TRANSFORMATION part 1 (Open Letter pages 24-27)
Well, but You have created the physical world to reflect the spiritual world so that we could have guidance. Why then should we be surprised, when in the spiritual realm similar facts and principles apply? And they do. Let all true Christians realize and acknowledge that they were saved NOT because of their own efforts or their own will. In fact, none of us was seeking our own Salvation!!! At times, we were even running away from it! But once we were brought to the Cross and by our faith acknowledged Christ Jesus to be our Saviour, in that moment we received, as it were, a seed of a new man within us, a spiritual man.
We received a new power of a new life, a sinless, holy life which also was in the blood, in the Blood of the Lamb, which Blood was shed for us on the Cross of Calvary. And this NEW power began to work in us immediately and without our extra efforts. It only needed our basic cooperation in supplying spiritual nutrition, walking in the light (1Jn.1:7), taking a rest in the Lord (Mt.11:28) and breathing prayers and worship. Our spiritual lungs began to breathe and our spiritual heart began to beat and, unless they stopped for a while, unless they skipped a beat here and there, we have not even noticed their breathing and beating.
Yet, anybody and everybody including ourselves could notice the outward growth of our new Christian being. We stopped murdering, stealing, we stopped committing adultery, fornication, we stopped cursing and blaspheming, we even quit our foul language, we stopped visiting taverns, dubious movies and shows; we were delivered from the power of drugs, tobacco, alcohol, gluttony, soap operas, gambling; we stopped our idolatry, transcendental meditations, yoga practises, hypnotism, astrology … and what else, Lord? In truth, we were delivered from the CORRUPT FLESH of our old man (Gal.5:19-21). We were cleansed from all filthiness of our coarse flesh! (2Cor.7:1).
And not only that, but we started to go to churches, we learnt to pray and sing hymns, we began to read the Bible and other Christian literature, we began to listen to many sermons and so grew richer in the knowledge of right things. We began to serve in various church departments and programs and in outreach ministries. We even started to give of our substance. Some of us went to seminaries for further studies … and what else, Lord? Is this not an outward growth, an outward change that could be seen and noticed by anyone having eyes? Is not our physical growth also outwardly noticeable by anyone who has eyes? This is that power in the blood which forces this growth and completes that growth unless it is interrupted or even stopped by our conscious or unconscious, willful actions.
What are these actions? Well, if we stop eating and drinking, if we eat unhealthy, poisonous foods or drink poisonous liquids, if we breathe polluted air or stop breathing at all, if we are wounded but the bleeding is not stopped, if a disease is neglected, not cured properly or on time … all these and other conscious or unconscious, willful actions would affect, restrict or inhibit our growth altogether. This includes the growth of all our physical parts including the internal organs.
If we stop eating or drinking spiritual food, if we eat unhealthy poisonous words and deeds or drink poisonous imaginations, scenery, pictures, if we breathe the pollutions of this world, if we are wounded by our past or present sins and the bleeding of the Spirit is not stopped, if a spiritual disease is neglected, not cured properly or on time … all these and other conscious or unconscious, willful actions would affect, restrict or inhibit our spiritual growth altogether!
There are many Christians who do not reach even this stage of their growth, they never seem to mature even outwardly. The power of the Blood of Christ cannot finish its part in their Salvation, namely, to break the power of sin and thus deliver them from that power of sin and its effects. Thus, it cannot complete the fundamental change of the course of their life; it cannot complete their fundamental outwardly observable growth and then keep them cleansed from all sin (1Jn.1:7), and keep them armed with the basic word of testimony! (Rev.12:11).
(To be continued)
brother Hanola