The Born Again

Jn. 3: 1-7 "There was aman of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same came toJesus by night, and said unto Him, Rabbi, we know that Thou art a teacher comefrom God: for no man can do these miracles that Thou doest, except God be withhim. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Excepta man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith untoHim, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time intohis mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say untothee, 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 isborn of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must beborn again."

The Necessity of the New Birth

It is Essential to Spiritual Life

Man is born a sinner

Ps. 51: 5 "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my motherconceive me."

Man is dead spiritually in his sins

Eph. 2: 1 "And you hath He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins."

Man must be born again

Jn. 3: 7 "Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again."

It is Essential to Spiritual Vision

Man is blinded by sin to spiritual things

II Cor. 4: 4 "In whom thegod of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not…"

Man must have a spiritual birth to see spiritual things

Jn. 3: 3 "…Except a man beborn again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

It is Essential to Spiritual Knowledge

Man in his natural state cannot understand spiritual things

I Cor. 2: 14 "…The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit ofGod: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because theyare spiritually discerned."

Man must be born of the Spirit to discern spiritual things

Jn. 3: 6 "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is bornof the Spirit is spirit."

I Cor. 2: 15 "…He that is spiritual judgeth (discerneth) all things…"

It is Essential to Worship God

Man being dead spiritually in his sins cannot worship God

Col. 2: 13 "And you, being dead in your sins…"

Man must be born of the Spirit to worship God in spirit

Jn. 4: 24 "God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him inspirit and in truth."

The Nature of the New Birth

It is a Spiritual Birth

Jn. 3: 6 "That which isborn of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."

It is of Divine Origin

Jn. 1: 13 "Which wereborn, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, butof God."

It is by the Word of God

I Pet. 1: 23 "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but ofincorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth forever."

It is a New Creation

II Cor. 5: 17 "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature (creation)…"

It is a Mystery

Jn. 3: 8 "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the soundthereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is everyone that is born of the Spirit."

Jn. 3: 5 "…Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of waterand of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."

This Scripture is often misinterpreted to mean water baptism, but you must remember that baptism has to do with death, not life.

Rom. 6: 4 "Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death."

This has to do with birth -- having life imparted to the believer.

Jn. 6: 63 "It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing:the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life."

The Water is a type of the Word which gives life.

Eph. 5: 26 "That He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of the Water by the Word."

Jn. 15: 3 "Now ye are clean through the Word which I havespoken unto you."

I Pet. 1: 22 "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the Truth(the Word) through the Spirit."

TheRequirements for Receiving the New Birth

The New Birth is Obtained by Faith

Jn. 1: 12 "…As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become thesons of God, even to them that believe on His name."

Jn. 3: 36 "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he thatbelieveth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."

I Jn. 5: 1 "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God."

The New Birth Requires Repentance

Lk. 13: 3 "…Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."

Acts 3: 19 "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may beblotted out."

II Pet. 3: 9 "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some mencount slackness; but is longsuffering to usward, not willing that any shouldperish, but that all should come to repentance."

The New Birth Requires Confession

Confession of sins

I Jn. 1: 9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive usour sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Confession of Christ

Rom. 10: 9, 10 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus,and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thoushalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and withthe mouth confession is made unto salvation."

TheEvidence of the New Birth

Will Live Righteously

I Jn. 2: 29 "If ye know that He is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of Him."

Will Keep His Commandments

I Jn. 2: 3-6 "…Hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep Hiscommandments. He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, isa liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepth His Word, in Him verilyis the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in Him. He that saithhe abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked."

Will Not Practice Sin

Gal. 2: 17 "But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselvesalso are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid."

I Jn. 3: 9 "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for His seedremaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God."

I Jn. 3: 8 "He that committeth sin is of the devil;"

Will Have Love

I Jn. 4: 7 "Every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God."

I Jn. 4: 8 "He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love."

Will Overcome the World

I Jn. 5: 4, 5 "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: andthis is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he thatovercometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?"

Works, not Words, are Evidence of New Birth

Matt. 7: 21 "Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enterinto the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is inheaven."

