NEW

18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

      Ever hear of the saying "The apple didn't fall far from the tree."  Nothing could be farther from the truth, if you are new in the kingdom of God. I am not my father.  That is of course if you like me did not have an especially kind or loving father, take heart, because you are ingrafted in the kindom of God and made new in Christ. We as the scripture says above, we are the firstfruits of all tht he created.  We are now changed and will keep changing just like Christ wanted us too.  To have the mind of Christ is to be re-newed daily and putting off of the old thinking that we used to do.  With all of the depressions, oppressions, and emotions we can and do experience we can literally throw it all off by the Spirit and lead a totally different life than before.  Fathers should lead and love.  Those of us who did not get to experience that, take heart because, Christ wants us to take in "light" through our eyes and let the whole body be filled with that instead of darkness inherited from Fathers who were less that what they should have been.  

    It is a marvelous light in that it will not be quenched by anything of this world, it is entirely from another place and alien to this world's authority, and can be overthrown.  "Be changed by the re-newing of your mind Paul, Preached mightly."  I do daily and when I fail and see the earthy Father begin to rise in me I stop and pray to keep on the other side of it .....again and again.