The spiritual birth.

  BY Argie Simonis

From the previous messages I have begun to speak on the subject of salvation and spiritual birth.

In John, chapter 3 we see Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews who comes to find Jesus:

"The same came to Jesus by night, and said to him, Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that you do, except God be with him." John 3:2

I will make a comment here. Jesus was a very controversial figure, and people either loved Him or hated Him. Nicodemus apparently did not come to find Jesus during the day,

"...because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue." John 9:22

Nicodemus at first does not seem to accept Jesus with all his heart, but later, after the crucifixion of Jesus, we see a great change, and I believe that he really believed in the Lord:

"And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, sought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus." John 19:38

"And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight." John 19:39

"Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury." John 19:40

Jesus answered Nicodemus:

"Jesus answered and said to him, Truly, truly, I say to you, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." John 3:3

The term "born again" today sounds quite ordinary, but at the time of the Old Testament this term was very radical. That is why Nicodemus asks in awe:

"Nicodemus said to him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?" John 3:4

Look what Jesus answers him:

"Jesus answered, Truly, truly, I say to you, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." John 3:5

There is a treasure of revelation here. When the Lord says that unless one is born of water, He does not mean baptism in water; baptism in water does not save. What the Lord means here is natural birth, because the fetus is in a watery environment within the mother's placenta.

As for the Spirit that Jesus mentions, He means the Holy Spirit that comes and dwells in us and makes us this new creature that I talked about in the previous message.

~~ I will say it again that if you simply believe in the existence of God, it will not save you, because the devil believes that too: ~~

"You believe that there is one God; you do well: the devils also believe, and tremble." James 2:19

You must make Jesus Lord in your life. No human work can save you:

"But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf..." Is. 64:6

Our self-righteousness will never bring us salvation:

"For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." James 2:10

Therefore we MUST be born from above. And this is not just about a change. Many people say that salvation is a changed life, and I understand what they are trying to say, but we must realize that the Christian life is NOT just a changed life, it is a life of exchange, where you are literally given to God:

"That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved." Rom. 10:9 

By making Jesus Lord in our lives, God literally takes that old sinful nature that we are all born with and we become a completely new creation in Christ.

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2Cor. 5:17

So our new Christian life is NOT simply some new information we have acquired, nor the acceptance of a set of rules. We are born of God, the Lord has transformed us internally and we belong to him!

Unfortunately there are many who call themselves Christians, believe that there is a God, that Jesus is the Son of God, but they have never really been born from above.

They may try to change their behavior or bad habits, but they never changed in their hearts.

"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 dwells in you." Rom. 8:11

~~ Salvation is not only about the forgiveness of our sins, but about this transformation that takes place in us by the Spirit of God. In the same way that we are born into this physical world, so must we be born into the kingdom of God! ~~

"For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but you have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." Rom. 8:15

The Spirit of God literally comes and dwells within us and transforms our hearts! Paul writes to the Galatians:

"And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." Gal. 4:6

Paul continues in Romans:

"The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:" Rom. 8:16

~~ Not only do you change, but there is also a testimony within you, that is, you know that you have changed because God himself reveals it to you! ~~

When you know this, all fear leaves and peace comes within you:

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:" Rom. 5:1

John testifies to the same when he writes:

"This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that bears witness, because the Spirit is truth." 1John 5:6

~~ Our Christian faith is not simply the knowledge of a truth, but our commitment, our dedication to this truth. ~~

This is how we are born again and how this transformation takes place within us. We also have the confirmation of this in our hearts, because the Spirit of God testifies to us. Then every change in our life and our behavior is not superficial; it is not the way we will secure our relationship and our justification before God, but it is the fruit of our changed heart and our relationship that we already have with the Lord !

~~ Our holiness is the fruit of our salvation and not its root, because Christ offers us salvation by grace, as a gift, and not as a reward for our good works. ~~

"For when you were the servants of sin, you were free from righteousness." Rom. 6:20

No matter how good we were before we came to Christ, we were enslaved to sin because of our sinful nature. Jesus even raised the bar of perfection:

"You have heard that it was said of them of old time, You shall not kill; and whoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:" Μatt. 5:21

"But I say to you, That whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whoever shall say, You fool, shall be in danger of hell fire." Μatt. 5:22

"Whoever hates his brother is a murderer: and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him." 1John 3:15

"You have heard that it was said by them of old time, You shall not commit adultery:" Μatt. 5:27

"But I say to you, That whoever looks on a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart." Μatt. 5:28

You know, this does not mean that a man of the world cannot do good deeds, charities, help, have mercy, comfort others, but none of these deeds can change his sinful nature. You must be born again for this to happen because we were by nature children of wrath (Eph. 2:3)

This is what Jesus explained when Nicodemus came to ask him questions (John 3:3-8).

"But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end everlasting life." Rom. 6:22

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This does not mean that a Christian cannot sin. See here a revelation that Paul speaks of in verses 20 and 22 that we read:

~~ Just as no good works can change your sinful nature, so no sin can change your righteous nature in Christ! ~~

"Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which lives and stays for ever." 1Pet. 1:23

~~ As a baby is the result of a seed, so our spiritual regeneration is the fruit of the imperishable seed of God's word. ~~

Right now as you watch this message, you are receiving within you the seed from the word of God, and as Paul writes to us, you are growing in your faith:

"So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Rom. 10:17

As you grow in faith, your behavior will change painlessly, because

"For as he thinks in his heart, so is he..." Prov. 23:7

Therefore, if your nature has not changed, no matter how much you try to do good, you may succeed at times, but in the end your behavior and actions are a product of your nature.

~~ Our change comes from the inside out and not the other way around. This is the real essence of our salvation, and having this revelation many other doors will open before you! ~~

Amen!