The Bondage Breakerنموونە

The Bondage Breaker

by

Rocky Fleming

Day Four – Born Again

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV)

I believe there is a truth about the typical Christian man in America.  Here it is:  He is under-challenged, under-equipped, under-utilized, and he doesn’t know what he is capable of becoming and doing, if Christ really got a hold of his life.  Therefore he is getting slammed, and doesn’t know what to do about it.  The last thing I mentioned is likely the most important reason to understand what is missing and what can be done about this condition.  

There is a reason Christian men are still making bad choices because of some kind of addiction or bondage.  The “old man” in them remains in control.  This is why they stay under bondage to something that Christ wants to break them from.  To make a reversal of this requires a change of identity, both in how we see our self, and to realize how God sees you and me.  He doesn’t see me as failure, nor is He disappointed in me, for he knows this is the starting place for all men.  What He sees is a man He loves very much and He wants better for him.  

He is an encourager who wants to help this man.  But, He also wants this man to play his part.  I think Jesus is simply waiting for this man to figure out who he is, even though he is not there yet, and to begin a spiritual journey to become the man who Jesus wants him to be.  When a man starts this journey, I think Jesus jumps in a big way to help him.

One of my favorite comedy movies is, “O Brother Where Art Thou?”  Now don’t blame me, for I’m from Mississippi and it is expected by most of you.  So get over it.  There is a poignant scene where Delmer sees people being baptized and runs into the river to join them.  But does Delmer really understand the complete forgiveness and the new life God has given him? Like many of you, it will take some time for Delmer to start to actually realize the life change that will follow.  But he starts where we all start with Christ, with His forgiveness.  

The movie is a comedy.  It is light humor about something real and serious.  But the movie stops short of telling about the new life a follower of Christ can have, for its message is centered on the scene that sins can be “Washed away.”  Unfortunately, this limited message is not just in this movie.  It is in churches, and with televangelists on TV every Sunday.   It is in the Christian culture in America that Christianity is only about salvation, when the message from Christ to His disciples is that the Gospel is about salvation, transformation and activation.  Men we have been born again to be reborn as new men in Christ.  It is time to take the next step in your journey.