You Must be Born Again Mac Hammond I AM REVEALED B. Childress Feb 21 2011 “Opinions are like noses. Everybody has one.” Or so the old saying goes. Regardless of the topic (sports, politics, even the weather), everyone seems more than willing to offer his or her personal wisdom and insight on the subject. This holds true in spiritual things as well. Varying opinions about heaven, hell, and salvation abound. Now, adopting someone else’s opinion on who’s going to the Super Bowl is generally harmless. But when it comes to matters of life, death, and eternity, you’d better have something more substantial than some mere mortal’s opinion. Tragically, many people don’t. Far too many individuals are staking their eternal destiny on what their parents, professors, or denomination told them was necessary to enter heaven. Others aren’t quite sure how they came to their conclusions about God and His kingdom. They just shrug their shoulders and say, “I’ve always believed this way.” The truth is, there exists only one reliable source of truth concerning matters of the soul and spirit – the Bible. The Holy Bible is the divinely inspired Word of God. Yet millions of people today assume that their ill-founded opinions are good enough to answer eternal questions. The tragic result in each case is an unfulfilled life here on earth and an awful eternity in hell. Going to the Source “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” II Timothy 3:16,17 The Greek word translated “inspiration” in this passage of Scripture literally means “God-breathed.” All Scripture is breathed from the very mouth of God Himself. God cannot lie. Therefore, you can rely on the Bible as an infallible source. Notice what else this passage says about Scripture. 1. It is profitable for doctrine – meaning it provides the basic tenets of the Christian faith. 2. It is profitable for reproof and correction – meaning it tells us what we should not do. 3. It is profitable for instruction in righteousness – meaning it tells us what we should do to live in a godly life. Finally, verse 17 tells us the end result of all these things. “That the man of God may be perfect (mature, complete), thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” Open the Word of God and see what this trust worthy source has to say about the most important questions you’ll ever face. Namely, what does it mean to be born again and filled with God’s Spirit? These are the most basic of life-and-death issues. Yet your human mind alone will never comprehend the secret of life. And try as they might, scientists will never unlock the mystery of the spark of life or see beyond the veil of death. Only the Word of God penetrates the cloak of mystery that envelops these questions. The Second Birth To truly understand what it means to be born again, you must understand the nature and composition of who you are. According to the Bible, the real you is not what you see looking back at you in a mirror. That body is merely a vessel – a container for the real you. The Word teaches that you are a three-part being. The real you is a spirit. You have a soul. And you live in a body. We see this division in I Thessalonians 5:23.
preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” These are the three realms of human existence: the spirit realm, the soulish realm, and the physical realm. The new birth and the baptism of the Holy Ghost impact each of these realms in different ways. To understand either of these things, you must first recognize the three-part nature of who you are. The Reality of Heaven and Hell One of the most widely held beliefs today is that death means annihilation. In other words, when you die, that is it. It’s over. Please don’t fall for that lie. Death does not mean a termination of existence. In the Bible, the word death is translated from Greek and Hebrew words meaning “separation.” Physical death is simply the separation of the spirit and soul from the body. No, death is not the end. On the contrary, death is merely a door that leads to one of two possible eternal homes: one in heaven, the other in hell. Spiritual death results when you are separated from God, the source of all life. Spiritual life, on the other hand, results from oneness with the Giver of Life. One of the most vivid scriptural pictures of what happens after death was painted by Jesus Himself.
day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.” Luke 16:19-24 Did either of the men in Jesus’ account cease to exist when they died? No, they both continued a conscious existence even while separated from their physical bodies. The beggar was carried by angels into “Abraham’s bosom” (also referred to as paradise). This was the place where the saints of God were housed prior to Jesus’ resurrection. The rich man, who was not saved, went to hell where he continued to feel pain, sorrow, and anguish. You are an eternal being. Death means only a change of residence from this earth to either heaven or hell. What determines your destination? One thing and one thing only – your relationship with Jesus Christ. Why is that so important? You’ll find the answer back in the Garden of Eden. Adam’s Double Defeat
and man became a living soul.” Genesis 2:7 his soul, and life for his body. That very same word “life” is used in Genesis 2:8,9.
And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.” soul, and body of Adam. That’s why God commanded Adam to eat of it and every other tree in the garden except for one.
LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Genesis 2:15-17 him on an ongoing basis. Second, he was never to eat of the Tree of knowledge of Good and Evil. The penalty for violating the second command was death. Not physical death, mind you – spiritual death. Separation from God would be the result. Thus Adam’s disobedience was twofold. In eating of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, Adam partook of that which he was commanded not to eat. This resulted in death and separation. Secondly, he neglected to eat that which he was commanded to eat, which would have resulted in eternal life. As Adam’s descendants, we each have a two-fold decision to make as well. We must not only reject evil, we must also partake of life. Many people have fulfilled only the first half of that equation. They live good, moral lives by most standards. They don’t smoke or drink. They display honesty and integrity. They generally shun evil. Many even go to church and have been baptized in water. Yet they still face an eternity in hell because they have neglected to partake of the Tree of Life. Jesus, the Source of Life Jesus Christ, the Son draws us into relationship with God, the Father. “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6 For us, Jesus is the Tree of Life. He said:
that they might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10
everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” John 5:24 Jesus answered a similar question for a man named Nicodemus in John 3:3.
which we partake of the Tree of Life. Notice, Jesus didn’t tell him that joining a church would give him eternal life. He didn’t prescribe being sprinkled as a baby, living a good life, or any other good work. There is only one way to see the kingdom of heaven. “You must be born again.” The concept of being born a second time confused Nicodemus. Thinking only in natural terms, he protested that it was impossible for a man to reenter his mother’s womb. Jesus explained it to him in verses 5-7. “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. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” Here, Jesus explains that the second birth occurs not in the physical realm of a man’s three-part nature, but rather in the spiritual. Some people have misinterpreted Jesus’ declaration that a person must be born both “of water and of the Spirit.” They claim that this scripture proves that water baptism is a means of, and therefore is necessary for, salvation. This is simply not true. Of course, water baptism is an important point of obedience in the life of a believer. But in the New Testament, water is frequently a type, or symbol, of the Word of God. In this instance Jesus is merely saying that man is spiritually reborn through the Word of God and by the Spirit. This is confirmed in I Peter 1:23.
abideth for ever.” How to be Born Again As you can clearly see, being born again is the most important thing you can ever do. All other goals and aspirations in life pale in significance alongside the knowledge that you are going to live forever with a loving heavenly Father. As a result, you might presume that being born again is a difficult or complex process. Nothing could be further from the truth. There are basically three components to receiving the new birth. 1. Repent
True repentance means recognizing that your sinful life is wrong and that a change of heart, attitude, and direction is required. To repent is to reject evil. 2. Believe on Jesus
not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Romans 10:9
salvation.” Romans 10:10 Lord and Savior. When you believe on Jesus with your heart and confess Him with your mouth, you are partaking of the Tree of Life. The Miracle of the New Birth You now know the three steps a person must take in order to be born again. However, you must understand that these steps do not cause the new birth to happen. It is a miracle that can be performed only by the Holy Spirit. When you take these steps, you give the Holy Spirit permission and freedom to do what only He can do. If a person could be saved by merely following a three-step formula, salvation would be based on works rather than God's grace.
any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8,9 Benefits of the New Birth Experiencing the miracle of the new birth makes you a partaker of eternal life. Heaven becomes your destination when you die. But the new birth is much more than a ticket to heaven. It also carries with it some wonderful benefits in this life as well. Let’s look at three major changes that result from being born again. A New Creation According to the Word of God, the remaking of your spirit makes you a whole new type of being.
become new.” II Corinthians 5:17 – pass away. You no longer have to be controlled by the things of your past. You’re free! Through the centuries, “religious” people have demanded that “sinners” clean up their lives before they come into the church. Many unsaved people have been told, “Purify your life; then you can be a Christian.” But, according to the Word of God, that is completely out of sequence. A person has no capacity to make lasting changes in his lifestyle until he’s been made a new creation in Christ Jesus. Becoming a new creature is what makes it possible for all old things to pass away and all things to become new. Your marriage can become new. Your relationships with your children can become new. Everything becomes new because YOU are a new person! This new personhood calls for a new way of thinking. Romans 12:2 calls it “renewing your mind.” It means retraining your mind to realize that you don’t have to be sick anymore. You don’t have to be poor anymore. You no longer have to be defeated. The world may have to live that way, but not you – you’re a new creation! All Things Are Now Possible
God, you can overcome anything the devil or the world can throw at you.
