
There’s hardly anyone willing to surrender and forsake all their allegiances to sinful practices, who will not at once experience God’s forgiveness and a life changing transformation. However,the onus has always been on the sinner to prove that they are ready for God’s salvation; but as for God He is already ready!
2 Corinthians 6:2 : (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation .)
Will you dare to submit your heart wholy to Jesus Christ and be saved?
I can assure you that He’s already waiting; He’s just a prayer away!