Being Born Again

John 3:3: "In reply Jesus declared, 'I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."

Today's Devotional

As you open your Pocket Testament to (The Gospel of John) chapter 3, the bold caption at the beginning of the chapter may jump out to you, "Jesus teaches Nicodemus." As an exercise, cross out Nicodemus' name, and write your name. You should feel an intense desire to be taught by God today. How desperate are you to know and understand truth?

Nicodemus was drawn to Christ because he had witnessed Jesus performing many miraculous signs and he just knew that Jesus had to be from God. "Nick" was a religious man, but he felt that something was missing in his own life. Coming to Jesus for an answer, Nicodemus hears him simply state that in order to have eyes to see the kingdom of God, one must be born again; that is, experience new birth.

How is one born again? In the rest of chapter 3, Jesus clearly tells us the answer four times! "Everyone who believes in him,"(vs. 15) "whoever believes in him," (vs. 16) "Whoever believes in him," (vs. 18) "Whoever believes in the Son." (vs. 36)

The moment a person chooses to exercise faith in Christ for the forgiveness of sins, his or her sins are forgiven and he is born again by the power of the Holy Spirit.

To believe in him brings new life. We are recreated, renewed, and born again by His Spirit, and our faith in Jesus is what opens our eyes to see the kingdom of God.

Today's Prayer

Dear God, thank you for opening my eyes to the fact that you have a kingdom that is unseen until I come to you through faith in Jesus Christ. I thank you that your kingdom is open to anyone and everyone who chooses to believe in the name of your son, Jesus, and I thank you that I now have eternal life. By faith I believe Jesus' words. Amen.

from the new testament league ptl.org

(I realize there are many onlookers from all over the world and many may not know Jesus. It's not just about a few posters but it's about Jesus, strengthening the saints into a deeper relationship with Him and the lost, the seekers, the ones on the fence etc. So, I thought I would post this for those who need to know there is one way to God and how to get there. May the Holy Spirit open eyes to see and hearts to receive God's plan of salvation.)

PS the word repent means to turn from sin. As in your sins are forgiven - go an sin no more the Lord says. The more we get to know Jesus as a personal Savior and realizes how much He longs to be in each ones personal life and have an intimate relationship with them, the more we will fall in love with Him. And we are never alone, when we struggle with a sin. Ask God to help you with it. He is more than willing and able. Help us to not hide it from You Lord, You already know, He just wants us to confess it to Him and ask Him for help. He is a loving God and will help.

Invitation from God, our Creator to become His child through His Son Jesus.

You must be born again to have your sins forgiven. Jesus said, "Whoever believes in Him should not perish ( be separated from God forever) but have everlasting life" (John 3:1). That is what He told Nicodemus, and He says the same thing to you today. Right where you are, tell Him, "Lord Jesus, I have disobeyed Your commands. I know I deserve to be punished. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. Today I want to believe in You as my Savior and be born into Your forever family. " Amen!

Now thank Him for making you a new person. Thank Him for allowing you to be part of His family. Thank Him that you have been saved from the punishment of sin.

from CMR Edition

Hallelujah. If you meant this in your heart all the angels in Heaven are rejoicing right now and your name is written in the Lambs Book of Life. Now read the New Testament, the Gospel of John first, pray & talk to Jesus, rejoice - your a new creation - headed for Eternity with God. Ask God to send true believers to you for fellowship. And remember it's not about Church etc. it's about You and Jesus first. Ask Him and He will bring you into fellowship where He wants you.

All glory to God!

How is one born again? In the rest of chapter 3, Jesus clearly tells us the answer four times! "Everyone who believes in him,"

It is true only when we believe in Jesus we can be born again. What is it to Believe in Jesus? What should we believe?

The moment a person chooses to exercise faith in Christ for the forgiveness of sins, his or her sins are forgiven and he is born again by the power of the Holy Spirit.

It is true that we need to believe that Jesus has forgiven all our sins. There are many Christians who still live with Guilt of their past life. Such people are to be born again by believing in the Justification that comes in Jesus. But this is not the only belief. To believe in Jesus, is like how a bride believes in her Gloom. If a bride that believes in whom her Gloom is but does not believe that every word and every promises that her Gloom has given regarding her can be true is not a true believer. This is how many Christians are they believe that Jesus is God, he was crucified for their sins but does not believe all the promises that God has given to them through Jesus, they do not believe in following all the commands of Jesus. How can such a person be considered a believer? To believe is to believe completely and not just believe a partial thing.

For example Jesus said God will forgive you only if you forgive others. But how many here are still living with an unforgiven heart towards others, but still believe that Jesus has taken away their sins. How do you believe one
promise but fail to believe other?

