| THE NEW BIRTH |
| THE NEW BIRTH We live in a day and hour when it is imperative that we know what we believe and why we believe it. Every day technology is changing and improving. What is new today is obsolete tomorrow. Man�s knowledge is increasing, we are even faced with the threat of cloning human beings. Scientists are at a place where they are able to harvest body parts and organs. The Word of God predicted this increase in knowledge many years ago in the Book of Daniel (12:4 read) This scripture likely also refers to knowledge of the Word of God increasing in the end times. In Matthew 24:24 Jesus was talking about the end times and He said that many false Christs and false prophets would arise claiming to be the way and will try and mislead even the elect. Mark 13:22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall show signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. (the Word says that �even the elect� We must have a deep unshakable conviction of what we believe about God and His Word. The Word of God is our only blueprint for life. If we are not grounded in the Word of God then our faith can be shaken. We do not need to defend the Word of God or apologize for it, God looks after His Word Himself � all we have to do is believe it and declare it. (Titus 3:9 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain). The Word of God is full of absolutes. People don�t like absolutes, therefore they will try and reason away what God says in His Word. (Absolute = positively & utterly true) Phil Donahue was on Larry King live some time ago and said he could not accept Christianity and its narrow teachings, after all would a loving God send people to hell? God�s original intention was that hell was only for satan and his demon spirits. People bristle at the very idea that there is only one way to get to heaven � and that is through Jesus (John 14:6 Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.) The New Age movement says that there are many ways to God. They say that all religions are good, that people are good deep down and their parents were �Christian� therefore they are Christian �and on & on. But that is NOT what the Word of God says (Rom 3:23 �all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God). Glory here means we lack God�s image and character. Adam & Eve were covered with the �glory of God� in the garden of Eden before sin (they were naked and saw it not). (Gen 2:25 & 3:7). Proverbs 14:12 There is a way which seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. As wise as we people think we are � we need direction that is absolute. God�s Word is the only �absolute� truth that exists. The foundation we build can only be on the Word of God. That cannot be shaken. The Word (foundation) Greek - means Themelosis (to ground someone, to establish them to render firm and unwavering). 1Cor. 3:9-11 (read). The foundation we build can only be on the Word of God and then it cannot be shaken � He IS our foundation. Jesus said in Luke 6:47-49 Whosoever cometh to me, and hears my sayings, and does them, I will show you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built a house and dug deep and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that hears, and does not, is like a man that without a foundation built a house upon sand; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great. Before we build our Christian life we need a �firm� foundation. The storm comes on both houses (sand and rock) and without the right blocks in our foundation our faith can and WILL be shaken. We need to learn what God�s Word says about (a) Healing (b) Deliverance (c) Bondages (d) Freedom Heb. 4:12 For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Paul is talking about people maturing in the things of God � getting into the meat of the Word. We should be �building� a foundation and that foundation is Jesus. Just like in the natural � unless a house has a �firm� foundation it will not stand. That�s why we have basements (or at least concrete slabs) � firm foundations. If we do not know what the Word of God says about Healing, we could die before our time. (Psalm 91 �with long life will I satisfy you). If you do not know this � then when a sickness attacks you, you may believe this and the doctors may only give you a few months to live and you will believe that report and you will die. Graveyards are full of people who should not be dead. The same is true of deliverance from drugs or alcohol or fear. The Word of God will set you free (John 8:32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free). God tells us in Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. The 1st of the �foundation� truths is Repentance from dead works and faith towards God. This IS the �new birth� � and is the 1st step we take in becoming a Christian, turn to John 3:1-6 It is very clear that this is God the Father�s Plan of Salvation. What happened to us to necessitate this plan for Salvation? What is Salvation all about? To understand we need to go back to the beginning, to the book of Genesis and see what took place in the Garden of Eden. From the foundation of the world, God had a wonderful plan and purpose for mankind and we read it in Gen 1:26-27 � and God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth. So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them. God placed Adam & Eve in the garden and gave them dominion over it all. They were perfect. No sin or even an awareness of sin. They had complete access to God and could commune with Him perfectly. There was only one thing they were commanded to do. Turn to Gen 2:16-17 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it: for in the day that you eat thereof you shall surely die. This commandment was given to Adam even before Eve was ever created. (God always