All Things New

God's not calling us to do what He says. He's calling us to be who He says. He doesn't offer us a new set of behaviors, He offers us a new nature. He doesn't offer us new branches, He offers us new roots. He doesn't offer us more will power, He offers us new hearts.

He doesn't loligag around with rehab, support groups or the occasional feel-good Sunday sermon. If that was the case Jesus could have stayed in heaven. He kills us and starts over. We have been crucified with Christ (Gal. 2:20) and born again (John 3) into a living hope (1 Peter 1:3) as a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). 

There is no short cut. There is no starter package. Your old self is not a fixer-upper, it's a tear down.
You want to live? Then die. You want to save your life? Lose it. Take up your cross. Sink into the baptismal waters as a slave and rise up as a son.