Confronting Reality
Born again christianity is not an escape from reality. It is a confrontation of reality. When a person takes a good look at their life, he usually realizes that change is needed. So, we look for alternatives. The world offers thousands, if not millions, of alternatives — from lifestyles to philosophies/religions to a change in scenery or a change of careers — it is a virtual Mega Mall overflowing with choices.
Forget the “Mall.” You could spend your whole life there and only find variations of the multitude of things you don’t really need, decorations and distractions from the original question, “What is the change I need?” “What am I missing?” It’s an inward search and nothing in the whole world can supply any sufficient answer. If it hasn’t worn out already or broken under the weight, when it does fail and disappoint, consider what I have been trying to share with you. The needed change is within.
Life is a process, a walk, a waking, a realm of discovery and realizations. Well, some fifty years ago, while on my walk of discovery, I found the reality that I had made a mess of my life and definitely needed a change. It might be more difficult for some of you to see, because you are comparing yourselves to everyone else, and so you conclude you aren’t so bad. After all, you’re no worse than anyone else. Sure, I can see that. Most people I know are better than me in many ways — more successful, for example. But that is incidental and not at all relevant to the inward need we all encounter. Can anyone honestly tell me that you haven’t sensed this inward craving or that you haven’t instinctively tried to fulfill it in a wide variety of often divergent ways?
Well, allow me to circle back around to born again Christianity. When I accepted Jesus of Nazareth for my personal salvation (like a drowning man), there was an instant and dynamic change, a personal encounter with the resurrected person of Jesus. Don’t believe me? It was pretty astounding for me, too. I suppose the only reason I did believe was because of the instant inward cleansing and the awakening that was so overwhelming. Anyways, being born that second time, inwardly, in my soul, it gave me a fresh start, but it didn’t instantly make me perfect. It made me acceptable. Now, what to do with it?
Life is a process, a walk, a waking, a realm of discovery and realizations. When people look at me or other “born again Christians,” and criticize and judge us unworthy for whatever reason, they are absolutely correct. I am unworthy in so many ways… there are so many things for people to criticize, but that’s because, like all born again Christians, we are works in progress! And we ourselves can hardly wait to see the end results! Nobody starts a walk at the destination… you must begin at the beginning.
Sure, there are many false, many pretenders, many deceitful who masquerade as “angels of light,” but .. “a rose by any other name…” We can avoid their thorns… It is foolish to say there is nothing good, because there is bad…
Please, don’t make a decision to reject Jesus of Nazareth based on your opinion of me or someone else. (“I’m not going to try that entree, because so and so likes it.”) It’s a poor excuse.
Finally, if and when you receive Jesus, becoming born again, He doesn’t take you out of this world You will remain in the world, but no longer of the world, because you will have put your feet onto His path, and He will light the way for you to walk on it.
