What happens to us when we are born again? Oh, I know that when we receive Jesus as Savior we start walking in a different direction than we were walking before asking Jesus into our heart. Now our destination is heaven and not hell. I truly believe we can also change in appearance because God’s Glory is now upon us. Some of us change so much that the people we knew very well before we got born again do not recognize us. Now, our appearance might change, but some things do not change. Our voice does not change. Our manner of walking does not change. There may be more things that do not change, but those are two that pertain to me and I have seen scripture in the Bible to present this to you. Look at John 20:14. “And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.” (KJV) Jesus was not moving when she saw him, but she recognized His voice. Jesus had changed in appearance because he is the “first born from the dead”. See Colossians 1:18. He had a glorified body. He was “new”. New, but His voice had not changed. Look at John 21:4. “But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore; but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.” (KJV) Now, this was at some distance and not up close as the situation in the Garden with Mary Magdalene. The disciples did not recognize him and they did not recognize his voice either. He instructed them where to throw their net and when they brought in a lot of fish John immediately told Peter that it was Jesus.
Now, those two instances in the Bible should let us know that something must change in our appearance when we get born again. These people had been with Jesus a long time and they could not recognize Him up close or at a distance. Let me tell you about my Dad as an example of “changing”. My Dad was always a good “provider” for us. He always had a steady job, but my Dad was also an alcoholic and a barroom brawler. My Dad got born again when he was 58 years old. He is now 84 and in good health, praise be to the Lord Jesus. Now, my Dad changed. He quit drinking; no twelve step program; no rehab. He just took one step to the Cross one day and his life changed. He became a new man. Today, I can see him up close or at a distance walking and I will recognize that it is my Dad. Even if he has his back to me and walking away I recognize his walk and I certainly recognize his voice. My Dad looks better physically now at 84 than when he was in his 50s guzzling down Schlitz and chasing it down with Southern Comfort.
I led a pretty fast life for a few years myself. I got born again at the age of 35. Some of my friends who saw me shortly after I got saved did not recognize me. One friend in particular made this statement, “I saw you walk in and did not recognize you, but the walk was familiar and then you spoke and I recognized your voice.” This is someone I had known for 8 years before I got saved and I had not seen this person in about 6 months. She did not recognize me until I spoke. I had been born again and was different.
If you have never received Jesus as your Savior, then read Romans 10:8-13. Those scriptures talk about faith. If you believe Romans 10:9-10 then read that aloud and ask Jesus into your heart. Invite Him in and accept Him as Lord and Savior today. Heaven will now be your destination and not hell. You will become “new”. The Word says in 2 Cor. 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (KJV)
