Paul explained to us in Eph. 2:1-3 that true followers of Jesus were ‘once dead’ (because of sin) but now have been made alive as they no longer walk according to the lust and desires of that old flesh nature; a nature I might add that gives ground to a spiritual enemy who is the prince of the air. (1 John 5:19) This would be the same enemy whom we are told to ‘give no place to’. (Eph. 4:27)

So how might one know ...if they are no longer dead, but alive? Well, John gives us some interesting insight that might help answer that question. He writes: We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death.” ( 1 John 3:14)

I don’t know about you but I really like it when I’m operating a device, be it a phone or camera or car, that I have certain ‘markers’ along the way that tell me if things are operating the way they are designed to function. In other words, you will see those certain signs or indicators appearing; sort of like ‘fruit’, maybe?

The reason we were all spiritually ‘dead’ prior to coming to Jesus was because we did not have His nature and power and grace operating in us so that we could ‘love the brethren as He first loved us’. We had another nature that was the opposite of God’s operating in us. And why would we expect anything different if our ‘spirit being’ was dead and incapable of exerting any kind of influence on our soul and body? No wonder we were ‘tossed about with every wind of doctrine’ as our fleshly appetites, or our corrupted way of thinking and feeling steered us in the opposite direction of what God wanted us walking in.

How well does a kite fly with no tail, or a boat sail with no rudder. And how effectively can a car be driven if the steering wheel is disengaged from the column? Apart from God, and His life in us, we never stood a chance. John was not kidding when he explained the ‘whole world is under the influence of the wicked one’. (1 John 5:19). How does he do this? He works through our faulty thinking, our corrupted feelings and emotions, and our compromised physical appetites that know no end to lusts and fleshly desires. Mick Jagger’s famous song pretty much said it all...that he tried and he tried and he tried but never could he find any satisfaction’.

Why even religious activity that most of us are familiar with falls way short in enabling us to live the way God intended for us to live. (2 Tim. 3:1-7; Matt. 7:22; 1 Cor. 13:1-7). We simply would need to be ‘born again’ and receive a new nature. And there are markers along the way that will be evidence if this new birth has actually taken place. It’s called fruit, and Paul expressed angst in one place as he waited... to see ‘Christ formed in us’. (Gal. 4:19).

“By this...will all men know...” - Jesus (John 13:34-35)