1 John 1:8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

For those of us that have admitted we still sin and we are not happy about it, I say great.

Galatians 2:17 But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not!

We are sinners saved by grace but we are still sinners. 

Ephesians 2:5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—

What we have been saved from is the power of sin and the penalty for sin, but not from the presence of sin. The real power in being born again is that we are no longer alone in this battle against the enemy.

Ephesians 2:2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—

When we disobey, which is what sin is now, the Spirit is at work in us to curb the influences of sin. Our consciences get pricked. That is a KJV term for when an ox is yoked and it needs to be driven to obey a goad pricks the hide of the animal to drive it forward.

Acts 9:5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

Here is another way to look at sin in our life. The Holy Spirit only interferes with those free will choices we make when we need a course correction. If our will is in line with God’s will then the movement of the rudder is hardly noticeable. If the wheel is wrench from our hands, it is quite obvious something has to change.

These analogies can be found throughout the bible. As with all things inspired by God, they are useful for growth, understanding and correction.

2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

We want to get it right. Right?

• John 3:3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
• John 3:5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

My first wife suffered three miscarriages and it has always been my hope that God got to raise those children for us and we would meet them when we join them in eternity. Am I wrong to think this way?

Being born of water and then born of the spirit in rebirth is so that we can enter the Kingdom of God while we are still alive walking this earth. This is the Kingdom, not the eternal realm.

What is a Kingdom without subjects? Land without life.

I have to readjust my thinking about those miscarriages. Since they were never born of water, they were not born in sin and their relationship with God the Father was never broken, so it doesn’t need to be fixed. That makes me feel better. Others may say I am only trying to make myself feel better but isn’t that one of the goals of being born again, to ease our pain?

I do not test my theology, I look to be comforted in my pain. My theology may be wrong but as long as my pain is gone what does it matter? So much of this life of faith is about finding safety in the midst of turmoil, security in times of doubt, and peace in times of war. We may not have our theology perfect but if our faith comforts us, then why not accept the help, even though we do not understand how it works.

John 3:8 “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

We might not understand the Spirit but we feel the effects. If that is all we have, cling to it.

At my first wife’s funeral my son and I mourned loudly without shame, it was real and painful. The Spirit blew through us like a calming breeze and made the pain bearable. My son turned to me and said “I felt that.” That was tangible proof of God’s power. Praise God He made Himself known to my son.

This is what it means to be born in the Spirit, He makes Himself known. God no longer hides His face from us. He no longer sees our sin when He looks at us.

Psalm 103:12 as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.