Eph. 2: 10 "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto goodworks, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."

Titus 1: 16 "They profess that they know God; but in works they deny Him,being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate."

Titus 2: 14 "Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."

Jas. 2: 17 "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone."

Will Bear Fruit

Jn. 15: 5 "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in Me, andI in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can donothing."

Jn. 15: 2 "Every branch in Me that beareth not fruit, He taketh away: andevery branch that beareth fruit, He purgeth it, that it may bring forth morefruit."

Jn. 15: 6 "If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch, and iswithered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they areburned."

The Results of the New Birth

They are the Family of God

They are born into the family of God as babes; and they must grow.

I Pet. 2: 2 "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word, thatye may grow thereby:"

They are Heirs of God

Rom. 8: 17 "If children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs withChrist…"

However, as long as they are children, they differ nothing from servants. There has to be growth and a maturing to enjoy the fullness of the inheritance.

Gal. 4: 1, 2 "Now I say, that the heir, as long as he is a child,differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; but is under tutorsand governors until the time appointed of the father."

Who the Born Again Are Not

They are NOT the Body of Christ

To be in the Body of Christ (the Church) you have to be baptized in the Holy Spirit with the scriptural evidence of speaking in tongues.

I Cor. 12: 13 "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body…"

The Body of Christ (the Church) is the living organism through which Christ, by His Spirit, manifests Himself.

They are NOT the Bride of Christ

The Bride of Christ is an overcoming company of believers that come out of the Church (the Body of Christ), that have attained unto full growth.

Eph. 4: 13, 14 "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of theknowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of thestature of the fullness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children,tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by thesleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive."

Heb. 6: 1 "Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, letus go on unto perfection (maturity); not laying again the foundation of repentancefrom dead works, and of faith toward God."

Rev. 3: 21 "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in MyThrone, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His Throne."

The Bride of Christ will have made herself ready for the marriage of the Lamb. She will do this while all others sleep.

Rev. 19: 7 "Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to Him for theMarriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready."

Matt. 25: 5 "While the Bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept."

The five wise virgins (the Body of Christ) and the five foolish virgins (the Born Again) that took no oil, slumbered and slept.

Paul said:

I Thes. 5: 6 "…Let us not sleep as do others; but let us watch and besober."

Let us always remember what Jesus said about the Seed -- theWord of God. The same Seed (the Word) produces different results, not because of the Seed, but because of the soil (the lives) in which it is sowed. He says that some will produce 30-fold, some will produce 60-fold and some will produce100-fold. This 100-fold is completeness, perfection, maturity and fullgrowth.

The Apostle Paul said that there is a difference in believers, even though all build on the foundation, which is Christ. Some will build on this foundation precious stone, some silver and some gold. These are not the same, nor do they attain unto the same level of reward; yet, they all build on the same foundation, which is Christ Jesus the Saviour. For there is no salvation in any other than Christ Jesus, and this salvationis provided by grace through the mercy of God.

We do have to build on the foundation to attain the different levels of reward. Some will be saved as by fire (just get in) while others will have an abundant entrance into the kingdom.

Matt. 16: 27 "For the Son of Man shall come in the glory of His Fatherwith His angels; and then He shall reward every man according to his works."

The highest level of reward attainable is the Marriage of the Lamb. Some will be a friend of the Bridegroom, like John the Baptist. Some will be invited to the Marriage Feast, as were the five virgins that had oil (the Church; the Body of Christ).

Matt. 25: 10--12 "And while they went to buy, the Bridegroom came; and theythat were ready went in with Him to the Marriage (Marriage Feast) andthe door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord,open to us. But He answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not."

He did not say He never knew them. They were virgins. He is saying that He does not know them in this experience of being invited to the Marriage Feast.

Some will come out of Great Tribulation like the five foolish virgins that go into it (the last three-and-a-half years of theTribulation) and during which, washed their robes and made them white in theBlood of the Lamb. The only reason for them to be washing their robes in the Great Tribulation is because they have allowed their garments to become defiled, and were not allowed to go into the Marriage Feast.