John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath ever-lasting life.
Are You Born Again?
John Wesley was asked why he preached so often on, "Ye must be born again." He answered, "Because ye must be born again." Have you been born again? Without the new birth you have no hope of escaping the terrors of Hell or enjoying the glories of Heaven.
The Lord Jesus said, "Ye must be born again" (John 3:7).
What New Birth is Not:
It is not religion. Nicodemus was a Pharisee (John 3:1) He was a strict orthodox religious man. He celebrated the Passover, paid tithes, said prayers, brought sacrifices and tried to keep the Law. To him the Lord Jesus said, "Ye must be born again."
Being good, keeping the golden rule, joining a church, being baptized or living up to a religious creed will not make you born again. There will be many in Hell who did all of these things. But Jesus said: "Ye must be born again."
Jesus spoke these words to a man who was doing his best to gain Heaven. Without a doubt, he was neither a thief, drunkard, nor gambler. He was a good husband, a good neighbor, a man of clean morals and along with all this he was religious. If he, Nicodemus, needed to be born again, don't you and I? How do we expect to be invited into Heaven without being born again in our spiritual nature? Even if we could change our unacceptable behaviours -- we would still need to experience new birth. New birth comes to us by one way only. Faith in Jesus Christ.
It is not recorded that our Lord said, "Ye must be born again" to cowardly, vacillating Pilate, or to two-faced, hypocritical Judas. Why? Because you would say, "I know miserable hypocrites like Judas and men like Pilate need to be born again, but I'm not like them. I wouldn't betray Christ with a kiss after professing to be His friend. I wouldn't order Jesus to be beaten and then turn Him over to a howling, blood-thirsty mob to be crucified. Murderers, rapists, thugs, adulterers, liars, drunkards and gamblers need to be born again, but not me. I'm all right." But being born again is not about morality.
You may try to keep the Golden Rule, pay your bills, be a good neighbor, stay out of jail, and live a clean, moral life: You may meditate for hours, practice yoga, attend kirtans and perform endless rituals: You may wear white robes and eat only vegan foods, but that won't make you born again. And non of these practices will get you into the heavenly kingdom where God dwells eternally.
What New Birth Is
It is a mystery you cannot explain, but a reality no man can explain away.
"The wind bloweth where it listeth (pleaseth), and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is everyone that is born of the Spirit" (John 3:8).
Just as Nicodemus could not understand or explain the wind, so no man can understand or explain the new birth. But, the wind is a reality no man can explain away. Would anyone ever say, "I don't believe in the wind because I have never seen it and I can't understand it."?
See the wind move the big limbs of an oak. Watch the wind tear a house to splinters. You cannot deny the reality of wind!
You cannot see the Holy Spirit. You cannot explain Him. But His mighty power makes the sexually immoral pure, the liar honest, the drunkard sober, the blasphemer respectful, and the proud cruel person humble and kind.
It is the work of God
It is a second birth, a spiritual birth.
Physical life begins by birth. Spiritual life begins the same way; not by joining a church and becoming religious. You cannot join the family of God, you must be born into it. Someone has said, "You can't make a Christian out of anybody." True Christians are not made, they are born."
A birth is the coming into being of a new life, which has the nature of its parents. When you were born the first time, you were made a partaker of the old nature, the corrupt nature we all received from Adam. When you are born again in the spirit, you become a partaker of the divine nature (II Peter 1:4).
No matter what kind of religious profession you have made, no matter how good a person you may be morally, unless you have been made the partaker of the divine nature, you are not born again. God gives you this new nature the moment you believe and receive His Son. It is instantaneous. When you are born again, you begin living a new life.
Some think they are going to Heaven just because they went forward in a meeting. Please be sure you are born again. There will be a new attitude towards the Lord Jesus Christ, His Word, and His people.
Are you sure you have been born again? You may not know the exact day or hour you trusted Christ, but you should be able to say, "I know now that I am born again." If you are not certain about this most solemn matter, I beg of you to tell the Lord Jesus that you are willing to believe and receive Him now. Read John 3:36, "He that believeth on the Son hath ever-lasting life."
Why we must be born again:
Jesus Christ taught that this is so.
Humanity is born with a nature that is fallen from grace. Eventually every person will commit a sin against God. This one sin or the many sins people commit must be forgiven before they can have eternal fellowship and friendship with the Creator.
The nature we all receive from Adam is fallen, corrupt and depraved. God says the heart of man is desperately wicked and deceitful above all things. With this old nature you could not enter into Heaven and the presence of our Holy God. Heaven is a holy place. You are born again by faith in the work, words, and person of Jesus Christ. God then gives you a holy nature so that your might belong in heaven with God and so you will know that heaven is your real home. Actually wherever God is, that is your home. You become at home with God.
We cannot save ourselves through works:
When you become born again three things happen to you instantaneously.
1. You are saved from the wrath of GOD (1 Thes. 1:10)
2. The Holy Spirit of GOD is sent to live inside of you. (Romans 5:5; 1 Corinthians 6:19)
3. You inherit a new nature (II Peter 1:4).
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8, 9).
