WHAT IS BORN-AGAIN? Jesus tells us, EXCEPT A MAN BE BORN AGAIN, HE CANNOT SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD-Jn 3:3. Few people today understand the spiritual principle that Jesus was talking about. The religious leaders in the days of Jesus also had difficulty understanding what Jesus meant. One such person was Nicodemus. He was a Pharisee, A RULER OF THE JEWS-Jn 3:1. NICODEMUS SAITH UNTO HIM (unto Jesus), HOW CAN A MAN BE BORN WHEN HE IS OLD? CAN HE ENTER THE SECOND TIME INTO HIS MOTHER’S WOMB, AND BE BORN? JESUS ANSWERED, VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO THEE, EXCEPT A MAN BE BORN OF WATER AND OF THE SPIRIT, HE CANNOT ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD. THAT WHICH IS BORN OF THE FLESH IS FLESH; AND THAT WHICH IS BORN OF THE SPIRIT IS SPIRIT-Jn 3:4-6. Thus, to be born-again is to be BORN OF THE SPIRIT. Again, the Scriptures show us that Nicodemus could not seem to understand. He said, Jn 3:9,10-HOW CAN THESE THINGS BE? JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO HIM, ART THOU A MASTER OF ISRAEL, AND KNOWEST NOT THESE THINGS? To be born-again is to have three bear witness. AND THERE ARE THREE THAT BEAR WITNESS IN EARTH, THE SPIRIT, AND THE WATER, AND THE BLOOD: AND THESE THREE AGREE IN ONE-1 Jn 5:8. The blood is that of Jesus Christ which cleanses us from all sin. The water is that of being buried with Jesus in baptism, which we are commanded to do after we believe on Jesus Christ and repent of our sins (forsake our sins). The Spirit is the Spirit of God (the Holy Ghost). As it is written, REPENT, AND BE BAPTIZED EVERY ONE OF YOU...AND YE SHALL RECEIVE THE GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST-Acts 2:38. To have the SPIRIT OF GOD DWELL IN YOU-Ro 8:9, is to be BORN OF THE SPIRIT, BORN AGAIN. NOW IF ANY MAN HAVE NOT THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST, HE IS NONE OF HIS-Ro 8:9. Note the words of Jesus, EXCEPT A MAN BE BORN OF WATER AND OF THE SPIRIT-Jn 3:5. The water of being BURIED WITH HIM (with Jesus) BY BAPTISM-Ro 6:4 comes first, then the word Spirit follows. God’s Word clearly tells us we receive God’s Spirit by faith. By being baptized by full immersion we justify God (or acknowledge that His way is right), BEING BAPTIZED WITH THE BAPTISM OF JOHN. But to refuse water baptism is to reject Jesus and His Word (His counsel). BUT THE PHARISEES AND LAWYERS REJECTED THE COUNSEL OF GOD AGAINST THEMSELVES, BEING NOT BAPTIZED OF HIM-Lk 7:29,30. Thus, to be born-again is to receive Christ by faith, repent (forsake your sins), and be buried with Jesus by baptism. When we are buried with Jesus in baptism our old sinful nature is to be buried. When we come up out of the water, we are to WALK IN NEWNESS OF LIFE-Ro 6:4. Jesus took the sins of the world upon Himself. He was crucified and buried. We are crucified and buried in water baptism. We are not to live any longer in sin-ref Ro 6:4. OUR OLD MAN (our old sinful ways) IS CRUCIFIED WITH HIM,...THAT HENCEFORTH WE SHOULD NOT SERVE SIN-Ro 6:6. Once we come out of the water, we are to live UNTO GOD-Ro 6:10. As Col 2:12 tells us, BURIED WITH HIM IN BAPTISM, WHEREIN ALSO YE ARE RISEN WITH HIM THROUGH THE FAITH OF THE OPERATION OF GOD, WHO HATH RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD-Col 2:12. As Gal 3:27-tells us, FOR AS MANY OF YOU AS HAVE BEEN BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST HAVE PUT ON CHRIST. In past decades, some have tried to force people to be baptized, saying that baptism saved them. Other people when they hear they are to be baptized, did so, yet they still perished to hell. They failed to understand that they must have faith in Jesus Christ. They also must repent (forsake their sins). Jesus tells us, EXCEPT YE REPENT, YE SHALL ALL LIKEWISE PERISH-Lk 13:3. One needs to understand that faith, repentance, and baptism go hand in hand. To leave out one is to