Ye MUST Be Born Again

“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of man, but of God” John 1:12,13.

There are no options. There is no other way. To spend eternity in the flaming abyss under the judgment of Almighty God is not a plausible option.

When Nicodemus, a Pharisee and ruler of the Jews came to Jesus, being inquisitive about His ministry and miracles, Jesus’ first recorded words to him were, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” John 3:3. Notice, apart from the New Birth, man is dead; he is blind. He cannot ‘see’ the kingdom of God; and he certainly will never enter the Celestial City! “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” John 3:5. Once again our Lord gives emphasis to the call: perhaps a command, yet a cry of compassion unto Nicodemus: Ye MUST be born again.

We might echo the response of Nicodemus: “How can these things be?”

A question answered by a question. Continuing on after the discourse of the New Birth, Jesus said, “If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?” John 3:12. A further explanation is afforded us in I Corinthians 2:14: “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.”

Just receive Christ? A commonly used term in this generation is that of “receiving Christ.” But how can one ‘receive’ that which he does not ‘believe?” John 3:16 tells us that whosoever believes in His [God’s] only begotten Son will not perish. Further, “He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” John 3:18.

Man brings condemnation upon himself. “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light. . .” John 3:19,20a.

The Sin of all sins; the great abomination, is in the breaking of the First commandment. It is far beyond the breaking of a law: it is the willful hatred and denial of one’s Creator; it is the “I will NOT “ love the Lord thy God with all my heart, and with all my soul, and with all my might!” (Deut. 6:5). Is not this the tree from which all other sins branch out and bear their wicked fruit of unrighteousness?

“But he that doeth truth cometh to the light. . .” vs.21. “What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent” John 6:28-29. ‘Doeth truth’ is well presented in Hebrews 11:13: faith, seeing, being persuaded, embracing, confessing. But these are fruit that are born from the New Birth and the indwelling Holy Spirit.

One will not receive that which he does not believe; one will not believe that which he does not see; and one will not see nor enter the kingdom of God unless he is born again; born of God; born of His Spirit. “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever” I Peter 1:23.

Again we read, “How then shall they call upon him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?. . .So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” Rom. 10:14,17.

One MUST die that many may live. If born of God, then redeemed of God through Christ. “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things. . .But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. . . Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God” I Peter 1:18a,19,21.

Ye MUST be born again. One may wash a dead body until it is clean, then rub it down with oil or body lotion - but it remains a dead, unresponsive body. “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, [how shall one who is dead in sin and unrighteous, do any works of righteousness?] but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost” Titus 3:5. The washing of regeneration. One who is born again is washed and made clean and anointed with the oil of the Holy Spirit? Yes! Are we not given a graphic example in the natural birth of a new born? What a beautiful picture is to be found in Ezekiel chapter 16! It is one of redemption, of compassion, of the washing away of the pollution of blood, of the anointing of oil, of clothing, of the covenant of ownership: of a Creator and Parent - God Himself!

The New Birth: being quickened by the Spirit.

“Quicken thou me according to thy word” Psalm 119:25,107,149. “Quicken thou me in thy way” vs.37. “Quicken me in thy righteousness” vs. 40. Quicken me after thy lovingkindness” vs.88,159. Quicken me according to thy judgment” vs. 149,156. “Quicken me, O Lord, for thy name’s sake” Psalm 143:11. We are quickened for thy namesake, oh Jehovah God; moreover, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. It was according to thy judgment: that our sin was laid upon Christ; our penalty being paid by His death and shed blood. In His lovingkindness did He redeem us, being made one in Christ Jesus. In righteousness did He justify us by the propitiation of His own beloved Son. It was according to His Purpose, His Way: it was according to His Word that the Eternal Covenant, the Plan of Redemption was consummated. . .

Quickened together with Christ. “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins. . .But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ” Eph. 2:1,4,5. Being quickened of God we are “raised up together“; and made to “sit in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” vs. 6.

A Quickening Presence!

‘Lazarus, awaken! I AM the Resurrection is come and calleth for thee!’ And He that would soon raise Jesus from the dead, now quickens and raises Lazarus and brings him forth into Christ’s presence! We may see Lazarus as being born again, yet because of a pre-existing body lying dead in a tomb; we see him quickened, made new, in a resurrected body.

“And if Christ be in you,

the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you” Rom. 8:10,11. We are quickened, born again unto Christ; that same quickening Spirit lives within us: we shall experience a quickening, a re-birth of the body at the resurrection.

The New Creation.

“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” Gen. 2:7.

The Transformation.

And the Lord God ‘according to His purpose’; “whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren” Rom. 8:29. In Adam we were formed; in Christ, transformed!

The Divine Conception.

“to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” We are born of God; we were Divinely Conceived. The conception was not an accident; it was according to Divine Planning!

He bears the Family Resemblance!

“And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. . .And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption” I Cor. 15:45,49,50.

Caring for the New Born.

In John chapter 17 we are allowed to eavesdrop as it were, on the most beautiful and moving prayer in all the Bible: “As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. . .That they may all be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us. . .How critical, the New Birth. How utterly impossible, the fulfillment of our Lord’s prayer apart from the quickening of the Spirit.

Train up a child.

In John chapter 14, Jesus speaks to his disciples concerning yet another prayer: “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter. . .Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you.” In chapter 16: “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth. . .he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me; for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.” Consider these verses in Romans chapter 8: “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. . .The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the sons of God.” “Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his” Rom. 8:9.

The Way, the Truth, the Life. How else may one be comforted by the Spirit of the Almighty? Or what Peace is afforded one outside of Christ? Tell me, how can one who remains dead in trespasses and sins receive, understand, discern the things of Christ? And how can the Spirit of the Living God bear witness with the dead? How important is it? It’s a matter of life and death; of heaven or hell; of eternal joy - or eternal judgment. . .