"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us" (Titus 3:5).
How to become born again.
"He came unto His own, and His own received Him not, But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:11-13).
It is not inherited from your family.
You are not a Christian just because your parents may be. You do not inherit salvation from your parents. Even though your parents may be saved, if you have not been born again, you are lost and on your way to outer darkness.
Nor of the will of the mind.
It is not by your own efforts and/or willpower. If it was, you would fail. So why not stop trying? Instead, trust, receive, depend upon the One who died and rose again.
If I'd ask some of you if you were a born again, you would say, "I don't know for sure, but I'm trying to be, in my poor, weak way." Now suppose you ask Johnny Jones if he is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Jones and he answers, "I'm not certain, but I'm trying to be in my poor, weak way." How silly, He is not their son because he tries to be, but because he was born into their home.
If you are a child of God, it is not because you are trying to be, but because you have been born into HIS family.
Nor of the will of humanity.
It is not brought about by any of man's religious creeds, systems, or ceremonies. No man or organization can do anything to you that will make you born again. Join what you will, go through ceremony after ceremony, memorize creeds, and try to keep the rules and regulations of man-made systems, but it will not make you born again.
But of God.
The Lord Jesus said you must be born "of the SPIRIT." It is God's work, not yours. It is a miracle. Only God can perform it. If God has not done a work in your life, you are not born again. Your part is to believe God's record about Jesus Christ. You are to recognize that you are lost and in need of Christ, and receive Him as your Lord and personal Saviour.
Jesus Christ died at Calvary, satisfying the righteousness and justice of God that He might take your sins and punishment upon Himself. Jesus rose from the dead and is seated today at the right hand of the Majesty on high (see Hebrews 1:3), and He is offered to you as God's salvation.
When you receive Him as your Saviour by faith, you will be born again, for the Bible says in Galatians 3:26 "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." You do not receive Christ by taking communion. You receive Christ by faith. Believe in him and all he did on the cross and all he did being resurrected. Believe Him and stand covered and redeemed by his blood shed for you on the cross to reconcile you to God. He paid the price for your fallen nature and as you accept him and believe on Him you will be born again. This is God's work. You cannot do it alone. Ask for the faith you need. Ask for this new birth. Ask and ye shall receive.
For your sake, for your family's sake, for Jesus' sake, do not trifle with this thing called eternal life. Believe in Jesus as your Saviour. He is the Lamb of God who was sacrificed for your sin and his blood purifies you. Now receive the Holy Spirit into your being to seal you forever as a son of God. "He that hath the SON hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life" (I John 5:12).
It is a mystery you cannot explain, but a reality no man can explain away.
"The wind bloweth where it listeth (pleaseth), and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is everyone that is born of the Spirit" (John 3:8).
Just as Nicodemus could not understand or explain the wind, so no man can understand or explain the new birth. But, the wind is a reality no man can explain away. Would anyone ever say, "I don't believe in the wind because I have never seen it and I can't understand it."?
See the wind move the big limbs of an oak. Watch the wind tear a house to splinters. You cannot deny the reality of wind!
You cannot see the Holy Spirit. You cannot explain Him. But His mighty power makes the sexually immoral pure, the liar honest, the drunkard sober, the blasphemer respectful, and the proud cruel person humble and kind.
It is the work of God
It is a second birth, a spiritual birth.
Physical life begins by birth. Spiritual life begins the same way; not by joining a church and becoming religious. You cannot join the family of God, you must be born into it. Someone has said, "You can't make a Christian out of anybody." True Christians are not made, they are born."
A birth is the coming into being of a new life, which has the nature of its parents. When you were born the first time, you were made a partaker of the old nature, the corrupt nature we all received from Adam. When you are born again in the spirit, you become a partaker of the divine nature (II Peter 1:4).
No matter what kind of religious profession you have made, no matter how good a person you may be morally, unless you have been made the partaker of the divine nature, you are not born again. God gives you this new nature the moment you believe and receive His Son. It is instantaneous. When you are born again, you begin living a new life.
Some think they are going to Heaven just because they went forward in a meeting. Please be sure you are born again. There will be a new attitude towards the Lord Jesus Christ, His Word, and His people.
Are you sure you have been born again? You may not know the exact day or hour you trusted Christ, but you should be able to say, "I know now that I am born again." If you are not certain about this most solemn matter, I beg of you to tell the Lord Jesus that you are willing to believe and receive Him now. Read John 3:36, "He that believeth on the Son hath ever-lasting life."
Why we must be born again:
Jesus Christ taught that this is so.
Humanity is born with a nature that is fallen from grace. Eventually every person will commit a sin against God. This one sin or the many sins people commit must be forgiven before they can have eternal fellowship and friendship with the Creator.
