Character Management vs. Character Re-birth

Character Management vs. Character Rebirth

Why do you follow Christ? Is it so you go to heaven rather than hell? ….. Okay, so I can give you that reason, but is there a deeper, more fulfilling reason? If you are following Christ so you are rewarded, I’ll be honest; your focus is in yourself and your heart needs realigned. To truly be a follower of Christ, your heart needs to be sold out to Him as your groom and your heart will be to bring Him glory. The evidence of that will show in your daily walk.

Most of us who are Christians would recognize our human character is flawed, that it is sinful and does not bring God glory.

How then should we live? As humans, we are created by God to bring Him the glory and praise He deserves, even in the worst of scenarios. Isaiah 43:7; 1 Corinthians 10:31; Revelation 4:11; Revelation 5:12,13 Failure to do so is sin, for at that point we are no longer living into the calling for which we were and are created. Giving God glory will not make Him more Glorious. Speaking on physical terms, it is like looking at a sunrise and saying how beautiful it is as well as creating nothing to detract from it.

Being a father, mother, husband, wife, pastor, missionary, counselor is second to the initial calling of bringing God glory. If you were to say, “I was born to be a father, mother, counselor, teacher, pastor, etc… and either you never became one or it was taken away by facts and scenarios of life; was your calling decimated? No! Your calling is to bring honor and glory to God and your ministry or vocation is how the calling is given its avenue to work out that calling. Even in the situation of old age, dementia, sickness, bad relationships, or a debilitating condition, etc…. that then becomes our avenue to bring God the honor and glory He deserves.

Jeremiah 17:9

“The heart is deceitful above all things,

And desperately wicked;

Who can know it?

(NKJV)

The proverbial “Follow Your Heart” will mislead you to following evil devices as is found in Jeremiah 19. Proverbs 21:4 (The Plowing of the wicked is sin). They aren’t fulfilling their reason for being created which is to bring God Glory and honor.

Having recognized our human character is flawed and in sin yet knowing that we are called to bring God glory, how should that look and how do we go about making that a reality?

It is at this point that we are faced with two choices. The choices are character management or character rebirth. Which, will be the means by which God will be glorified?

The answer lies in the following questions.

First, what is character management?

Second, what is character rebirth?

The answer to these two questions are crucial to the future of our representation of God whether He is glorified by our actions.

You could argue that I have been born again and am now a son or daughter of God. Well good, but are you living as a son or daughter? John 1:12

If you are living as a son or daughter of God, you will be living in the Spirit and will be displaying His Character which will bring Him Glory.

This answer also lies in what the character of God is and how it is implemented in our lives.

If you are managing your character through method, incremental steps; your character may be changing for the better and may resemble a child of God’s character, but you are just managing your character through manipulation of it. Character manipulation or management is performance based and is the equivalent of an anger management course or an Alcoholics Anonymous class that is designed to manage a known issue after a secular manner. I am not suggesting we ignore our character flaws and not practice discipline in those areas. What I am convinced of is that a true heart transformation is needed along with discipline instead of character manipulation.

Does confession by itself change the condition of the heart? Does repentance? How many times has there been a confession in the courts and it is not followed with a request to receive the work of Jesus Christ in their heart? Confession and repentance alone are not going to change the condition of the heart. Surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in your life and each particular area will!

Unless you fill your life with Jesus after confession and/or repentance, the last state of your heart will be worse than the first! Humanity is depraved at heart, not inherently good as our culture tries to dictate…

The alternative is rebirth, this is where God steps in and through our surrender to His Spirit, the seed of the Son of God gets implanted into your heart and through our continual surrender He will continue to nourish and sustain it, so that it may bring forth fruit that will glorify and honor His name.

As we walk in God’s character that is born within us, we will be walking a disciplined life.

This is how we receive the power to become the sons of God. John 1:12-13 New King James Version (NKJV)

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

John 3:1-7, 21 (Nicodemus’ visit with Christ as well as a reference to works being wrought in God)

That our works be wrought in God has the meaning that they (the works) would be brought into existence by intentionally hammering them out for the desired purpose.

What is an illegitimate child of God? So does God have illegitimate children? This may sound strange but Hebrews 12:8 says “But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.” NKJV

The answer to whether God has illegitimate children is yes. The answer to what is an illegitimate child is a child who is born after the flesh and is undisciplined… spoiled, and one in whose character is not being reborn into the character of their Father. It is one who the Father’s influence isn't recognized and/or desired. Remember, God Loves all people unconditionally and has offered Himself as their way back to Him.

A person who has or is having their character reborn will understand John the Baptist’s phrase in John 3:28-35 that says “He must increase and I must decrease”. A true son or daughter of God will not seek their own glory but will seek the glory of their Father and will become a channel for His character including His giftings and his message to flow through!

Demolishing and excavating your strongholds through confession and repentance with the intent of construction or beautifying for the glory of God is the first step in the character of God growing within you.

This is how God receives the glory He deserves from our lives. This is how He redeems what Satan has destroyed through sin. This is how we come to the place of being God’s servant.

• Romans 6:1-23… (vs 4, 20-23)

• Romans 8:1-17… (vs 6, 14-17)

What role does works play? According to the Word of God, we are not saved by works; yet we understand that works are a vital part of the Christian life. James 2:14-26 refers to faith if not followed by works is dead faith. So taking from that, we conclude that the expression of works is the validator of our faith. In other words, works will follow our faith or our faith is dead. Now to establish how the works come about we must first recognize that as a child of God and His Spirit working in us and through us, the visible outworking of the Spirit is seen which then validates our faith.

James 2:14-26

Faith Without Works Is Dead

“What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”

New King James Version (NKJV)