Promises in Receiving ChristSample

Promise 11: You become a citizen of God’s chosen family.

Once you believe in God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, you become very special to God. In fact, you are so special to God that He does these wonderful things for you:

a. You become a citizen of God’s chosen or elect race of people. The idea is that of a new species that differs entirely from the other races upon earth. How? How can it be that believers from China, Russia, Asia, Africa, India, Europe, the Americas, the Islands, Canada, and all the other nations of the world form a new race of people? By the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God is changing people inwardly, not outwardly. He is not changing facial features or skin color. These mean little; they are only superficial differences that change, age, perish, and decay ever so rapidly. God is changing people within their hearts and minds, changing their lives where it really matters.

God is implanting His divine nature within believers. When you believe in Jesus Christ, God’s divine nature is immediately implanted into your heart and life (2 Pet.1:4).

• You are born again. Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God” (John 3:3, NLT; see John 3:5-6; 1 Pet.1:23; 1 John 5:1).
• You receive a renewed mind. "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God" (Ro.12:2, NKJV; see Ro.8:5).
• You become a new creature, a person with a new nature. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Cor.5:17, KJV; Eph.4:24; Col.3:10).
• You receive a new spirit. However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him (Rom.8:9, NASB).

b. You become a royal priest. To people who have never given their lives to Christ, God seems far away, off in outer space somewhere. In their minds, God does not seem that concerned with human life. They have no personal relationship or fellowship with God. Without Jesus Christ, a person has no access or closeness to God. This is the reason people have often felt the need to have priests who would dedicate their lives professionally to God and would carry their needs before God for them. But this is the glorious message of the gospel: when you receive Jesus Christ as your Savior, God makes you a royal priest. He gives you open access into His presence forever and ever. You can actually approach God at any time!

Several questions should be asked at this point: Do you actually walk and live in the presence of God like a royal priest? Do you know what it is to have unbroken communion with God? To be praying always? If not, may God convict your heart and stir you to recommit your life to prayer and to seeking unbroken communion and fellowship with Him all throughout the day.

Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus (1 Thess.5:16-18, NLT).

c. You become a citizen of God’s holy nation. This is a very meaningful title for believers. Just think about it: God is building a new nation of people.

Now, you are…

• to serve the Sovereign Head of God’s nation, God Himself
• to obey the laws of God’s nation
• to follow the customs and lifestyle of God’s nation
• to defend and speak up for the nation of God

And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel" (Exo.19:6, NASB).