STATUS CHANGE IS ESSENTIAL

 

There are numerous times in our lives when we need to change our existing status for another one. There are new responsibilities that accompany status change, and additionally, the change could bring better opportunities, gratification, or displeasure. For instance, we can change jobs, residence, marital status, and the like. By the same token, our relationship with God can and should change for the better.

Ordinarily, we humans are God’s enemies; although He has His commands written on our hearts, we live in sin, with no thought of Him at all. We obey our master, the devil, who instigates our disobedience to God. The devil, from the time of Adam and Eve, has been a liar; he deceived them to think disobeying God was to their advantage: that doing so would make them like God. What a lie! That changed their status from God’s friends to sinners, which then led to their descendants being born with a sinful nature. Their status changed drastically; they lost their good standing with God. They were kicked out of the beautiful garden to go and fend for themselves. The good news for us is this: we can change our current status back to what it was before the fall of Adam and Eve.

Everything I’ve shared so far shows that means you are a sinner at enmity with God, and that you can change your status from enemy to child and friend of God. You have to want to do this; God does not bully anybody into changing their status. However, He tells us what our current status means, and what the change will mean to us now and in the future. Your current status as God’s enemy means you are living the way you please, paying no attention to God’s commands. But in the end, He is going to judge and condemn you to hell, which is the place prepared for Satan and his demons, and for anyone who chooses to remain the enemy of God.

Yet, you don’t have to go to hell if you’d rather not. It’s your choice. In order to change your status to a child of God, you have to admit to Him (in prayer) that you are a sinner, repent of (feel sorry for) your sins, and ask Him to forgive you based on Jesus’ death in your place. He will forgive you, sending the Holy Spirit to live in your heart as confirmation that your status has changed from His enemy to His child; you are now an heir of heaven-a joint heir with Jesus and the other members of God’s family. “You received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, Abba, Father. For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory” (Romans 8:15-17).

Doesn’t this sound amazing? Would you take this step today to change your status? You will be glad you did! You will no longer have any fear of the future. Instead, you can eagerly look forward to spending eternity with God and your Savior, Jesus Christ. The Word of God (the Bible) will come alive as you read and study it, teaching you how to live for God until He calls you home. In addition, you can communicate with Him through prayer often, and seek out other members of God’s family to fellowship with and to grow in your knowledge of God.

It is also important to know how God sees us, His children, after our status change: “We are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago” (Ephesians 2:10). In other words, God has made us new people by imparting His righteousness to us, to show others who God really is. We can do this by accomplishing the good things our faith prompts us to do (see 2 Thessalonians 1:11). We are saved to do good works in His strength, and for His glory.

Are you ready for a status change? I hope so! I’ve shown you what you need to do; please do it now, and don’t put it off. Tomorrow might not come, and it will be too late for you!