February 9th 2020
Being Born Again Schedules Your Personal Plan That Ends Up With You Going To The Paradise Of God.
John 3:3 (NIV)
In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no-one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
See the selected verse in the following conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus who was a religious teacher and leader of the Israelites. He 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." In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no-one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." "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!" Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no-one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ (John 3:2-7).
The term “born again” has come into wide use—too wide and popular, in fact, for many who use it have little comprehension of its meaning. First of all, there can be no real Christian who is not a “born-again Christian.” Jesus said: "I tell you the truth, no-one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ (John 3:3, 7). The Creator of the new birth is the Creator of the universe, as the text declares. He created us as a kind of first fruits of His creatures. The new birth is not a new leaf, or a new morality, but a new creation! Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, no-one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. (John 3:5). Do not believe the stories of evolution and how we became the smartest animals, we were a special creation being created with intelligence and containing an immortal soul, which is made in the image and likeness of Jesus!
The miracle of being born again is accomplished through faith in Christ, believing the record of His saving work, as revealed by the Scriptures. Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. (1 John 5:1). Peter wrote about this miraculous event of this new birth, which takes mankind into eternity, starting immediately when we accept the gift of grace purchased with the shed blood of Jesus Christ. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. (1 Peter 1:23).
Those who are truly born again will inevitably exhibit the characteristics of a spiritual birth, just as those who are born physically exhibit signs of physical life. As one characteristic of the new birth, is whoever is born of God will not continue to commit sins! No-one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. (1 John 3:9). Here is a tough standard for all of us who claim salvation to work toward gaining. To me, it is for us all to work on becoming more Christ-like every day! How is your progress going on this command? Another sign is that of true Christian love, Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. (1 John 4:7).
Only those who have been born again or born of God can have the capability to overcome the evils of this cursed world. As John wrote for us, “This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.” (1 John 5:3-4). Do your plans include trying to love everyone, even those who appear to not try to love you in return? Jesus said, if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ lend to ‘sinners’, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. (Luke 6:34-36). Worldly gain or accumulation of riches in this world is not transferable to heaven. You cannot take it with you when you go!
The new birth is not a religious cliché but a miracle generating everlasting life. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:4-7). If you desire justice and payment for all the good things you did in this life, then prepare to go to hell, when you die! If, however, you will accept Jesus’ gift of grace, even though you have committed sins during your life, then you can prepare to go to heaven, when you leave this cursed sinful and evil world!
If you have professed Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior, then you have been born again! Then we need to confess our sins to God to obtain purification from those sins. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9). James wrote about this new birth, which will allow us to become acceptable to God and appear to Him as being holy. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. (James 1:18). Jesus paid the price for us to be born again, even though we still have a sinful nature we inherited through the sin of Adam!
Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2). Being born again starts a new direction for your spiritual growth! Can you feel it? What a wonderful plan Jesus has for you! Being born again schedules your personal plan that ends up with you going to the Paradise of God. Are you ready for the trip?
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
John 3:3 (NIV)
In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no-one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
See the selected verse in the following conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus who was a religious teacher and leader of the Israelites. He 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." In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no-one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." "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!" Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no-one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ (John 3:2-7).
The term “born again” has come into wide use—too wide and popular, in fact, for many who use it have little comprehension of its meaning. First of all, there can be no real Christian who is not a “born-again Christian.” Jesus said: "I tell you the truth, no-one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ (John 3:3, 7). The Creator of the new birth is the Creator of the universe, as the text declares. He created us as a kind of first fruits of His creatures. The new birth is not a new leaf, or a new morality, but a new creation! Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, no-one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. (John 3:5). Do not believe the stories of evolution and how we became the smartest animals, we were a special creation being created with intelligence and containing an immortal soul, which is made in the image and likeness of Jesus!
The miracle of being born again is accomplished through faith in Christ, believing the record of His saving work, as revealed by the Scriptures. Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. (1 John 5:1). Peter wrote about this miraculous event of this new birth, which takes mankind into eternity, starting immediately when we accept the gift of grace purchased with the shed blood of Jesus Christ. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. (1 Peter 1:23).
Those who are truly born again will inevitably exhibit the characteristics of a spiritual birth, just as those who are born physically exhibit signs of physical life. As one characteristic of the new birth, is whoever is born of God will not continue to commit sins! No-one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. (1 John 3:9). Here is a tough standard for all of us who claim salvation to work toward gaining. To me, it is for us all to work on becoming more Christ-like every day! How is your progress going on this command? Another sign is that of true Christian love, Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. (1 John 4:7).
Only those who have been born again or born of God can have the capability to overcome the evils of this cursed world. As John wrote for us, “This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.” (1 John 5:3-4). Do your plans include trying to love everyone, even those who appear to not try to love you in return? Jesus said, if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ lend to ‘sinners’, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. (Luke 6:34-36). Worldly gain or accumulation of riches in this world is not transferable to heaven. You cannot take it with you when you go!
The new birth is not a religious cliché but a miracle generating everlasting life. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:4-7). If you desire justice and payment for all the good things you did in this life, then prepare to go to hell, when you die! If, however, you will accept Jesus’ gift of grace, even though you have committed sins during your life, then you can prepare to go to heaven, when you leave this cursed sinful and evil world!
If you have professed Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior, then you have been born again! Then we need to confess our sins to God to obtain purification from those sins. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9). James wrote about this new birth, which will allow us to become acceptable to God and appear to Him as being holy. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. (James 1:18). Jesus paid the price for us to be born again, even though we still have a sinful nature we inherited through the sin of Adam!
Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2). Being born again starts a new direction for your spiritual growth! Can you feel it? What a wonderful plan Jesus has for you! Being born again schedules your personal plan that ends up with you going to the Paradise of God. Are you ready for the trip?
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
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