Decision or Born Again

Often in our churches, we hear a pastor or leader inviting people to repeat the sinner’s prayer after them. After the prayer is said, they are encouraged to raise their hand and let the church know. The church is invited to celebrate the decision they have made to follow Christ with them. But is this decision the same as being born again? Does this secure their spot in heaven?

When I was a child, I made a decision to get out of my seat in children’s church and walk to the front to pray this very prayer. I was only six years old, but I meant that prayer with all my heart. I had no doubt that Jesus is the Son of God, that He died a horrible death on a cross to pay the price for all my sin. And yes, at six years old, I knew I was not perfect and I messed up, and I needed this Savior! I followed this up with Baptism a few weeks later in this very large church where I was alone, with no family there (my family didn’t go to church with me, I rode a church bus with my older brother when he went).

I grew up seeking to do all the right things. I read my Bible. I prayed. I went to church every time I could. When we moved, I found someone to go with and changed churches. I learned how to tell others about Jesus. I served in the nursing home, sang in the choir, and attended Girls in Action and Acteens as I grew. I could quote verses and lead you through the Roman Road plan of salvation. I even answered a call to ministry, believing it was God as the doors flew open.

As I grew, I began to ask questions that people seemed to struggle to answer. (Those are another story!) I found someone that wasn’t afraid of my questions and gave me the answers I looked for. This led to a crisis of faith for me.

I sat in a park with my Evangelism Explosion team after we had completed eight weeks of training and had to lead each other through the entire presentation. As I led my partner through this presentation and talked about God’s love for him, how Jesus died for him and called him to himself because He wanted to be in relationship with him, I began to shake inside as the Holy Spirit began to move in me. I made it through my presentation, then it was Sam’s turn.

As Sam led me through it, I felt the Holy Spirit convict me that I had made a decision to follow Jesus, but I had not surrendered my life for His. It was time to lay it all down and truly be born again in Him. I had to die and stop trying to earn my way into heaven, stop trying to be enough because in Him I am complete. (Colossians 2:10) As the Holy Spirit convicted me, I surrendered, and my entire life truly changed. I reached a point of truly dying to self and being transformed by the Holy Spirit.

This wasn’t the end, it was just the beginning.

Many of us have made a head acknowledgement of who Jesus is, but we have not entered into a life changing relationship with the living God! That relationship will change everything about you, how see you see yourself and those around you, your dreams and goals change–in light of coming to know Jesus as our LORD and Savior we can’t remain the same.

Have you had a life changing encounter with God? Do you want to? Reach out I would love to talk to you about knowing God not just as a distant insurance policy, but in an intimate, personal relationship.