REGENERATION - BEING BORN AGAIN In December 1967 the first successful heart transplant occurred in the Groote Schuur Hospital in South Africa. Louis Washkansky who was dying, was given the heart of Denise Darvall, aged 28. She had died in a car accident. The transplanted heart was re-started beating by an electric shock. It was called a 'miracle'. This operation has been repeated many times since. But for hundreds of years, God has been giving a new heart to believers in Jesus Christ - a spiritual heart. Even in the Old Testament days, God promised, 'I will give you a new heart ... I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.' (Ezekiel 36:26). Why does God do this? It is because of our real need. How can a man please God if all he has is his old nature? In the mercy of God, when we believe, we receive a new nature, a nature which is part of the very life of God. We are born again into God's family and made alive in Christ. This is a miracle. It is instantaneous, not gradual. It may not always be dramatic, but the change will become evident as the believer goes on with Christ. It is proof of 2 Corinthians 5:17 - 'If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has gone, the new has come. ' Louis Washkansky lasted only 18 days with his new transplanted heart. Others have lived much longer. But when God gives a new heart to a repentant sinner, that one will last forever. That is one more miracle in this wonderful act of salvation which becomes ours through simple faith in Jesus Christ. Angels have never experienced this. It has been reserved for hell-deserving sinners who will accept what Christ has done. Hallelujah! JESUS SAID, 'I GIVE THEM ETERNAL LIFE. THEY SHALL NEVER PERISH.' |
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