Post by Messenger on Feb 25, 2008 21:21:32 GMT -5
First, let's look at what Jesus says about this:
John 3:1-21 (New International Version)
1Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him."
3In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
4"How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"
5Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' 8The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."
9"How can this be?" Nicodemus asked.
10"You are Israel's teacher," said Jesus, "and do you not understand these things? 11I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 14Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.
16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. 19This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."
Now, there are those who will use this verse:
QUOTE
5Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
to mean that this is referring to infant baptism. I looked at infant baptism in another forum, and we saw that there is no scriptural basis for infant baptism.
No, the "water" mentioned here refers to a woman's water breaking shortly before physical birth.
This is supported by verse 7:
QUOTE
6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
Ok.
(sorry to digress! )
Jesus states here that being "Born Again" is NOT a physical process, but a spiritual process. Being a spiritual process is further evidence that there is nothing that WE can do to achieve it! It has to come from God!
I love verse 8:
8The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."
But: have you noticed that this is very prophetical, because it is exactly the same thing that DID happen on the Day of Pentecost:
Acts 2:1-4 (New International Version)
1When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
We cannot see the Holy Spirit with our own eyes, so He takes other forms-in this case, both a rushing wind & tounges of fire!
And when you think about it, remember what John the Baptist said:
Luke 3:16 (New International Version)
16John answered them all, "I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
Another prophecy come true!
Then we see this:
12I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?
Again, being Born Again is SPIRITUAL!
When we come to Christ, recognizing our need for Him, we
1. acknowledge our need of Him
2.acknowledge that we cannot achieve salvation by ourselves
3. confess our sins before Him
4. ask forgivness for them
5. that Jesus come into our hearts as our Lord & our Savior
6. thank Him for accepting Him for accepting us back into his family as his formerly prodigal children.
When we do this, the Holy Spirit immediatly comes into us, removes the stain of original sin, & changes us from the former sinners that we were, into new beings-holy & blameless in God's eyes! It's as if we never sinned! Our entire sinful psat, EVERY sin that we have ever commited, is compleatly forgotten, & the truth ofthis verse become evident:
2 Corinthians 5:17 (New International Version)
17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
We become new creatures-righteous in God's eyes, & now we can come right into the presence of God, without the need of ANY man!
We are Born Again!
Bill
John 3:1-21 (New International Version)
1Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him."
3In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
4"How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"
5Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' 8The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."
9"How can this be?" Nicodemus asked.
10"You are Israel's teacher," said Jesus, "and do you not understand these things? 11I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 14Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.
16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. 19This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."
Now, there are those who will use this verse:
QUOTE
5Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
to mean that this is referring to infant baptism. I looked at infant baptism in another forum, and we saw that there is no scriptural basis for infant baptism.
No, the "water" mentioned here refers to a woman's water breaking shortly before physical birth.
This is supported by verse 7:
QUOTE
6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
Ok.
(sorry to digress! )
Jesus states here that being "Born Again" is NOT a physical process, but a spiritual process. Being a spiritual process is further evidence that there is nothing that WE can do to achieve it! It has to come from God!
I love verse 8:
8The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."
But: have you noticed that this is very prophetical, because it is exactly the same thing that DID happen on the Day of Pentecost:
Acts 2:1-4 (New International Version)
1When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
We cannot see the Holy Spirit with our own eyes, so He takes other forms-in this case, both a rushing wind & tounges of fire!
And when you think about it, remember what John the Baptist said:
Luke 3:16 (New International Version)
16John answered them all, "I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
Another prophecy come true!
Then we see this:
12I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?
Again, being Born Again is SPIRITUAL!
When we come to Christ, recognizing our need for Him, we
1. acknowledge our need of Him
2.acknowledge that we cannot achieve salvation by ourselves
3. confess our sins before Him
4. ask forgivness for them
5. that Jesus come into our hearts as our Lord & our Savior
6. thank Him for accepting Him for accepting us back into his family as his formerly prodigal children.
When we do this, the Holy Spirit immediatly comes into us, removes the stain of original sin, & changes us from the former sinners that we were, into new beings-holy & blameless in God's eyes! It's as if we never sinned! Our entire sinful psat, EVERY sin that we have ever commited, is compleatly forgotten, & the truth ofthis verse become evident:
2 Corinthians 5:17 (New International Version)
17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
We become new creatures-righteous in God's eyes, & now we can come right into the presence of God, without the need of ANY man!
We are Born Again!
Bill