Born again people have their sins forgiven and are reconciled both to God as Christians and to fellow Christians as the church.67 Subsequently, a regenerated person desires and pursues fellowship, which is loving relationship in community with fellow Christians as the church. This community of spiritually new people is given multiple names in the New Testament, including citizens of God’s Kingdom,68 members of God’s family,69 temple for God’s presence,70 and parts of one body.71 By living in community with fellow Christians as the church, the regenerated person learns how to live a life that glorifies God and helps others do the same.
For me, personally, I can still vividly remember the new desires coming from my regenerated heart to be in community with God’s people. As a new Christian and college freshman, I had a longing I had never experienced before, a longing to be involved in a Bible-based church. God, in His kindness, directed me to a wonderful church where Jesus was clearly taught from the Bible and loved by the people. I can still remember the joy of attending my first Bible study group, learning to pray with fellow Christians, and being invited into the homes of older godly families for meals to learn from them about such things as marriage and parenting.
I also moved into a Christian guys’ house, where together we prayed, studied Scripture, did ministry service projects in the community, went camping and played sports, opened our home for meals and parties, and stayed up late to debate theology. To be honest, I learned more in church than in classes while in college, and, because of my new community, I made it through college without ever drinking, doing drugs, or getting into any sort of trouble. I was having lots of sanctified fun and learning with my Christian friends and mentors. As a result, college was a wonderfully enjoyable season of my life.
Which Christians are you most grateful for in your life?
- 1 John 1:3.
- Eph. 2:19–20.
- Eph. 2:19–20.
- Eph. 2:22.
- Rom. 12:5.