Have you had your "white" funeral?

Perhaps you've heard the expression, "Born once, die twice" or "Born twice, die once." These are both references to the verse in the book of John where Jesus explains to Nicodemus what it means to be "Born again.

Jesus explains the first birth is a physical birth, and the second is a spiritual birth, or awakening. Paul explains in Romans 6:4, "We were therefore buried with him through baptism unto death in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the father, we too may live a new life. Paul goes on to explain in 2 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation. The old is gone, the new has come."

Yet in order that we might enjoy this new birth and new life in Christ to the fullest, we must "Die to self." This death to self is our "white funeral."

Dying to self is against our human nature. We must put aside self sufficiency, self interest, self determination, self will and every aspect of self which would come between our natural self and our spiritual self as described in Galatians 5.

So we must examine our life in the light of these verses and ask ourselves, "Have I had my 'white' funeral?"