The nature we all receive from Adam is fallen, corrupt and depraved. God says the heart of man is desperately wicked and deceitful above all things. With this old nature you could not enter into Heaven and the presence of our Holy God. Heaven is a holy place. You are born again by faith in the work, words, and person of Jesus Christ. God then gives you a holy nature so that your might belong in heaven with God and so you will know that heaven is your real home. Actually wherever God is, that is your home. You become at home with God.
We cannot save ourselves through works:
When you become born again three things happen to you instantaneously.
1. You are saved from the wrath of GOD (1 Thes. 1:10)
2. The Holy Spirit of GOD is sent to live inside of you. (Romans 5:5; 1 Corinthians 6:19)
3. You inherit a new nature (II Peter 1:4).
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8, 9).
"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us" (Titus 3:5).
How to become born again.
"He came unto His own, and His own received Him not, But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:11-13).
It is not inherited from your family.
You are not a Christian just because your parents may be. You do not inherit salvation from your parents. Even though your parents may be saved, if you have not been born again, you are lost and on your way to outer darkness.
Nor of the will of the mind.
It is not by your own efforts and/or willpower. If it was, you would fail. So why not stop trying? Instead, trust, receive, depend upon the One who died and rose again.
If I'd ask some of you if you were a born again, you would say, "I don't know for sure, but I'm trying to be, in my poor, weak way." Now suppose you ask Johnny Jones if he is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Jones and he answers, "I'm not certain, but I'm trying to be in my poor, weak way." How silly, He is not their son because he tries to be, but because he was born into their home.
If you are a child of God, it is not because you are trying to be, but because you have been born into HIS family.
Nor of the will of humanity.
It is not brought about by any of man's religious creeds, systems, or ceremonies. No man or organization can do anything to you that will make you born again. Join what you will, go through ceremony after ceremony, memorize creeds, and try to keep the rules and regulations of man-made systems, but it will not make you born again.
But of God.
The Lord Jesus said you must be born "of the SPIRIT." It is God's work, not yours. It is a miracle. Only God can perform it. If God has not done a work in your life, you are not born again. Your part is to believe God's record about Jesus Christ. You are to recognize that you are lost and in need of Christ, and receive Him as your Lord and personal Saviour.
Jesus Christ died at Calvary, satisfying the righteousness and justice of God that He might take your sins and punishment upon Himself. Jesus rose from the dead and is seated today at the right hand of the Majesty on high (see Hebrews 1:3), and He is offered to you as God's salvation.
When you receive Him as your Saviour by faith, you will be born again, for the Bible says in Galatians 3:26 "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." You do not receive Christ by taking communion. You receive Christ by faith. Believe in him and all he did on the cross and all he did being resurrected. Believe Him and stand covered and redeemed by his blood shed for you on the cross to reconcile you to God. He paid the price for your fallen nature and as you accept him and believe on Him you will be born again. This is God's work. You cannot do it alone. Ask for the faith you need. Ask for this new birth. Ask and ye shall receive.
For your sake, for your family's sake, for Jesus' sake, do not trifle with this thing called eternal life. Believe in Jesus as your Saviour. He is the Lamb of God who was sacrificed for your sin and his blood purifies you. Now receive the Holy Spirit into your being to seal you forever as a son of God. "He that hath the SON hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life" (I John 5:12).
Do this Right NowSay "yes" to God's plan of salvation through
belief in Jesus. Give thanks for Jesus shed blood for your redemption and praise God for forgiving all your debts and sins committed in this life. Receive new life from God. Rejoice! |
Read the BibleThe Bible - comprised of the Old Testament and the New Testament - is your guidebook to understand the plan of God for you and the world. Read it every day little by little and you will be astonished at the increased wisdom and intelligence you will receive.
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Meet with other Christians oftenScripture encourages us to gather together with other Christians to support one another and share our lives and our belongings.
Jesus tells us to love one another |
This entire teaching was inspired by Lesson 0 of the King James Bible Study Correspondence Course. An outreach of Highway Evangelistic Ministries 5311 Windridge Lane, Lockhart, Florida, 32810, USA. I revised and paraphrased the original essay to assist comprehension and clarity.
Please support the ministry here:
THE BIBLE Baptist Church of DeLand, Florida Pastor James W. Knox https://jameswknox.org
For more sermons and Bible study materials, please visit our web store at https://store.jameswknox.org/
For DeLand School of THE BIBLE: https://dsbkjv.com
Prayer RequestsRuth meets with her home church. Together we pray for each other and submitted prayer requests. These requests are placed in a prayer box.
We believe in the command by Paul the Apostle "Pray without ceasing." Our prayer is meant to remain in our hearts and minds and we are reminded as well when we see the prayer box full of prayers requests from family, friends, brothers and sisters in Christ. Please fill out the form and we will place your prayer in our prayer box and pray together for you giving thanks for your answer. Also if you just want more information about how to be born again, please feel free to ask Ruth by filling out the contact form on this page. Thank you for coming to my website and I pray that you will have many blessings of goodness from God in your life. Please press the button below to be taken to Ruth's YouTube channel where you can listen to her acoustic and original gospel music videos. |
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