To be Born of God is All You Need
To be Born of God
Looking at the dichotomy of the phasing out of all that God made to make room for all that God birthed! The focus is on the futility of being a church member without the new birth experience.
Passage: John 3: 1-10
Supporting Texts:
And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the LORD said, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them." (Genesis 6:6, 7)
Lift up your eyes to the heavens, And look on the earth beneath. For the heavens will vanish away like smoke, The earth will grow old like a garment, And those who dwell in it will die in like manner; But My salvation will be forever, And My righteousness will not be abolished. (Isaiah 51:6)
For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. (Romans 8:19-23)
For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith. (1John 5:4)
Introduction: The Bible is so loud on two creations of God: One He made and one He gave birth to. It further pronounces a verdict on the destinies of these two different creations. One is passing away, and the other will endure forever. Mankind, after Jesus has the first opportunity to be part of the enduring creation by getting born again through faith in Jesus. The new birth experience is obtained through a two-stage process of water baptism and Holy Spirit Baptism. Water baptism is the outward demonstration of a person’s repentance from dead works. It is to show how the person feels towards his or her old self, that it is deserving of mortification (death). He or she thus gives it up as completely worthless. The only life that such a person hopes for is therefore one that he or she has never experienced before. God, the Holy Spirit imparts this life as a gift in response to a person truly giving up on the old moribund life. This is the spirit of sonship, the seed of God that cannot be corrupted! The born again person experiences new promptings to righteousness and feels a growing aversion to sin. Indeed his or her priority system switches as he or she grows in the understanding of spiritual (Divine scheme of) things. With growth in the new life also comes a realization of special abilities called the gifts of the Spirit that suits a person for useful service in the Church. One who is born again therefore becomes a channel of Divine grace as God, through his or her lifestyle or preaching/teaching makes others predisposed to the new birth. He or she also becomes useful in nurturing other children of God into Spiritual maturity.
Background: The Sanhedrin of Jesus’ times generally disbelieved Him and were ultimately the instigators of His crucifixion. Nicodemus, a Pharisee, and a member of the Sanhedrin, was moved by the miracles of Jesus as confirming that He was from God. He came to find out more about Him from Jesus Himself by night. Jesus responded to Nicodemus’s search with what was most important for him – He needed to be born again as was also necessary for all who hope to enter the kingdom of God/Heaven. Nicodemus pressed Jesus for explanation and Jesus made the following additional important assertions about the new birth:
It is effected through Water and Spirit (John 3:5)
The product of the new birth, like wind can be felt, but no man can fathom its source, i.e. how it took place (It cannot be engineered!) (John 3:8)
It is to be understood from the Scriptures (John 3:10)
In this exposé, we pick up the themes about the new birth that Jesus discussed with Nicodemus and explore their relevance to us. It is hereby hoped that those yet to be born again should appreciate the relevance of the new birth and seek it with all their hearts, and experience the tremendous power and hope that is available for Freee in Christ Jesus!
Born a child of God
This is a brand new designation for people that God accepts. In the beginning God made, and what God made, though it was very good, fell. And God regretted that He made and therefore condemned whatever He made, foremost being mankind. And what He has condemned will pass away. What God wants to continue forever is what He brings forth (births). That is the new creation. God has given mankind the first opportunity to participate in what He brings forth after Jesus Christ. Those who come to Him therefore must seek to come to Him as those born, and not made!
Born of water
By this Jesus was referring to the normal practice of baptism that was so common in the days of Nicodemus as well. There are some historical and practical controversies about baptism. The former centres on whether it is by immersion (where the whole body of the candidate is put under water and raised up) or whether it is by the mere presence of water or any symbol of it sprinkled or otherwise applied. This controversy is not fully resolved, and you will notice in different films about the Baptist, John’s baptism that some show the candidates immersed in the river and others show the water merely sprinkled on the candidates. The other controversy is about whether the water has power to transform or it is merely symbolic of what has taken place in the believing candidate. The Bible is strongly on the side of the water baptism being merely symbolic, for the following reasons, among many others:
God backs symbols for only as long as the substances they represent are authentic, and those He gives them to honour Him.
