“Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit… You must be born again.” John 3:6-7 (NIV)
Imagine a young man in his 30s who takes a new job, moves to a new city, and begins attending a new church. Let’s call him Junior. He comes in one day to talk to his new pastor…
Pastor: “Tell me, Junior, how did you become a Christian?”
Junior: “Oh, it’s pretty simple, really. I was born into a Christian family.”
While it is possible to be born into a Christian family, it is not possible to be born a Christian. You can be born Jewish, Muslim, or Hindu, but you cannot be born a Christian. It’s impossible.
You may say, “Yes, but I come from a good family. I was born to Christian parents.” That doesn’t make you a Christian. You were born a sinner.
Sin runs in the blood; grace does not. If you’ve been working on the assumption that grace runs in the blood, and sin does not, you need to listen to the Bible today. You cannot ride into heaven on the faith of your parents.
Actually, this is good news. If grace ran in the blood, those who came from faithless families would have no hope. Sin is the great leveler. We are all sinners by nature and practice. We all stand on a level playing field before God, who offers grace to all in Jesus Christ.
No doctrine is more repugnant to men and women than this. The sinful mind will never receive this. If you believe it, it is only because God has given you light.
Many churches are actively erasing this truth. Confession of sin is being dropped from worship services. Massive sections of Scripture that affirm this truth are being glossed over in sermons. Great hymns that affirm this truth are being quietly rewritten.
Take this truth seriously today. Sin is in all of us by nature.
If you are able, call the person who first showed you your need for forgiveness of sin. Tell them how grateful you are for this truth.