When we come to Jesus for the first time we may not know all the promises that are given by Jesus or all the commands. But once we come to know each commands and promises, as the Holy Spirit teaches us (this is the purpose of Holy Spirit to teach us truths about Jesus) are we willing to accept it and believe it immediately? Is this our attitude? To learn more and more about Jesus and as we learn we start believing that they can be true in our life.

The moment a person chooses to exercise faith in Christ for the forgiveness of sins, his or her sins are forgiven and he is born again by the power of the Holy Spirit.

PS the word repent means to turn from sin. As in your sins are forgiven - go an sin no more the Lord says.

Even before we speak about born again we need to check if one has repented truly. Without Repentance there is no Born again experience. To understand this we need to know what is Born again.

When we were born initially of this Flesh which is always against the word of God and it always takes us against God. Since Flesh is the only thing we know, we were slaves to it and we lived pleasing our Flesh. Now when we believe in Jesus with an attitude to be freed from Flesh then God kills the old man who was a slave to Flesh and creates in us a new man (new Creation) who is not obliged to please his flesh because he is now born of the Spirit. He has to now please only the Spirit and be obedient to it. But we still live in the flesh and this flesh which has enjoyed the obedience of Old man will keep attacking (tempting) this new man to serve the Flesh desires again. This New Man should seek the strength of the Spirit and to overcome this temptations. This new man might fail if he takes the fight himself but if he always abides with the spirit then he wins all the time. So when the new man fails sometime he immediately gets up and repents for his failure and starts to work with the spirit again. This is like a cat which falls into Gutter, it immediately gets up and cleans it self. The old man was like a Pig who enjoyed staying in Gutter.

So if we do not repent or turn away from our past life or start hating our past life God cannot kill the old man to create a new man in us. Why? because if God does that then it will be like murdering a person who is enjoying his time with Flesh.

Once a drunkard came to Paul Washer and said that he is saved and he is happy that his Sins are forgiven. Paul Washer replied back saying you are not saved and your sins are not forgiven. If they were then you will be crying for this alcohol defeated life that you are living. You won't be pride with a sinful life style.

I have not posted here to oppose anyone or to prove someone is wrong. Please forgive me If I have hurt anyone. I agree to the original post and I have only taken effort to clarify few misconceptions that are now visible in Christendom.

I do struggle with this. Though there is much truth in it, I fear how it will be appropriated. Joyful, I do appreciate your posts and in no way wish discouragement to come from what follows. You desire that the lost be saved and it is Christs love for you that motivates your love for others. My concern is the presentation that so quickly results in a decision by the one receiving the presentation. it seems the shortest gospel one could present. I can see Jesus place his hand on The shoulder of Nickodemus and say,"trust me Nick"

I do not desire to bar men from heaven, but speaking of birth conjures up a somewhat traumatic image in my mind. My wife had incredible difficulty in her last delivery and my youngest son ended up in I.C.U. Many a birthing in the ancient days was accompanied by death for both mother and child. It was hard for me to watch what my wife and children went through in the birthing rooms (coming from a man's perspective).

I think of how many people I believe in and to imagine Christ joining the ranks of those we trust just seems to me like it misses what Christ was speaking of. Once again, not trying to keep people out of the kingdom, for we all desire that men will come to know Christ, but I do know how this presentation is understood by the majority of those who are presented it. Therefore I believe the picture of Childbirth should lead to a greater presentation of the Good News.

Therefore I believe the picture of Childbirth should lead to a greater presentation of the Good News.

I agree 100%. I never said that we should all be born with complete picture of what Jesus has done for us and complete understanding of all that Jesus commands us. But as the Holy Spirit starts showing us more and more we need to start accepting it and believe that they will be true in our life.

We are all born like a baby and all we know is Jesus is God and he has forgiven our sins. We need to believe it completely. This is like a milk that every baby needs to live. We can believe only that is told to us. So a baby can drink or eat only that is offered to it.

But as we grow in Jesus we will get to know more and more about Jesus and what he has commanded for us, we should be able to digest them and apply in our life. This is the solid food that we need to grow and to develop endurance. The problem is many Christians who have been born again for many years till keep drinking only milk and they totally ignore this solid food. How can a father be pleased with a son who is still keep drinking only milk for 20 years?

Acts 16:30-31 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

Joyful_Heart, What a Joyful Post. It always amazes me that "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved", is not enough for man. Man must co-mingle his own works and the "finished work of Jesus Christ", and put himself in the equasion. A man must truly believe in his heart, when he never new what to believe in, repent; of what?, be baptized, in what?, join the church, read your bible, put yourself in a ministry, don't swear, don't smoke, don't, don't, do, do, and much more etc. etc.

The faith has to come by God to believe. The birthing must come by the incorruptable Seed of the Father, Jesus Christ in the believer, a new creature that no one has seen from the foundation of the world until the work of the Cross was finished, then and only then could Christ be born again in the believer, by the elect of the Father.

