Text: Ezekiel 36:25-26
Memory verse:
“For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.”
Galatians 6:15 NKJV
I once read an old story of two king’s court attendants who had a hot argument on whether or not a person had to be born a gentleman, or whether he could become a gentleman by training, discipline, and learned habits. The attendant who said that one could become a gentleman had visited a restaurant. There, he had watched spellbound as a cat, contrary to nature, walked slowly toward him, balancing a tray with his cup of chocolate to serve him. It was dressed in a tiny uniform, and it had learned to balance a tray in its forepaws. With this, he concluded at once that if a cat could be trained to do a thing like that, why couldn’t a man be drilled into becoming a gentleman? So, he paid a huge sum to get the cat and returned home to do the same.
Now, on the day of the trial, as the king sat on his throne, the attendant opened his box and the remarkable cat, in miniature court dress, walked carefully on its hind legs, made its way slowly down a red carpet, carrying a tray of chocolate to the king. The court broke into applause.
However, as the attendant released half a dozen white mice, the cat instantly forgot its training, education, discipline, and its learned habit. Its natural instinct surfaced and, in a flash, off it went after the scampering mice. The discussion was settled once and for all. The cat returned, purring loudly several hours later, and its beautiful attire messed up!
Likewise, no one can become born again by just changing his outlook, habits, friends, or church. While these are fruits of a changed life, they don’t on their own cause a changed life.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (II Cor 5:17).
According to our text, spiritual heart surgery is involved in being born again. It’s not the turning over of a new leaf. It’s not something superficial or external but something deep inside. It’s not a reformation but a regeneration. Reformation is white washing, but regeneration is washing you white. Reformation is putting on new clothes but regeneration is putting a new man in one’s clothes.
Friends, a man in sin, is still a man in sin, irrespective of the rebranding or refurbishing. At the appropriate time, circumstance, place, and opportunity, the natural instinct of sin will override any overlaying moral, habit, education, training, or religion. Are you regenerated or reformed?
Prayer points
1. Father, please convict and save everyone whose heart is not changed and deceived by his external change, in Jesus’ name.
2. Father, please, work in me to produce fruits that align with my heart change, in Jesus’ name.
Today’s declarations
1. Reformation is external packaging without an inner or a heart change.
2. I am a new creature and not a reformed person because the nature of sin was removed from me, and the nature of God was implanted.
Contact: pastor@thf.org.ng