Some years ago, featured on a 60 Minutes program was a musical performance, “Alive & Kickin’”. The cast was all over fifty-five. Their stories were deeply compelling; overcoming drug addiction, renewing life after a criminal past, and family tragedy. These were individuals who, due to the vagaries of life, missed opportunities to sing and perform. They were castaways being given a second chance to find their voice.
In a sense, God has given each of us a second chance to live a radically different life and pursue a deep, spiritual calling. What does it take to make good on this second chance? The crowds listening to the apostle Peter asked the same question, and he responded, “…Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit,” (Acts 2:38).
Having broken God’s perfect law of love toward God and our fellow man, repentance is the first step in taking responsibility for our second chance. In particular, the Passover self-examination process should lead us to a deep remorse for our sins.
We need to emulate Christ: “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Galatians 5:14). By genuinely appreciating His sacrifice, we can take full advantage of this opportunity to overcome our carnal, self-centered nature: “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19-21).
We can show God our appreciation for His calling and the opportunity to begin now to walk in the Spirit to change the inner man—the wellspring of what we are inside. Living obediently and submitting to God’s authority in our lives shows love toward Him and should be accompanied by outgoing love toward others.
The conversion process is a complete turnaround. It’s not automatic for us to discern the right way. We must ask God as King David did: “Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, for in You do I trust; cause me to know the way in which I should walk…” (Psalm 143:8). Daily seeking God’s mind will produce the fruits we need to become Christ-like in thoughts and actions.
Our spiritual Father desires a personal relationship with each of us. What He began in us He will complete until Jesus Christ returns (Philippians 1:6). God called us out of love and compassion, and Christ gave His life to this cause. They believe in us, and our ability to overcome.
We can weather the storms that life brings. There will come a time when each of us will need to give to Christ an account of our lives. This is our time now to provide a ledger of repentance, of submission to God, and a record of conversion transforming our carnal mind and nature into a godly one: “. . .that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22-24).
Gary MacPherson