perish. To put baptism before faith or repentance is of no meaning. Jesus tells us, VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU, EXCEPT YE BE CONVERTED, AND BECOME AS LITTLE CHILDREN, YE SHALL NOT ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN-Mt 18:3. To be BORN OF THE SPIRIT is to be CONVERTED. Acts 3:19-REPENT YE THEREFORE, AND BE CONVERTED, THAT YOUR SINS MAY BE BLOTTED OUT. Five more times, the Scriptures mention being converted or we shall perish. Many people claim they are born-again, but they have never been converted. There is no evidence of their life being converted or changed. There is no evidence that they are a new creature or that their mind has been transformed from the way it was. You see, when we are truly born-again, when we are truly converted, we become a very different person. A conversion or change has taken place. This conversion is lacking in most people that claim they are born-again. Col 3:9,10-SEEING THAT YE HAVE PUT OFF THE OLD MAN WITH HIS DEEDS; AND HAVE PUT ON THE NEW MAN, WHICH IS RENEWED IN KNOWLEDGE AFTER THE IMAGE OF HIM THAT CREATED HIM. A conversion has taken place. A person has become born-again, changed. We put off the old. We put on the new. We no longer practice sin and follow the world. We begin to follow Jesus and look forward to the world to come. Eph 4:22-THAT YE PUT OFF CONCERNING THE FORMER CONVERSATION THE OLD MAN, WHICH IS CORRUPT ACCORDING TO THE DECEITFUL LUSTS; (24)-AND THAT YE PUT ON THE NEW MAN, WHICH AFTER GOD IS CREATED IN RIGHTEOUSNESS AND TRUE HOLINESS. Again, the Scriptures show us a conversion has taken place as a result of being born-again. A change has taken place in a person’s life. The person has put on a new nature. Eph 2:2,3-WHEREIN IN TIME PAST (before being born-again and converted) YE WALKED ACCORDING TO THE COURSE OF THIS WORLD, ACCORDING TO THE PRINCE OF THE POWER OF THE AIR, THE SPIRIT THAT NOW WORKETH IN THE CHILDREN OF DISOBEDIENCE: AMONG WHOM ALSO WE ALL HAD OUR CONVERSATION IN TIMES PAST IN THE LUSTS OF OUR FLESH, FULFILLING THE DESIRES OF THE FLESH AND OF THE MIND; AND WERE BY NATURE THE CHILDREN OF WRATH, EVEN AS OTHERS. As a born-again, converted Christian we MIGHT BE PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE, HAVING ESCAPED THE CORRUPTION THAT IS IN THE WORLD THROUGH LUST-2 Pe 1:4. Before being converted, we had a disobedient nature, a nature which wanted to fulfill the desires of the flesh and mind. But once converted, we receive the Holy Spirit, and we begin walking in the footsteps of Jesus. We put on a nature that yields to God and seeks to do His good pleasure. We put off self, and we put on God. A born-again, converted Christian is to BE NOT CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD: BUT BE YE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND, THAT YE MAY PROVE WHAT IS THAT GOOD, AND ACCEPTABLE, AND PERFECT, WILL OF GOD-Ro 12:2. A converted Christian has his mind renewed, transformed, changed. His mind is no longer centered on this world. The nature of the transformed mind centers on Jesus, on the Word. The old way of thinking has been replaced with a new way of thinking. For the converted Christian has THE MIND OF CHRIST-1 Cor 2:16. Our old carnal (worldly) self-centered ways of acting and thinking become replaced with a new nature, that may be best summed up in one word, love. Eph 4:23-BE RENEWED IN THE SPIRIT OF YOUR MIND. THEREFORE IF ANY MAN BE IN CHRIST, HE IS A NEW CREATURE: OLD THINGS ARE PASSED AWAY; BEHOLD, ALL THINGS ARE BECOME NEW-2 Cor 5:17. A born-again, changed Christian has repented and put off the old worldly, sinful, lustful, self-centered, prideful, egotistical ways, and has put on the new—ALL THINGS ARE BECOME NEW. FOR IN CHRIST JESUS NEITHER CIRCUMCISION AVAILETH ANY THING, NOR UNCIRCUMCISION, BUT A NEW CREATURE-Gal 6:15. To be born-again is to become a new creature, one that is much different than he