“We are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” Romans 8:37 Your Needs Are Now Abundantly Supplied One of the most comforting and exhilarating aspects of the new birth is the knowledge that everything you need has been supplied in advance. If you need healing, I Peter 2:24 says, “by whose stripes ye were healed.” In other words, Jesus bore your sickness and pain on the cross. You don’t have to be sick anymore. If you have financial need, Philippians 4:19 says, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” That verse doesn’t say some of your needs. It doesn’t say most of your needs. God’s Word says all of your needs are met in accordance with His amazing heavenly abundance. These are just a few of the marvelous benefits that belong to the born-again child of God. Four Keys To enjoying the Fullness of the New Birth A vast majority of Christians are “living beneath their privileges.” What do I mean by that? I’m referring to the fact that, as born-again believers, we have inherited enormous rights and privileges. We are children of the King! Yet far too many believers are content to trudge through life like lowly beggars, consoling themselves in the knowledge that they’ll go to heaven by and by. You don’t have to live that way. Jesus said He came to bring you abundant life. The following four keys will help you appropriate all the benefits the new birth brings. 1. Unlock God’s promises God’s Word is literally filled with promises to you, as a believer. However, those great and precious promises will not become a reality in your life automatically. You must unlock them with the key of faith. Yes, to receive the fullness of God’s promises in your life, you must have faith, and the only source of faith is the Word of God.
bring God’s promises down from the realm of the spirit right into your life. We get a glimpse of how faith works in Hebrews 11:1.
you meditate on that promise and confess it over your situation (saying what God’s Word says about it), hope drops down into your heart and becomes faith. 2. Understand the Enemy of Your Faith In discovering the wonderful truth about faith, don’t make the mistake of thinking all of your problems will instantly vanish the moment you are born again. Many new Christians see God’s promises in the Bible and assume they can simply float around on a “faith cloud.” The Bible however, makes it very clear that we have a real enemy to contend with in this life.
may devour.” I Peter 5:8 from. But if you’ll refuse to listen to his lies and stand firm on God’s Word, you’ll rise above every circumstance. The most important thing a new believer needs to be aware of is that Satan’s favorite and most insidious tactic is to steal the Word from your heart. Jesus exposed this method in the parable of the sower and the seed.
and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart.” Matthew 13:19 3. Be Built up in God’s Word There is a reason Satan is so determined to steal the Word before it can take root in your heart. That Word will cause you to grow in power, faith, and authority.
strength. Once your spiritual growth and development begin, the new life that is yours in Christ through faith will begin to open to you. Before long, the memory of your old life will begin to seem like nothing more than a bad dream. You’ll wonder how you could have ever lived without the joy that is available to you through the new birth. Just be sure to be diligent in your study of God’s Word. It’s your source of spiritual nourishment. 4. Get it Settled If you’ve never been born again or if you have some questions in your mind concerning your relationship with Jesus Christ, you’re only a prayer away from settling those issues once and for all. Take a moment to pray this prayer. Say the words from your heart. If you mean them, Jesus will come into your heart and you will be born again. KINGDOM PRAYER OF SALVATION Lord Jesus, Be merciful to me as I turn away from a life of sin and turn to You. I believe that You endured the cross offering Yourself without spot to God the Father for the remission of my sins. I also believe that You are the Son of God, that God raised You from the dead for my justification, and that God dwelleth in You and You in God. Lord Jesus, I invite You into my heart to be my Lord and Savior and ask that You cleanse me in Your blood from all unrighteousness now. I hereby confess that “Jesus is Lord.” Thank-you and Amen. Now, thank God for saving you, and know for sure that your life will never be the same again: you have been baptized into the Body of Christ by the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 12:13). The Bible teaches us to be baptized in water after we confessed Jesus as our Lord and Savior. It is an outward sign of our faith.
Spirit (the Baptism in the Holy Spirit) to be empowered for ministry and to receive your prayer language. Source: WATER, WIND, &FIRE, by Mac Hammond, Copyright 2001, HARRISON HOUSE. |
LIFE IN JESUS-MINISTRIES |