New Birth Brings New Life

Friday - February 5th

Devotionals from the Book of James

Scripture to Read Today: James 2:14-26

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Anyone who belongs to Christ

has become a new person.

The old life is gone;

a new life has begun!

2 Corinthians 5:17

Giraffe moms, or cows, are pregnant for fifteen months. This long gestation period is necessary to allow the calves to become fully developed in their mothers’ wombs. Most newborn calves weigh around 220 pounds and stand over six feet tall.

Once the calf is born, it can’t waste any time standing up. Calves usually stand within thirty minutes of birth. While the struggle can be adorable, like watching a human child take their first stumbles, these moments can be the difference between life and death for a giraffe. Predators would take advantage of such a large animal at birth if the baby could not quickly stand on its own.

Lesli and I visited the San Diego Zoo a few years ago when a new giraffe was born (earlier the same day). It was amazing to see him standing up next to his mother within hours of his arrival.

The new birth of a baby giraffe is immediately evidenced by the new life it lives. Part of that new life involves the young giraffe being up on its feet, finding its legs.

Similarly, the Scriptures tell us that new, spiritual birth leads to new spiritual life. James makes it clear in James 2:14-26 that the new life of good works naturally flows from the new birth in the Lord. Paul says it this way in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” When God brings new birth, new life follows!

Have you experienced new birth in Jesus? If you have, then you can see the evidence of your new life. Something will have changed as God made you alive in Christ. Maybe your spiritual legs wobble a bit, but you see the new life.

If you have no evidence of new life in the Lord, you have reason for concern. You do not have to be perfect, but spiritual birth will have proof. As Paul said to the Corinthian church in

2 Corinthians 13:5, “Examine yourself, whether you are in the faith.”

Thank God that new birth brings new life!