Do You Want To Go Back?

Recently, I was sitting with some fellow believers about this idea from a song they heard on Christian radio. The song was asking the Father to take the believer back to the time when they first believed. I am not sure who sings that particular song but I found one song that mentions that very same thing which was written by Andrae Crouch. This song indicates that the singer is far from the Lord and wants God to be brought back to the time when he received Jesus.

You maybe thinking, is this is bad idea? My honest opinion is, yes. Why? Before I answer, let me be clear that a Christian should never forget who he was because that person can be reminded of what God did for him through the finished work of Christ on the cross. The gospel reminds us that we were enemies of God and far from God without any hope in the world. We all need to remind ourselves of that just as Paul wrote to the Corinthians:

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)

Now about this moment when you want to go back to the time you first believed. For a lot of Christian, that time was excitement for many. They began sharing their faith, reading their Bible, and even felt peace. For others, they were thankful to become a Christian, but they did not become a bold evangelist. They also did not read their Bible faithfully nor did even felt peace because they still had some issues to deal with. Some Christians became ignorant and were not discipled as the church should have, and became deceived by false teaching in the church such as believing everyone on TBN was a gospel-centered preacher. I can relate to those Christians because I was one of them.

The thought of going back to when I first believed is disturbing because it is almost like saying, "Back in the good ole days." Also, I think it is a slap in the Spirit's face because of the work of sanctification He is doing in the life of a believer. The moment a believer puts their faith in Jesus, we receive the Holy Spirit who regenerates our hearts to follow God and works within us to make us more like Jesus. I know this fact to very true not just because the Bible says so, but I have experienced and continue to experience it as I begin to celebrate my 21st year as a follower of Jesus this Friday. My conversion was not dramatic as some, nor was I on fire as others. My sanctification has been slow, but the Spirit is working in my life to make me more like Jesus. The day we should all look forward to is when the day of sanctification is completed and that day is when we depart our earthly bodies to be with Jesus or when Jesus returns.

I will celebrate my conversion on Friday, but to go back to that moment seems like the person thinking this is not satisfied with what God is doing their life right now. I do not want to go back to that time because, even though I was saved, I was self-centered, wrapped up in my own little world. I was also ignorant of what Jesus wanted His followers to do to reach the world. I do not want to go back to that time because now I appreciate Jesus more than ever. I fight hard not to be self-centered, but Christ-centered. Not to mention, the worship music has gotten better over the last two decades. :) I am also not ignorant to every wind of doctrine that comes my way and I test them.

Our Father, thank you that over 20 years ago, you saved a kid who was only out for himself. Lord Jesus, You redeemed me and you gave me hope. Holy Spirit, I thank you for the work you have done and are doing in me to be more like my Savior.