Regeneration, Ye Must Be Born Again
REGENERATION
"Behold all things become new,". That is our regeneration promise. We become new creatures in Christ when we accept His love and grace and call upon Him as our Saviour. The Apostle Paul wrote about how through Christ we are become as new and former things are passed away. This happens through repentance to God for our debt of sin. When we have broken the chains of sin and asked Christ into our hearts He changes us. For some it is noticeable upon the spot. Others it takes time through discipleship to grow. But, we are changed.
Born of the Spirit
Jesus told us we need to be born again to enter the Kingdom of God, no sin, no unclean thing will be in the presence of God. Jesus came to the woman at the well yet He did not say to her she needed to be born again. Jesus came to the blind man and yet He did not say that He needed to be born of the spirit. Why? Why did Jesus not say this to them and save it for Nicodemus? He came to Nicodemus and said to him "you must be born again"! Nicodemus was a righteous man, a ruler of men, a Pharisee. He knew the words of God; he knew the Jewish religion. Yet, Jesus said to him, he must be born again. Christ took him from all these lofty positions he had to a simple man. Jesus told him he needed to be born of the spirit, that which is born of the flash is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is spirit. Nicodemus did not understand this, he questioned Jesus over being born again.
The great evangelist D. L. Moody told a story of an old man on a train encountering a group of younger men. He had heard them talking and agreeing to the fact that they cannot believe in what they cannot understand. The wise old man said to them how he had seen some sheep, some goose, some cattle and some pigs all feeding on grass. He asked how the grass could be used in these creatures to make, wool, feathers, bristles and hair. The young men said they could not help but to believe that even though they do not understand it, the old man replied how he cannot not help but to believe in Christ.
Seeing or Not
We as human beings desire to see before we believe. We must have it proven to us before we accept. Jesus said we feel the wind but do not know just where it comes from or where it goes. But we believe in the wind. That is like the Spirit of God, we know not where it comes and where it goes but when we accept Christ, we feel it working in our lives.
God Holds Us
God holds us in his very hands and keeps us secure in them. He alone knows our every need and loves us unconditionally. Isaiah 49:15,16 "Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have gravened thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me." Man, that blows me away, God has gravened me upon His hands and will not forget me. I can be in the Father and the Father in me. That also really excites me. Jesus said He is in the Father and the Father in Him and those of us that believe we have Christ in us and if Christ be in us and in the Father and the Father in Christ then the Father is in us also.
LOOK
Look to Christ, look to the cross of Calvary. Do not look at the church, do not look at the people of the church, do not look at the minister. But look upon the Lord Jesus Christ. Look at the Saviour that gave His very life on the old wooden cross so your sin debt may be forgiven. Romans 5: 18 tells us God's grace is a free gift, Ephesians 2 tells us His grace is a gift. Will you turn away such a marvelous gift? Will you not be converted by asking Jesus Christ into your life to forgive your sin and regenerate your spiritual being? He is waiting for you to do so. Jesus freely died on the cross so you may live. Romans again tells us that all have sinned, there is none righteous, no not one, and the wages of sin is death. Death here is interpreted as eternal separation from God. Yet John chapter three in dealing with Nicodemus shows us just how much love God has for us, even while we were yet sinners. Jesus said," the Son of man came not to condemn the world but that the world through Him might be saved." He loved us well before we knew of Him. He loved us in our filthy rags. Paul states all things are become new.
THE LOVE OF CHRIST
Do you believe any man will ever have the compassion of Christ? Let me answer that, no! He will be touched with compassion when no one will. He will have mercy when no one else will. He will have pity when no one else will. If you will go to Jesus right now, go to Him, confess your sin and your need, He will save you.
THE CROSS
Nothing in this world speaks of the love of God like the cross of Christ. Come to Calvary, see the Son of God as he hangs on that tree. Can you hear the cry of Jesus coming from His dying lips," Father forgiver them for they know not what they do." He loves you and is calling out for you to come. Will you come today? Will you as you read this work accept Christ as your Saviour if you never have before? I John 4:10 "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins".
What Will You Do?
It is now up to you. What will you do? Will you turn Him down today? Will you just turn and walk away? What else needs to be said or done? It has all been completed on the cross. The last words of Christ in the flesh spoken from the cross. "It is finished." What will you do?
