Matthew 28:17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.

Mark 16:14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.

Luke 24:41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?

I copy for you here from the synoptic gospels a common thread. Once we have entered into a new life, the ability to doubt, to fear and be anxious remains. In a new born child we see only what we want from our own perspective. None of us remember how we felt when we were first born.

Being born again, being this new creation, comes with memories, habits, tendencies, and external relationships which influence us much more than when life first began. It is only natural to wonder about this new life and just exactly what has changed. Doubt is natural but it is not spiritual.

Jesus in those earliest of days of the born again will try and dissuade doubt, fear and anxiety. My rebirth came to me later in life and I have some memory of those first few days. I cannot say I believed for joy as indicated in Luke 24:41. I was amazed, I know that. Perhaps it was a form of joy I couldn’t express. My transformation was almost instant. It was an obvious change, so sudden and unexpected, it was obvious to everyone who knew me.

The fear, doubt and anxiety I had to deal with in those days were those of my children. I think my wife was more accepting but doubt probably lingered waiting to see if this change was permanent. It was not only permanent, change continued as I grew in Christ.

She had not yet learned to trust the new me.

John 20:21-22 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

Here is the dawning of the Church Age. These words mark the distinctive difference in relationship between disciple and apostle. These men are now sent, but not sent alone. These men are the first to receive the Holy Ghost, the first within the body of Christ.

Now we get to witness the distinction between being a student and a follower of our Savior, Lord and Christ. The difference began at the Cross and now these men have more than words to share. They have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit breathed into them by God Himself, the resurrected Christ.

Now begins our church age quest to fill the body of Christ, His Bride, with every soul that is given to believe on Jesus Christ and receive Him into their hearts.

Are these early days a model of things to come? Are there lessons here for us who have just begun to believe and have received the Holy Ghost ourselves?

Remember you are a new creation, as you once were, others will become new in order to continue on this path set before us. While we are all different in experience and personality, we all share one thing in common. We all start over with a clean slate. Our memories are not who we are now.

Philippians 3:8,13b Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,