Motives

Most people find that the inner transformation is a gradual process that takes a lifetime.

There may be a dramatic change for some. Others may find it difficult to transition to the Spirit from the flesh (Galatians 5).

Bob8102 said:

Do your motives instantly change from living-for-self to living-for-Jesus when you are born again? Or is there gradual change from one to the other?

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It can happen both ways. When you think you are being selfless God will allow you to be tested and that can be painful and eye opening.

It has been a gradual lifelong process for me. The immediate change in my life at the moment I "believed" was that the fear was replaced with peace; a settled assurance that all is well with my soul. Praise the Lord!

It took a long time to learn Godhead, first we must love others as we love our bellies, always try to be grateful and humble, otherwise we will only become hypocrites.

Bob8102 said:

Do your motives instantly change from living-for-self to living-for-Jesus when you are born again? Or is there gradual change from one to the other?

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What you need to understand about receiving salvation of your soul for eternity, and blessing now, is that we all need to surrender our will and earthly reasoning, and bow to the "Word of God"! Have you ever read the four Gospels, and noted John 3; John 14; John 17; Romans 8; etc. to hear God speaking to you? Salvation and blessings of our Creator-God is trust in Him, and that can come from reading what He is saying to us. The Lord Jesus: God's "...beloved Son" will indeed come into our life IF one recieves Him (not just guess about Him). One needs to make Him their best Friend daily, and walk with Him. Can you surrender your reasoning to God's Word?
As to your thoughts about INSTANT change, much depends on your faith and trust in the Savior; and sometimes that is slow for us to surrender our self-confidence to Him, but NEVER DOUBT what He has promised.
You can write me personally at Conversation page herein if you truly wish to know our God and talk about it.

In some areas it can be instantaneous. Others take time. I’ve noticed a correlation with the natural and spiritual. The places of greatest ease and strength are often the same spiritually.

For example, in the natural my belief meter is high. I don’t have difficulty seeing the horizon or trusting more awaits. The same holds true spiritually. I don’t wrestle with doubt or think He’ll leave me hanging.

Faith and trust are fixed. I never revisit them. It’s a done deal. A certainty. Like the sun. I have more challenges with people than Him.

Bob8102 said:

Do your motives instantly change from living-for-self to living-for-Jesus when you are born again? Or is there gradual change from one to the other?

Click to expand...

Some motives will remain for-self no matter what. Like caring for your survival - working, eating, taking medicine etc

Other motives will change for-Jesus depending on how deeply and truly you believe.

No matter how hard some people convince themselves or others that they believe, if they don’t God sees it.

Bob8102 said:

Do your motives instantly change from living-for-self to living-for-Jesus when you are born again? Or is there gradual change from one to the other?

Click to expand...

There is a gradual change. The Bible speaks of growth, maturity and (immaturity), believers moving along a spectrum of development. No one is an all-perfected saint in an instant (not in their practical living, anyway).

Ephesians 4:15
15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,

1 Peter 2:2
2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that you may grow thereby:

2 Peter 3:18
18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

Ephesians 4:13-14
13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,
14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

Colossians 1:28
28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.

Hebrews 5:12-14
12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,
13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.
14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

And so on. God moves us through a life-long process of growth and change, by the Holy Spirit making us increasingly like Jesus. (Romans 8:29) But as these verses make clear, the normal process is from spiritual immaturity to maturity, from spiritual infancy to adulthood, from weakness to strength, ignorance to knowledge, etc. If there is no growth at all, something is very wrong.

Bob8102 said:

Do your motives instantly change from living-for-self to living-for-Jesus when you are born again? Or is there gradual change from one to the other?

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In a way yes, but you will always have that natural behavior you are born with. You will know when he is tugging at your heart and you will know when you are living for yourself or not. Although you are now filled with hope and have the comforter living inside you, filling up all the empty spaces, you have to choose to live for him. So in a way there is also a gradual change when you respond to do what he has called you to do in His kingdom. Everyone has a unique gift in the building of God.