i. When the corrupt sons of Eli carried the ark of God into battle, God allowed the “untouchable” ark to be captured by the ungodly Philistines (1 Samuel 4:1-11).
ii. When Sampson’s hair grew back and he repented of his sins and appealed to God, God restored the supernatural strength that his hair represented. (Judges 16:22-30)
iii. The thief who hanged on cross next to Jesus, believed in Jesus, but was never baptised. Jesus however accepted Him. In the same frame, the gentile soldier, Cornelius’s household was accepted by God before they were ever baptised in water. (Luke 23:39-43)
iv. Although some disciples in Ephesus were already baptised in water, Paul saw no sign of their acceptance by God before the Holy Spirit came on them. (Acts 19:2-6)
Although there is an apparent equation of circumcision under the law with water baptism under grace, mere circumcision without the demonstration of being in covenant with God proved worthless time and again (see Colossians 2:10-12, cf. Roman 2:28, 29).
Baptism in the name of Jesus represents participation in the nature of Christ. This is death to self and living for Christ. As Jesus was crucified and buried so is the baptised supposed to give up his own will, denounce his sins and lose himself as in the total immersion that represents burial (See Romans 6: 4); As He rose from the dead never to die again, so is the baptised brought up from under the water unto a completely new life that is a gift of God unto eternal life.
To willingly die to self, to reject ungodly living and to live for Jesus in the hope of eternal life is therefore key to appropriating the symbol of baptism. Otherwise, one is baptised for nothing!
Born of the Spirit
Man does not born himself again. This is a gracious act of God guaranteed to those who receive Jesus and believe on His Name. It is effected by the Holy Spirit of God that Jesus promised shall be with the disciples forever. Peter calls the new birth the gift (of the Holy Spirit) in Acts 2:38, just as Jesus did (the gift of God) in John 4:10, 14. This unfathomable gift of God is what is embodied in Jesus, to the extent that those who receive Him with all their hearts receive this gift also and are marked for eternal life. They have escaped condemnation and are new creation of God. They have the seed of God in them:
Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die (John 11:25-26)
He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. (1 John 5:12)
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:1)
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (2Corinthians 5:17)
And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:30)
Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. (1John 3:9)
The person who is born again experiences symptoms of the new birth, which are many. The person that is born again is the primary and most important witness, for it is primarily an out of sight occurrence that eventually manifests for all to acknowledge. The symptoms include:
Feeling peace or other inner activity of the Holy Spirit, and feeling accepted into God’s family, as a bona fide member, no longer a stranger. (Romans 8:16)
A great desire to hear the Word of God and to be among God’s people (1 Peter 2:2 and Acts 2:44)
A decisive aversion to sin and willfulness (1John 3:9)
A drive towards righteous living (Galatians 5:22)
Appreciation of spiritual truths (1 Corinthians 2:14-16)
A settled preference of the eternal over the temporal (1 Corinthians 5:19)
A growing awareness of and manifestations or the gifts of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:7)
The New Birth Predicted in the Scriptures (Pinpoints Only)
· I will pour my Spirit on all flesh (Joel 2:28)
· Where they re (Hosea 1:10; 2:23 as interpreted in Romans 6:25-28)
· Doubtless you are our father... (Isaiah 63: 16)
· "Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, (Ezekiel 11:19)
· "Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? (Ezekiel 18:31)
· "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 36:26)
Some Application
1. If circumcision which is the seal of the Old Covenant is nothing, seek to be part of the new creation, rather than one who merely holds to a practice.
2. Endeavour to be born of God so that you can begin to hear directly from God now and secure your destiny, rather than perpetually relying on the directives of mere men
3. Be born again and free yourself from the bondage of the creation.
4. If you are born again, endeavour to grow in the Spirit, into the full image of God (Christ), your Father in Christ through study, fellowship and prayer. Be sensitive, rather than adamant to the Holy Spirit.
5. Use your gifts as a channel for God’s grace to others who do not know Jesus yet or have not yet bought into the new creation.
Looking at the dichotomy of the phasing out of all that God made to make room for all that God birthed! The focus is on the futility of being a church member without the new birth experience.
Passage: John 3: 1-10
Supporting Texts:
And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the LORD said, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them." (Genesis 6:6, 7)
Lift up your eyes to the heavens, And look on the earth beneath. For the heavens will vanish away like smoke, The earth will grow old like a garment, And those who dwell in it will die in like manner; But My salvation will be forever, And My righteousness will not be abolished. (Isaiah 51:6)
For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. (Romans 8:19-23)
For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith. (1John 5:4)
Introduction: The Bible is so loud on two creations of God: One He made and one He gave birth to. It further pronounces a verdict on the destinies of these two different creations. One is passing away, and the other will endure forever. Mankind, after Jesus has the first opportunity to be part of the enduring creation by getting born again through faith in Jesus. The new birth experience is obtained through a two-stage process of water baptism and Holy Spirit Baptism. Water baptism is the outward demonstration of a person’s repentance from dead works. It is to show how the person feels towards his or her old self, that it is deserving of mortification (death). He or she thus gives it up as completely worthless. The only life that such a person hopes for is therefore one that he or she has never experienced before. God, the Holy Spirit imparts this life as a gift in response to a person truly giving up on the old moribund life. This is the spirit of sonship, the seed of God that cannot be corrupted! The born again person experiences new promptings to righteousness and feels a growing aversion to sin. Indeed his or her priority system switches as he or she grows in the understanding of spiritual (Divine scheme of) things. With growth in the new life also comes a realization of special abilities called the gifts of the Spirit that suits a person for useful service in the Church. One who is born again therefore becomes a channel of Divine grace as God, through his or her lifestyle or preaching/teaching makes others predisposed to the new birth. He or she also becomes useful in nurturing other children of God into Spiritual maturity.
Background: The Sanhedrin of Jesus’ times generally disbelieved Him and were ultimately the instigators of His crucifixion. Nicodemus, a Pharisee, and a member of the Sanhedrin, was moved by the miracles of Jesus as confirming that He was from God. He came to find out more about Him from Jesus Himself by night. Jesus responded to Nicodemus’s search with what was most important for him – He needed to be born again as was also necessary for all who hope to enter the kingdom of God/Heaven. Nicodemus pressed Jesus for explanation and Jesus made the following additional important assertions about the new birth:
It is effected through Water and Spirit (John 3:5)
The product of the new birth, like wind can be felt, but no man can fathom its source, i.e. how it took place (It cannot be engineered!) (John 3:8)
It is to be understood from the Scriptures (John 3:10)
In this exposé, we pick up the themes about the new birth that Jesus discussed with Nicodemus and explore their relevance to us. It is hereby hoped that those yet to be born again should appreciate the relevance of the new birth and seek it with all their hearts, and experience the tremendous power and hope that is available for Freee in Christ Jesus!
Born a child of God
This is a brand new designation for people that God accepts. In the beginning God made, and what God made, though it was very good, fell. And God regretted that He made and therefore condemned whatever He made, foremost being mankind. And what He has condemned will pass away. What God wants to continue forever is what He brings forth (births). That is the new creation. God has given mankind the first opportunity to participate in what He brings forth after Jesus Christ. Those who come to Him therefore must seek to come to Him as those born, and not made!
Born of water
By this Jesus was referring to the normal practice of baptism that was so common in the days of Nicodemus as well. There are some historical and practical controversies about baptism. The former centres on whether it is by immersion (where the whole body of the candidate is put under water and raised up) or whether it is by the mere presence of water or any symbol of it sprinkled or otherwise applied. This controversy is not fully resolved, and you will notice in different films about the Baptist, John’s baptism that some show the candidates immersed in the river and others show the water merely sprinkled on the candidates. The other controversy is about whether the water has power to transform or it is merely symbolic of what has taken place in the believing candidate. The Bible is strongly on the side of the water baptism being merely symbolic, for the following reasons, among many others:
God backs symbols for only as long as the substances they represent are authentic, and those He gives them to honour Him.
