Ye Must Be Born Again

Ye Must Be Born Again
John 3:1-19
by Cooper P Abrams III

Introduction: George Whitefield, the evangelist of over a hundred years ago was asked why he preached so often on "Ye Must be Born Again." He answered, "Because you must be born again!"

1. The question is the most important question a man can be asked.

Eternity rests on the answer, Heaven or Hell.
There has been much confusion as to what is meant by the Biblical phrase "born again".
A few years ago, everybody in the Hollywood was telling about being born again. I did a search on the Internet and found listing for "born again" clothing, bikers, the Born Again Matrimonial Service, the born again Rat Packers, Born Again Henna Hair Color, Born Again Travel Agents, Born Again Skeptics Guide to the Bible, Born Again Wild Yam Cream.
This is a biblical phrase that seems to have become confused in meaning to many.
Many people who live immoral lifestyles claim to be born-again, even rock stars claim to be born again.

ILLUS: The Rock star Little Richard claims to be born again. Note what he said to a reporter for Contemporary Christian Music Magazine, in Feb. 1985 "I can't go to a Bible study. Most of my inspiration comes directly from God's Spirit. . . . There are good people in all churches. Some Buddhists really love God. Some Jehovah's Witnesses, too. It doesn't matter what church you belong to! Only God can read a man's heart" (Little Richard, cited in Contemporary Christian Music Magazine, Feb. 1985, p. 22). By the way, after he professed to be a born again believer, he introduced the world to the Beatles, Rolling Stones, and other hard stars. What ever he was "born again" to...it was not savingly to the Lord Jesus Christ.

2. Satan always has a substitute for everything the Lord does even to the point of presenting the world an "anti-Christ."

But the fact the Devil counterfeits the things of God, does not in any way change the truth of the Bible or the truth that one must be born again and that means to received Jesus Christ as one's Lord and Savior alone for salvation and show evidence of being saved by a transformed live. Being Born Again refers to the transformation that Jesus brings to those that believe by faith and are saved.

I. WHAT THE NEW BIRTH IS NOT!

A. It is not religion!

1. Nicodemus a Pharisee was very religious. V10. Jesus told him that he must be born again. Nicodemus was a religious a proud Jew. He like most Jews believed that being born as a Jew and his good works in keeping the Law entitled him to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Were they not God's chosen people and the apple of God's eye? One must understand that the most Jews were not looking for a spiritual Messiah, but a political savior. Jesus' preaching made it clear that the Messiah's kingdom promised to the Nation of Israel was inherited spiritually. Nicodemus and the religious leaders of his day knew nothing of spiritual rebirth. They like the false churches of today, teach that salvation being a member of a particular church, doing a ritual like baptism, or good works. Yet, those in the Old Testament who were saved were renewed spiritually. They were not indwelled as happened after Pentecost and when God instituted the local church, but they who in believed God were spiritual people. They belief and faith in Almighty God saved them and they became spiritual people obeying God's law and instructions to them. Thus Jesus was telling Nicodemus that being born a Jew would not get him to heaven...he must experience the new birth, be born again by the Spirit of God. Sadly, those that try to merit or earn their salvation by their religious acts are lost in their sins and they too will not enter heaven unless they are born again.
2. Saul of Tarus, who after he was saved was called the Apostle Paul, was as religious and devout a Jews as there was....Yet, he was a lost man and needed to be born again.
3. Cornelius, a Roman Centurion, as Acts 10:2, says was a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, and gave much alms to the people and prayed to God alway. Cornelius, was very religious, but he was not born again. God sent Peter to him, to tell him of Jesus Christ, and Cornelius believed and was saved...then he became born again.
4. Jesus told his disciples about a Pharisee and a Publican who went to the Temple to pray.

"The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. (Luke 18:11-14)

This Pharisee was not an extortioner, unjust, or adulterer. He was a religious man who fasted twice a week, gave tithes of all he had. Yet, he was not saved, not born again.
The Publican, beat his chest and cried to God the He be merciful to him because he was a sinner. Jesus said the Publican was saved the Pharisee went away lost.
2. Being born again is an inward change in a person's heart, whereas religion is doing something, as a ritual or religious act.

B. It is not making a new resolution! At New Years lots of folks make resolution to stop doing something they feel is wrong.

1. Gal. 2:16. A man is justified by faith not works!

"Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. "

2. Eph. 2:8-9 For by Grace as ye saved.

"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."

ILLUS: Some man named Camron, e-mailed me and really took me to task for saying that salvation is by simple faith and trust in Jesus Christ. (Jan 24, 1998) He said he pitied me and was amused at my lack of critical thinking.
Thus this man, blind to the truth as he is ignored the God's word on the matter and believes he can offer up his righteousness instead of Jesus Christ's righteous. He believes he can offer his good works instead of Jesus Christ's sacrifice, and suffering for the sins of men.

