This week the big news was the indictment of Donald Trump. The saddest part is he continues to refuse to change. His ego continues to blind him to his wrongful actions.
- Constantly lying
- Pride
- Refusing to change his ways
Don’t get me wrong we all sin and make mistakes, but the wise learn from them and change their ways. The Bible says foolish people refuse to change their ways (Proverbs 14:7- 9).
I had to learn this the hardway. For six years I lived life my way and refused to listen to godly friends. My pride made me think I knew better than everyone.
It took God’s tough love to break me and free me from the temporary pleasures of this world.
All of my old friends expressed how I was different. My best friend who was Hindu was the first to tell me,” You’re different now.” The truth is the old Martin died in that car accident. God has given me a fresh start and a new life.
New Life
After my accident, I was excited to get back to life—my new life. I knew I had to make changes. One of the fundamental Christian teachings is when we encounter Jesus; He changes us from the inside.
Jesus makes us new beings; we must be “born again” as believers. The old man must pass away. The concept of being born again and having a new life isn’t exclusive to Christianity.
Hat•cha•la cha•da•sha
In Judaism, this new life is called Hat•cha•la cha•da•sha and the idea here is simple, it is a fresh start and new beginning with no mistakes or blemishes.
Our Jewish stepfathers experienced this fresh start time and again after God forgave them for their trespasses (Psalms 107:2, Isaiah 1:18, Jeremiah 31:3). We serve a God of new life.
We have all fallen short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). The concept of new life and fresh starts is embraced by other faiths. Below are a few faiths that believe in new life through reincarnation. The term reincarnation derives from a Latin word that literally means “fresh start.”
- Sikhism
- Buddhism
- Jainism
- Kabbalah Judaism
- Hinduism
Interestingly, not all Hindus believe in reincarnation, but only that there is an afterlife where our souls return to God. It is a universal idea that mankind will be restored to a right fellowship with God after this life.
At Calvary, Jesus promised the thief on the right that he would be with Jesus in paradise where man’s relationship is restored with God (Matthew 27:38-44). The thief on the right repented and was given new life by God.
In Judaism, repentance is known as Teshuvah and it literally means to return to God (Hosea 14:2). In today’s world, who doesn’t want a fresh start?
Return
In Christianity, repentance means turning from our old lives and ways and returning to God, who saves us from our sins and mistakes. We experience new life in Him. It took God humbling me through my accident to get me to repent and return to Him.
New life in Christ is returning to God’s original plan and purpose. The old is removed to make room for the new. This is why Jesus said we cannot serve two masters (Matthew 6:24:-26). When we return to God, He gives us new life.
- Health
- Dreams
- Skills
- Purpose
Jesus told Nicodemus, “Unless we are born again of water and Spirit,” we cannot enter Heaven (John 3:1-21). We must return to God to have true Hat•cha•la cha•da•sha.
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