gives authority to man 1st). Eve was not brought forth till Gen 2:22. Now, sin was already �lurking� in the world because satan and his fallen angels were there ahead of Adam & Eve. You can read about this in each of the following scriptures Ezekiel 28:11-17; Revelation 12:9; Isaiah 12:12-15; and Luke 10:18. Satan set out to try and destroy that beautiful relationship that Adam and Eve had with God � read this account in Genesis 3:1-24 Satan came to Eve and he questioned God�s Word. �Has God really said�? (Is that what God really meant?) This caused Eve to doubt and she choose to believe satan�s lie which caused her to doubt what God had already told her. She gave in to his deception and ate the forbidden food and then gave some to Adam. Immediately they experienced the 1st fruit of their sin � SHAME. Then it was BLAME (�the woman you gave me Gen 3:12). It�s our old nature to �blame� someone else for our shortcomings. We do not intentionally do it but we put the onus on others when we are at fault, that�s the root of pride which caused Lucifer�s downfall. Adam and Even were now �slaves to sin�. They no longer had the pure nature of God but instead had the rebellious nature of satan. John 8:34 � Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever commits sin is the servant of sin and in Ephesians 2:1-3 � and you has he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience: among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. Remember in Gen 2:17 God had told Adam that if he ate the fruit he would surely die. God did not mean that they would immediately die physically but rather they would die spiritually - eventually resulting in physical death as we read in Rom. 6:23 � For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Adam and Eve had given over their dominion of the earth to satan and now he would rule over them. Then because of disobedience the curse came resulting in sickness, poverty and death. God is the author of life but death follows sin and disobedience. Satan is the author of death. God said to satan in Genesis 3:14 � because you have done this, you are cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon your belly shall you go and dust shall you eat all the days of your life: With the curse came the sickness, poverty and death. Adam & Eve tried to cover themselves with fig leaves (the glory of God was gone) and their nakedness was noticed (Gen 3:7) so God covered them with the skin of an animal (the 1st blood sacrifice). This was God�s way of dealing with sin (the shedding of blood) and that would continue until Jesus� death on Calvary. Lev 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that makes an atonement for the soul. Heb 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. God promised them a Saviour who would deliver them from the dominion of satan. (Gen 3:15 & Gal 3:16 � read both) Enmity - Deep-rooted hatred. Genesis 3:15 �I will put enmity between you and the woman, between your seed and her seed" James 4:4 � The friendship of the world is "enmity with God" and 1John 2:15,16. Romans 8:7 � The "carnal mind" is "enmity against God". � By the abolishment of the Mosaic, the "enmity" between Jew and Gentile is removed. They are reconciled, are "made one" Ephesians 2:15,16 Many years now would pass before this scripture would be fulfilled. John 1. Jesus Christ became the one who would not only pay all the demands of sins consequences but to totally destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8 He that commits sin is of the devil; for the devil sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Jesus was God in the flesh bringing �salvation� to all mankind. Salvation � Greek � Sateria = deliverance, preservation, soundness, prosperity, happiness, rescue, general well being in the physical and spiritual realm. (Sozo in Hebrew = same). The very name of Jesus means �Jehovah is salvation�. John 3:16 Again, this is God�s plan of salvation. There is no other way. We are all faced with this decision. Now comes the Holy Spirit. Jesus said before He died & rose from the dead that He would send us His Holy Spirit. John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. Why? Because He has a �job� to do here on the earth � a major job. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to call us to repentance John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6:65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. Our eyes are blinded by satan 2 Cor 4:4 � In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. �but opened by the Holy Spirit 2 Cor 3:16 �Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away. Repentance means to change one�s mind, to turn to God. We stop trying to do it our way and turn to God. Then we believe the Gospel (good news). Mark 1:14-15 (Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent you, and believe the gospel. �. and confess it. Romans 10:9-13. Repentance is not an �emotion� but a DECISION. The same Holy Ghost who created within us the response of repentance also creates within us the �ability to believe�. Immediately we are �born-again� by the Spirit of God. Our spirits are alive to God and we are once again united to Him. We become a �son� (or daughter) of Almighty God. It truly is a supernatural thing. Our maturing in Christ is a gradual thing but our �justification� is instant (Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: Justified means made righteous � not by our works but by His Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. Our hearts have been changed. We now have the power to live a righteous life, not by rules and regulations but by the Spirit of God who lives in us. It is all summed up in Eph. 2:8-9 For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. |
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