Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: REVIVAL (10/15/20)
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TITLE: The Time For A Revival | Previous Challenge Entry
By Doug Laird
10/21/20 -
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In an evangelical outreach, the objective is to save lost souls. Until one is born again, there is no spiritual life present to revive.
In a spiritual revival, the objective is to strengthen or to improve the post (after) salvation spiritual life that began when the saved soul first believed.
Revivals, therefore per.tain to the Church on Earth consisting of all born again believers. The individual and/or collective need for revival is detected by conducting a 2Cor. 13: 5 examination.
The first overt indicator that such an examination is in order is a diminishing interest in God or in the things of God, and what spills out of the mouth from within the soul (Luke 6: 45).
The post salvation spiritual life is not a make-over of the former person. The born-again believer is a new creation in his/her relationship with God through Christ (2Cor. 5:17), but keep in mind that the fallen, self-centered, hostile (Romans 8: 7), inherently evil (Gen. 6: 5/Gen. 8: 21) nature within us remains alive and well.
Paul, in his letter to the believers in Rome (Rom. 7: 14 – 25), spoke of his ONGOING battle between this fallen nature and the new creation he received when he was born again almost 30 years before.
For the advancing disciple, the old nature remains a force to be contended with until we leave our earthly bodies behind (Romans 7: 24).
The new creation in Christ is Christ-centered, whereas the fallen nature is self-centered.
The new creation is in for a life-long battle with the fallen nature for immediate control of the thoughts (Proverbs 23: 7) and accompanying actions of the individual soul.
Be it the new creation or old fallen nature within us, the one we feed, train, and exercise (practice) more will be the one that inevitably wins most of these daily battles.
The fallen nature feeds on human viewpoint and naturally follows the ways of the world, seeking and doing the things that pleases oneself.
The new creation feeds on and applies the Word of God, seeking and doing the things that pleases God.
A born-again believer can never be any more (John 5: 24) or any less (Romans 8: 1) saved than he/she already is. The eternal life that a born-again believer has ALREADY received is NEVER in jeopardy.
Focusing on keeping what we cannot lose (John 5: 24/Romans 8:1) rather than focusing on what we can forfeit (1Cor. 3: 15) is a clever alternative promoted by religion with the applause of the devil.
At the moment of salvation, one is regenerated (Titus 3: 5) and sealed (Eph. 4: 30) by the work of God the Holy Spirit. The saved soul, then and there (John 5: 24), becomes the recipient of God's irrevocable (Romans 11:29) gift of eternal life, and is forever identified as a child of God.
Q. What is it then that the born-again believer already has that can be in need of revival (strengthening improvement)?
A. It is the q-u-a-l-i-t-y of his/her post salvation spiritual life.
This quality is determined by the fruit it produces (Matt. 13: 8/Luke 6: 43-45). The ultimate fruit of discipleship are saved and/or edified souls.
The ominous words of Rev. 3: 16, 17 and the categorizing words of (Matt. 13: 21- 23) teaches that born-again believers can think all is well, when in fact, be weak in knowledge, application, testimony, and production.
No production, no reward (1Cor. 3: 15).
Disciples do not serve God to retain salvation or to be rewarded, but God has chosen to reward and privilege saved souls that choose to glorify Him.
The first time a human soul glorifies God is when he/she is presented with the unadulterated Gospel Message and chooses to believe it.
Once born again, the believer then has the daily and on-going opportunity to continue to glorify God by learning (2Pet. 3: 18) and applying (James 1:22) the principles of the Word of God to all that he/she thinks and does throughout the course of his/her post (after) salvation spiritual life.
Unlike the unchanging integrity and permanency of the eternal life that all born again believers have already received, the productivity of their individual post salvation spiritual life can improve or decline.
When in decline, a revival is in order if one desires to receive the Matt. 25: 21 commendation.
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
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