When a child is born, he, she has no choice in the birthing, that came by the father and mother. Has anyones child ever comunicated with father or mother before he was conceived, all they can do is cry when they are born, then the milk, soft food, solid food and meat and going on into perfection by the Christ that is now our rebirthed, born again life in Him and He in us.

So it is when we are born again by the incorruptable Seed of the Father. He is Father, He cannot be a Father unless He births a child, or give rebirth to a being that does not even understand who He is or who the Seed in him is and on top of this he is now declared a son of God. This is the work of the Holy Spirit to speak only of Jesus Christ and not of Himself. Now the completion of the Work of God in Christ Jesus our new life and our New Teacher the Holy Spirit. God uses us in each others lives to show each other the Christ that is in us by the birthing of the Father unto a new creature in Christ. I see jesus in you because I see Jesus in me.

Don't stop now Joyful_Heart, this is the true Gospel that Paul teaches in all his epistles, "Christ in you the Hope of Glory".

In Christ, being taught by the Holy Spirit by the Word of God Himself in us.

Galatians 3:24-27 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. (((((For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.))))) For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

No life from the schoolmaster, but into life after faith is come. Is He come?

Phillip

The post is: Being Born Again. The question is the possibility of someone committing to Christ to believe on Him that they may be saved. Unequivocally this is possible. Sanctification accompanies salvation and is the on going process, never complete this side of heaven. We know this.

The question is, are we adding to Christ's words when we place more emphasis on what is relayed over and above, "Believe in me and you will be saved". We are obviously speaking to evangelism, but so as to not confuse the two, sanctification is the ongoing process after rebirth. It always seems that there is a bogging down by disagreement when this subject is broached. We are perfect in Christ while still imperfect in sanctification, but that is not really what we are talking about.

Christ says," believe in Me and be saved." Is it shutting people out of the Kingdom to add to Christ's words, Christ's same words? Might Christ have been making it too difficult for the rich young ruler by asking of Him to forsake what he devoted the majority of his time and effort working toward?
After all, all this man would have had to do is trust Christ. Why then did Christ make it so difficult that the young man walked away in grief and despair? Could the young man not go ahead and believe Christ and then work into a waining affection for wealth?

Imagine the newly wed wife who marries the man of her dreams and thinks he hung the moon, only to hear Jesus say, you must hate your husband if you, who say you love me, truly love me (paraphrased but inaccurate to the concept). Will she not immediately say, "I believe in you Lord, but you want me to what?..................." "I hear the words your saying but certainly you don't really expect that a person would actually be capable of something this drastic." After all, arn't we suppose to love each other?

Imagine the one who says,"I trust you Lord for you loved me enough to even shed your life blood for me and even bear indescribable wrath that should have been due me. For that reason I believe in you.....now what's this about me having to take up a cross for myself daily? Whats the point if you have already done it?

So many more examples could be given. So my question is, does this add unnecessary conditions to what Christ has presented when He says,"believe on Me and you will be saved? Placing a yoke apart from Christ's is spoken against by our Lord and Savior, but their is a yoke is there not? It is a given that no man brings anything but empty hands to rebirth. Naked as a child that is born, and that may be one reason for the picture presented by Christ when He refers to salvation as a birth like experience. Though we do not have control over how the words of Christ are received, we should be most aware that we are where we are today because there has been a presentation of Christ's word, greatly defficient and unaccompanied by how, He Himself, expounded them.

So my question is, does this add unnecessary conditions to what Christ has presented when He says,"believe on Me and you will be saved?

Are you asking about Repentance being an additional condition to believe in Jesus? How can someone believe in Jesus without repenting, because very first message that Jesus preached after he was baptized was to repent. Repentance is not an addition but it is a basic. Repentance is to hate our past life, it is an attitude. The very first promise of New Covenant is 'Jesus will save his people from their sin'. If someone is loving his sinful life style how can he be saved? For example imagine a man who is fallen into a deep pit but instead of shouting for help he is happily enjoying the pit. Even if some passer throws a rope he will not climb up, why should he if he is enjoying the pit?

Same is the case of Rich Young ruler, he believed that Jesus has the secret to eternal life and that is why he came to Jesus, Jesus asked him to sell all his properties and then follow him. In short Jesus wanted him to repent of his past life before following him. He did not ask him to give up his love of money altogether and then follow him. Which would have been impossible. As you said, it is sanctification that frees us from the world. But Jesus just asked to hate it and sell it and then follow me. Even after selling all his possessions one might still have love of Money.

