You must be Born Again

         Born-again, we hear a lot about this now days what does it mean? Where did this come from. Who started making this statement you must be born again. Well these are all good questions, and I hope to answer these and many other questions today.

         The first thing we need to look at is, what does “born-again” mean? Born-again means a new  birth. This is not talking about a physical rebirth but a spiritual birth. It is a creative life giving operation of the Holy Spirit upon a lost human soul, whereby in response to faith in Christ crucified the believing one, who is dead in trespasses and sins, is quickened into Spiritual life, and at that point is made a partaker of the divine nature and of the life of Christ Himself.

         We are told about the need to be born-again in John 3:1-6) there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, the same came to Jesus by night and said unto him, Rabbi we know that thou art a teacher come from God. For no man can do these miracles that thou doest except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born-again he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus said unto him, How can a man be born-again when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mothers 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.

         Who was Nicodemus, why was he coming to Jesus, Nicodemus was a Pharisee and not only a Pharisee, but a leader of the Pharisee. A Pharisee was a prominent sect of the Jews. In Christ time, Pharisees as a whole apposed Jesus and his teachings they believed they would be given eternal life because they were dependent of Abraham. They believed in future rewards and punishment based upon works, in short they believed they could get to Heaven by being good These Pharisees couldn't accept Jesus teaching because it would mean a new way of life and they were not ready to change from the way they were living. They had it made, they could have the best of two worlds by day they lived one way and by night they lived another way. They were very religious they keep all the Jewish traditions, they were well respected by the people, and they were not ready to give that up. They was not ready to put their faith in a mere carpenters son. Their pride would never let them do that.

         Nicodemus was one of the few Pharisees who was looking for the truth. Although he was ashamed to be seen around Jesus nevertheless he did seek Him, out even if it was under the cover of night. Nicodemus knew like many of you do that salvation is not found in religion and following traditions. To what extent he believed we do not know. Two years after he took Jesus part in the council. Later, he and Joseph, another member of the council, buried Jesus. He was a secret disciple in the early days of his faith, but later he was willing openly to share with Jesus, the shame of his cross. His coming out of the shadows in the hour of Jesus humiliation. when even the twelve had fled to cover) risking his own life in that tender final ministry of Jesus to make a stand for Him. He surely atoned for his original Inclination to sorcery specially considering he was also a member of the Sanhedrin, friends he was in the very heart of the enemy’s camp. This did not hinder Nicodemus, because friends he had meet the Savior. He sought the truth and when Jesus showed him the truth he followed, he didn’t hold on to his pride. He wanted Jesus more that religion, he wanted Jesus more than friends, He wanted Jesus more than life.

         I know there are many of you who are listening to me right now who are locked into traditions. Following the way you were raised and trying to please God by keeping man made laws. I Know there are many of you seeking the truth of eternal life. I just want to say dear friend you need to come to Jesus just as Nicodemus did, you need to turn from the rituals you are keeping, you need to turn to Jesus. Turn to God’s Word and not religion.

         This new-birth is not just a figure of speech friends, but an actual reality, resulting from the impregnation of the human heart by the spirit of God Nicodemus no doubt, shared the common though his maker would be feed from Roman rules  when the Savior came Jesus was trying to tell Nicodemus that the Messiah was to deliver the people from the slavery of sin Nicodemus did not understand what Jesus was say. This was a very strange thought for Nicodemus He just couldn't understand why he, a good man, a genuine Pharisee, one of the rulers of the Messianic Nation would not be Welcomed into the Messianic Kingdom with open arms. He just could not hardly take all that in. He though he was going to have to remust  his life, instead at simply putting his trust in another person to get him in the Messianic Kingdom. It was hard for him, but friends he believed Jesus, when he said you must be born again. When Jesus told him you could not get to heaven by being good and keeping traditions he said, “I will change” what about you friends are you ready to turn from your vain religion, to a life giving Savior. Oh how I pray that you can see Jesus today.

         Friends to be born-again and to be willing to receive the gift that God offers, involves the abandonment of every attempt to become righteous by anything a man may do for himself and the willing acceptance of the free gift of grace. Yes friend such a complete reconciliation is an experience that can well be licensed to physical birth, for it is an coming from darkness into light, when the restricted and confined is at last set free.