was. Such a transformation is impossible by man. Titus 3:5-NOT BY WORKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH WE HAVE DONE. Some people get the notion they are born-again, just because they are a good person. Satan has lied to their mind, and they believed it. BUT WE ARE ALL AS AN UNCLEAN THING, AND ALL OUR RIGHTEOUSNESSES ARE AS FILTHY RAGS-Isa 64:6. But thanks be to God who calls us. For with God all things are possible. God gives us His Spirit which indwells inside a converted, born-again Christian. This gives him incredible power to resist sin as he submits to God. GREATER IS HE (God’s Spirit) THAT IS IN YOU, THAN HE (Satan) THAT IS IN THE WORLD-1 Jn 4:4. We are born-again, NOT OF BLOOD, NOR OF THE WILL OF THE FLESH, NOR OF THE WILL OF MAN, BUT OF GOD-Jn 1:13. The new birth does not come from self-righteousness. It does not come OF THE WILL OF MAN, BUT OF GOD. AS NEWBORN BABES, DESIRE THE SINCERE MILK OF THE WORD, THAT YE MAY GROW THEREBY-1 Pe 2:2. The Scriptures are showing us again, that a new birth has taken place. The result of that new birth is that the person desires the SINCERE MILK OF THE WORD. A newly converted Christian is a baby Christian. A baby needs milk to grow. The new Christian has a desire for the Word of God. The old man produces death. The new man produces life. For when we become born-again, it is written, BUT AS MANY AS RECEIVED HIM, TO THEM GAVE HE POWER TO BECOME THE SONS OF GOD-Jn 1:12. Once we become a converted, born-again Christian, we have a personal relationship with God. Now, I do not know the President of my country, personally, but his wife does. I know about him, but I do not have a personal relationship with him. Then suppose one day, I get introduced to him, and he tells me, You can call on me anytime for help. Now, I have a personal relationship with him. This is the way it is for one who has received Jesus as their Lord and Savior (born-again). He has a personal relationship with Christ. Christ lives inside him and directs his every move as he yields to and obeys the Holy Ghost. As Phili 3:10 tells us, THAT I MAY KNOW HIM. Now, I must caution you. For some think they have a personal relationship with God, but their fruits (their actions) testify that they are following a stranger’s voice (the devil). YE KNOW THAT EVERY ONE THAT DOETH RIGHTEOUSNESS IS BORN OF HIM-1 Jn 2:29. WHOSOEVER DOETH NOT RIGHTEOUSNESS IS NOT OF GOD, NEITHER HE THAT LOVETH NOT HIS BROTHER-1Jn 3:10. BELOVED, LET US LOVE ONE ANOTHER: FOR LOVE IS OF GOD; AND EVERY ONE THAT LOVETH IS BORN OF GOD, AND KNOWETH GOD. HE THAT LOVETH NOT KNOWETH NOT GOD; FOR GOD IS LOVE-1Jn 4:7,8. WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST IS BORN OF GOD: AND EVERY ONE THAT LOVETH HIM THAT BEGAT LOVETH HIM ALSO THAT IS BEGOTTEN OF HIM-1 Jn 5:1. Do you love every single person that is born of God? Do you love with all your heart all the born-again, television evangelists? Examine yourself to see if you are truly in the faith. Do you love all the brothers in Christ, no matter what denomination they are? WHATSOEVER IS BORN OF GOD OVERCOMETH THE WORLD: AND THIS IS THE VICTORY THAT OVERCOMETH THE WORLD, EVEN OUR FAITH-1 Jn 5:4. Examine yourself to see if you are a converted, born-again Christian, or has the devil misled you into believing a lie? Have you received Christ by faith, repented of your sins, and been baptized by full immersion after you believed? Are you living a life that is surrendered to obeying the Gospel? Are your prayers getting answered, or are they bouncing off the walls? Is your conversation usually centered on Jesus, or on the world when talking to your relatives, friends and fellow workers? Do you follow the Spirit of truth, or the spirit of error?-(ref 1 Jn 4:6). Does the way you live reflect Jesus? Is your #1 concern winning souls?
Posted on: Sun, 12 Oct 2014 14:25:38 +0000
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