Today’s reading: 1 Timothy 1:12-17
As Christ followers, words and phrases like “saved,” “born again,” and “believer” are part of our everyday vocabulary. But to someone who doesn’t yet have a personal relationship with God, they can be perplexing and confusing. Remember Nicodemus’s words to Jesus after Jesus talked about the necessity of being born again?
“Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?'” (John 3:4).
As we talk with people about their need to have a personal relationship with Christ, we also need to be able to explain to people what this means. Paul does a good job of this in 1 Timothy 1:12-17. Here are some of the descriptions and explanations I noticed from Paul that I believe would help others get a better understanding of what being saved, born again, and a believer means.
- We are a changed person from the inside out (a new creation in Christ).
- We have the strength of Christ now residing within us.
- We are judged faithful—regardless of our past wrongs.
- We are the recipient of God’s forgiveness, grace, and mercy.
- We are in God’s service.
- We are now an example of what having a new life in Christ looks like and means to others.
How do you explain being saved, born again, or a believer to someone who doesn’t yet have a personal relationship with Christ? How might you incorporate some of Paul’s explanations? Did you see anything besides what I noted above? Tami
Source: Tami’s Blog