         Yes friends when you get born again it is a new life old things are passed away, now all things become new, just like a new born baby. When you repent of your sins and ask God to forgive you they are immediately forgotten. God is not like man he will totally remove your pass life from His mind. We are told in the Bible that when you confess those sins, He is faithful and just to forgive you and cleans you from all unrighteousness We are told in the Bible that God removes those sins as far as the east is from the west. He will cast them into the deepest part of the ocean never to be remembered no more.

         Let me illustrate; When God looks upon the world he sees the sins of man, God had such love for His creation that he had to make a way to cover those those sins, that is where Jesus comes in at Jesus came to earth to die to pour out His blood for the Sins of the world. Friends He did that on the cross we are told from the Bible “one on of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side and forthwith came there out blood and water now the Father when he looks at man he sees a different picture. For everyone who has repented of their sins and accepted Jesus atoning blood on the cross, it is at that point God the Father no longer sees their sins but the blood of His son Jesus! Blood is like a blanket covering the sins of all who called on Him. Yes friends “the wages of sin is death”, but Jesus paid that price with his blood Acts 20:28) We as preachers  are told to watch over Jesus’ flock which “He Hath purchased with his own blood.” We must always remember friend what God says in (Heb 9:10-22) assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water – without shedding of blood is no remission. Friends if it were not for Christ shedding His blood for you there would be no remission of your sins, but because of that God the Father can only see the precious blood of His son.

         Friends you can clearly see that mans sin can only be forgiven through the acceptance of Jesus as Lord of their life. When anyone does that, they get a new life. It is at that point you are born-again. Friends along with that new birth God gives you a new nature, you have new privileges new hope, new relationships, new family and a new responsibility. Yes friend we can go on and on about the new things  that God brings in to our life. As you grow in the Lord your life becomes different in time you won’t even recognized your self. My life now is nothing like it was when I turned it over to Jesus. II Cor 5:17 says WHEN ANYONE IS JOINED TO CHRIST, HE IS A NEW BEING THE OLD IS GONE, AND THE NEW HAS COME. Sin  no longer dominates our lives because we have a Godly nature and we have a new director of our lives. The Holy Spirit of God. We know that we have a new nature and the Holy Spirit living within us because our attitude and actions change. I Cor 3:16 says KNOW YE NOT THAT YE ARE THE TEMPLE OF GOD, AND THAT THE SPIRIT OF GOD DWELLED IN YOU.

         Friends I have meet people in life who say they are born again but their life does not show it. They drink,  smoke, cruse, and run around with women. Then they say I am saved by the blood of Jesus I can live any way I want friends that is not convict the world of sin and He is not I repeat He is not going to let a born again child of God sin and enjoy it friends I am going to say this as nice as I can if a person claims to be born again but continues to enjoy the old sinful life, he is not, nor has he, ever been born again. Yes a born again Christian will sin, but he will not enjoy it, nor will he sin against God willfully.

         We know the unbelievers life is dominated by sin and he can live comfortable in it. For the born again child of God, sin becomes an intruder that does not belong nor is it welcome The born-again believers is not, I repeat, is not comfortable with its presence. When a person is born-again, there is a new awareness of sin there is anew sensitive conscience. The sin you lived in before accepting Christ did not brother you but, after conversion that very same sin will not let you have peace until you quit doing it that is the Holy Spirit working in your life.

         When you are born-again you now have a new family. When a mother’ gives birth to a baby. This is not the end of the mothers responsibility. The mother must now provide for the baby, if she neglects the baby it will die. That is some thing like a born-again Christian if they neglect their new family they will die spiritual to help them grow, in order for this to happen friends you must fo to church . You have a new family and a new relationship when you receive Christ as your Savior. And Lord you become God’s children before being born-again you knew God only in your mind, but a new personal relationship came when you invited God to be the Master of every part of your life. You can learn to live as a child by growing with the new family at church.

         Friends if you have never been born-again and you want that new life then I beg you to turn from your sins and to Jesus today. He is faithful and just to forgive you of your sins if you will confess him today. You of your sins if you will confess him today. Come to the Master today, dear Friend. You need to be born again.