Same he asked Matthew a tax collector, he was able to immediately leave all his money and follow Jesus. That does not mean Matthew was immediately freed from love of money, he just repented or turned back from his past life. He might have been tempted later on to be a tax collector again but as long as he is with Jesus he will give him strength to overcome such temptations (sanctification). Same way Peter gave up all his catch of fish and followed Jesus, but did he not go back to his fishing life after departing of Jesus? But Jesus did not leave him, he came back and gave him strength to make him a catcher of men.

For example a beautiful women whom a young man loves comes to him and says marry me but she comes with another boy friend, how can this young man accept this women? Won't he ask this beautiful women to leave her ex boyfriend and then to come to him? This does not mean she will not be tempted by her ex but does she have the desire to giveup her ex for this young man is the question here.

qUOTE:- Acts 16:30-31 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

Joyful_Heart, What a Joyful Post. It always amazes me that "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved", is not enough for man. Man must co-mingle his own works and the "finished work of Jesus Christ", and put himself in the equasion. A man must truly believe in his heart, when he never new what to believe in, repent; of what?, be baptized, in what?, join the church, read your bible, put yourself in a ministry, don't swear, don't smoke, don't, don't, do, do, and much more etc. etc.

Thank you!!!!!!!!

John 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

Jesus is the one sent. Mark 9:37 Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.

John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

John 4:34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

John 5:23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.

John 5:23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.

John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

""""

Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he he has sent."[/""""

Jesus is speaking of Himself whom the Father has sent.

oh 5:23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.
Joh 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
Joh 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
Joh 5:33 Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.
Joh 5:36 But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.
Joh 5:37 And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.
Joh 5:38 And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.

Believe on Him who He has sent and thou shalt be saved.

In Christ: Phillip

YOU:The post is: Being Born Again. The question is the possibility of someone committing to Christ to believe on Him that they may be saved. Unequivocally this is possible. Sanctification accompanies salvation and is the on going process, never complete this side of heaven. We know this.

There is nothing anywhere in the Bible that says it can't happen this side of heaven. It doesn't exist. I tried to make that case for 3+ years. It's simply not there. A presupposition can be fed with a few verses, but none of the verses you can find will make this claim.

However, there are tons of VSS that say it will and is expected to happen this side of heaven.

The biggest problem I see, is people look to self to accomplish the fact. Self can't do it. Scripture doesn't say YOU WILL MAKE YOURSELF sanctified, but that HE sanctifies you, HE changes your mind and heart, HE removes the sinful nature from you in this life, HE keeps you from sinning. Vss for each of those comments.

No, I don't claim to be there, let me stop that snide comment early.

I think I know someone who is what I describe above, but how would I know, only God can judge. More importantly what would that person look like, they surely wouldn't be bragging about their sinlessness.

What makes a person sinless in the first place? I'd proffer it's a result of sanctification, not a requirement for sanctification.

Once you get past the thought that you have total control of your life and are supposed to keep it, you'll find the challenge to be fully mature/perfect/telioos, which is a sanctified person, is to get out of HIS way.

Who will say that HE can't do it?

Further, to prevent the, "Have you ever seen anyone sinless" lines. I'd have to say, none of us have seen a person raised from the dead after 3 days either. If that is reason to claim it's impossible, then why are you in this faith to start with.

Sanctification is said to be quickened by God to us on earth.
Paul comments about the perfect or mature people often. Claims himself and others to be so. I guess until someone understands the word for perfect, and tracks down what Paul describes a perfect person to be, it seems daunting.

There are so many presuppositions, and bad definitions, and whack theology on this, it usually interferes with biblical hermeneutics.

So I'll hush with one question.... If you had to change everything you were taught, to accept what you saw in the Bible to be true, would you? Or are you married to what you were taught, no matter what, and afraid to let go?

Hell0 everyone,

I was thinking of the birthing process,..
There are birthing pains,..and isn't there things that must take place ?

This is what happened to me (I can say what happened to me) ...
As the Lord began to draw me to Himself,...by His GRACE,..
*(that Devine enflence upon my heart),..Before I got there ,As I was coming,He readily began to let me know that I must stop this, get rid of that,do this,...you cannot bring this flesh this / that with you. YOU MUST LEAVE IT OFF....that was His voice / Words for me

Willing to CHANGE !

Naked ! ...He wanted to cloth me.(be clotheth upon by Him,.)

Being born of the Spirit of God.

And I do not believe that it stops there,..He will continue to put His finger on things in our lives,shapeing us,moulding,..Paul said the calling of God is a high calling,....Jesus Said the way was narrow,..
Paul said,'For as many as are led by the Spirit of God,they are (IT IS THEM THAT ARE) the sons / children of God.

I have not yet got there, NO,...but I too am reaching after,that I might attain
To that high calling of God,..in Christ Jesus.that is my goal, my desire,..

I too need pray,...

AND

So let us run.,

elizabeth