C. Being Born Again is not reformation!

Man's trouble is on the inside! He needs to be changed inwardly, not just clean up his outward appearance.

1. Many claim to be Christians, children of God.

Many times for a while make people change their lives to some degree, and yet remain lost and unregenerate.
But in time, if they have not been inwardly changed the old ways come back. Outward change that does not come from an inward change does not save.

2. Jesus warned of outward change that was not the result of a change of heart and from true salvation.
In Matt. 12:43-45, Jesus said, "When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation."
3. Man needs to be inwardly changed. His nature needs to be changed.

II. WHAT IS THE NEW BIRTH?

A. It is like the wind, you can not tell where it comes from in the sense of touching it, yet its effects are very real. v8

1. It when it truly happens the person who experiences it and those who know the person will know something has changed..
How can you take a "speed freak", whose only desire is more drugs, who has no morals, love, care for another, who will rob, or murder to satisfy the lust of drugs, see that person hear the Gospel, and then see his whole life changed.
To see in only a short time, a new person, who is loving, caring and moral in behavior, who now hates the life he lived before.
2. To see alcoholic changed, to see adulterers and sinful people of all walks of life, changed now to be fulfilled.
3. To see a good moral lady, church going and very respectable, to she her get new goals, to see joy in her life, to see her eyes opened to the Truth, now live a most different life, a life devoted to serving the Lord.
4. The world cannot explain it, but they can see the result in the new life the born again believer now lives.

B. It is receiving God's nature and becoming God's Child.

1. Roman 8:7, explains the nature of a man who has not been born again.
"Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be."
1 Cor. 2:14, concludes that the unregenerate man cannot even know the things of God.
"But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."
2 Peter 1:4, We receive a new nature. The divine nature is God's nature.
2. 2 Cor. 5:17. Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature....
3. I Cor. 6:19, Our bodies are the temple of God. The Holy Spirit indwells us. If the Holy Spirit does not indwell us then we are not saved.

a. Rom. 5:5..The H.S. is given unto us, and it is His presence that causes us to truly be able to love.
b. Rom. 8:9.. Says that the absence of the Holy Spirit in a persons life is evidence they are not saved.
V1 0 says that if we have Christ, sin will not be the rule and pattern of our lives.
V11 Says that the Holy Spirit quickens us, or makes up alive!

4. This is a most critical point! This is where the lost person is shown clearly to be so.

a. I John 2:20 We have an unction from the Holy Spirit.
This means a saved person can discern between truth and error.
b. V27 We have been anointed, that means chosen to have this new nature.
SEE John 16:13..The work of the Holy Spirit.
c. II Cor. 2:14: The natural or normal man who is lost and does not have the Spirit of God indwelling him....does not receive the things of God.
How frustrating it is to preach the truth, and see men think it is of no value!

III. WHY MUST YOU BE "BORN AGAIN"?

A. First Christ said so. v7
B. You cannot see the Kingdom of God or be saved unless you are `born again. V3
C. Your old sinful nature, is not fit for heaven!! You must put on righteousness, and you have no righteousness of your own. Only God is righteous and only He can give it to you as a free gift.

IV. HOW CAN ONE BE BORN AGAIN?

A. John 1:13... "To as many as received Him, He gave the power to become the sons of God."

1. It was not by the will of flesh or man. You are not saved because your parents were.
It is not of blood, meaning it has no human element in it! It is all of God.
2. It cannot be earned! Brought, and obtained any way, but by God's way.

ILLUS: On a TV interview show had a Question and Answer time. The question was asked, "How can a person get to heaven/" A Baptist, Methodist, and an Anglican were one the panel. The Baptist gave a straight forth presentation of what the Bible said, the Methodist gave a water down answer obviously trying not to say anything offensive, however, the Anglican gave all sorts of human logical reasons for infant baptism, salvation by "sacraments," etc.

God did not trust or include in His plan, man's logical assumptions or reasoning. He made it very simple, and it needs not man's logic to work.
One simply trust in Christ as his savior, he trusts God, takes God at His word, and simply says Yes.
He stops fighting God, reasoning with God, arguing with God. He simply surrenders and accepts the Bible as it is.
The Holy Spirit convict that persons of his need for the Lord Jesus and God then in man's surrender, saves him.

B. The Time is now!

1. Prov. 9:10, States "the beginning of wisdom is a fear of the Lord."
2. Prov. 14:12 "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."

C. Rom. 10:9-10...If you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus.

Conclusion:

1. It is not a religious act.
2. It is an inward change done by God alone which comes when one believes in Jesus Christ as their Savior and at that moment receives the very nature of God Himself.
3. Christ said that to go to heaven one must be born again.
4. Trust Christ today, just as you are....

God says "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, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:9-13)

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