i. When the corrupt sons of Eli carried the ark of God into battle, God allowed the “untouchable” ark to be captured by the ungodly Philistines (1 Samuel 4:1-11).
ii. When Sampson’s hair grew back and he repented of his sins and appealed to God, God restored the supernatural strength that his hair represented. (Judges 16:22-30)
iii. The thief who hanged on cross next to Jesus, believed in Jesus, but was never baptised. Jesus however accepted Him. In the same frame, the gentile soldier, Cornelius’s household was accepted by God before they were ever baptised in water. (Luke 23:39-43)
iv. Although some disciples in Ephesus were already baptised in water, Paul saw no sign of their acceptance by God before the Holy Spirit came on them. (Acts 19:2-6)
Although there is an apparent equation of circumcision under the law with water baptism under grace, mere circumcision without the demonstration of being in covenant with God proved worthless time and again (see Colossians 2:10-12, cf. Roman 2:28, 29).
Baptism in the name of Jesus represents participation in the nature of Christ. This is death to self and living for Christ. As Jesus was crucified and buried so is the baptised supposed to give up his own will, denounce his sins and lose himself as in the total immersion that represents burial (See Romans 6: 4); As He rose from the dead never to die again, so is the baptised brought up from under the water unto a completely new life that is a gift of God unto eternal life.
To willingly die to self, to reject ungodly living and to live for Jesus in the hope of eternal life is therefore key to appropriating the symbol of baptism. Otherwise, one is baptised for nothing!
Born of the Spirit
Man does not born himself again. This is a gracious act of God guaranteed to those who receive Jesus and believe on His Name. It is effected by the Holy Spirit of God that Jesus promised shall be with the disciples forever. Peter calls the new birth the gift (of the Holy Spirit) in Acts 2:38, just as Jesus did (the gift of God) in John 4:10, 14. This unfathomable gift of God is what is embodied in Jesus, to the extent that those who receive Him with all their hearts receive this gift also and are marked for eternal life. They have escaped condemnation and are new creation of God. They have the seed of God in them:
Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die (John 11:25-26)
He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. (1 John 5:12)
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:1)
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (2Corinthians 5:17)
And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:30)
Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. (1John 3:9)
The person who is born again experiences symptoms of the new birth, which are many. The person that is born again is the primary and most important witness, for it is primarily an out of sight occurrence that eventually manifests for all to acknowledge. The symptoms include:
Feeling peace or other inner activity of the Holy Spirit, and feeling accepted into God’s family, as a bona fide member, no longer a stranger. (Romans 8:16)
A great desire to hear the Word of God and to be among God’s people (1 Peter 2:2 and Acts 2:44)
A decisive aversion to sin and willfulness (1John 3:9)
A drive towards righteous living (Galatians 5:22)
Appreciation of spiritual truths (1 Corinthians 2:14-16)
A settled preference of the eternal over the temporal (1 Corinthians 5:19)
A growing awareness of and manifestations or the gifts of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:7)
The New Birth Predicted in the Scriptures (Pinpoints Only)
· I will pour my Spirit on all flesh (Joel 2:28)
· Where they re (Hosea 1:10; 2:23 as interpreted in Romans 6:25-28)
· Doubtless you are our father... (Isaiah 63: 16)
· "Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, (Ezekiel 11:19)
· "Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? (Ezekiel 18:31)
· "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 36:26)
Some Application
1. If circumcision which is the seal of the Old Covenant is nothing, seek to be part of the new creation, rather than one who merely holds to a practice.
2. Endeavour to be born of God so that you can begin to hear directly from God now and secure your destiny, rather than perpetually relying on the directives of mere men
3. Be born again and free yourself from the bondage of the creation.
4. If you are born again, endeavour to grow in the Spirit, into the full image of God (Christ), your Father in Christ through study, fellowship and prayer. Be sensitive, rather than adamant to the Holy Spirit.
5. Use your gifts as a channel for God’s grace to others who do not know Jesus yet or have not yet bought into the new creation.
Comments
Post a Comment