‘Ye Must Be Born Again’
By the Rev. Ken Armstrong West Side Baptist Church
Originally published 02:33 p.m., May 23, 2008
Updated 02:33 p.m., May 23, 2008
One of the first, and, I would add, most important messages of Jesus to the world to which He came was spoken in John chapter 3.
It was spoken to one individual, but as a message to everyone. The individual happened to be a very religious man, supposedly well educated, both academically and biblically. He was a man interested in spiritual matters and his own spiritual condition before God. However, he could have been an unlearned atheist and the message of Jesus would have been no different. With deep affection for Nicodemus, and concern for his eternal soul, Jesus told him; “Ye must be born again.” He continued by saying that an individual would not see the kingdom of God and definitely would not enter the kingdom of God if he were not born again.
The Pharisees were well known for arguing religious points of view as many do today. Jesus did not argue the point. Being Himself the Redeemer and Savior of mankind; and knowing what God’s demands were, He simply revealed to Nicodemus that salvation came through the new birth.
In the following verses of John 3, Jesus reveals how a person can be born again. He must first realize his need of the new birth. As we are born into our earthly family by birth, one is born into God’s family by being born again.
There are those who would be Christians but not those “born again”kind. If one is not “born again” he is not a Christian. Jesus revealed that by being born again one becomes a Christian.
After realizing our need we then come to the understanding that Jesus died to meet that need. We believe that Jesus died, was buried, and rose again. We simply believe in our hearts and repent (ask God’s forgiveness) with our mouth to be born again. The Bible uses the phrase that we are then saved.
So, when a believer in Christ asks Jesus to forgive his sins, he then becomes a part of the family of God, because he has been born again.
Morally and spiritually Nicodemus was no better or worse than any man or woman today. He was a man that needed to have a relationship with God. As Jesus told him, so He is informing all of mankind that this relationship comes through the experience of the “new birth”.
Each of us can become a child of God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. I pray you will even now ask Christ to forgive you of your sin and invite Him into your heart and life to truly experience the “new birth” God Bless You!
F “Sunday Sermon” is a forum for Emporia area ministers to share their sermons, thoughts and observations. This week’s author is the Rev. Ken Armstrong of West Side Baptist Church.
bright1932 (anonymous) says...
To be born again is more than than just believing in our hearts. Sure it is necessary to believe, Romans 10:17 says,
17So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. In John 3:4-5, 4Nicodemus *said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born, can he?" 5Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
In Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus said, 18And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
Jesus also said in Mark 16:16, 16"He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.
When Peter preched on the day of pentecost in Acts 2:38,he said, 38Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
May 23, 2008 at 5:32 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )