Born and Born Again

No matter if you think you were "born this way,"

you cannot remain that way.

You must be born again!

John 3:6-7 ... That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. ❤

A New Creation!!

Whenever anyone is saved by the sovereign grace of God and regenerated by the Holy Spirit he becomes a new creation in Christ.  This is not a mere moral improvement, nor a religious reformation, nor the adoption of a more wholesome lifestyle but a supernatural work of the Spirit, producing a new nature. Having experienced this miracle of salvation, this new man now has new views, new ambitions, new convictions, new desires, new notions, new hopes, new dreads, new pleasures, new aims, new principles, new affections, new joys, and new pursuits. Everything about him is changed. He does, as it were, live in a new world! He was once spiritually dead, enslaved to sin, governed by the flesh, blind to truth, and hostile to God!

Now, his affections are changed he loves what he once hated and hates what he once loved! Now, his mind is renewed he no longer sees life through the lens of popular culture, but through the lens of Scripture. Now, his will is liberated he longs to do the will of God, though not without struggle. Though sin still remains in his flesh, it no longer reigns in his life. The believer is brought into a new realm: from darkness to light; from death to life; from the kingdom of Satan to the kingdom of God. He is adopted as God's child, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and sealed for the day of redemption. In Christ, every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms is now his! 

His past is forgiven, his present is transformed, and his future is secured. But the glory of this new creation lies not in the man himself, but in the One who made him new. Just as the original creation displayed the majesty of God, so this new creation displays the greatness of His sovereignty, mercy, and grace. Christian, never forget who you are--you are not what you once were. And though you are not yet what you will be--you are already made new in Christ. Let this truth humble you, encourage you, and move you to walk in newness of life, to the glory of God! 

[Charles H. Spurgeon]

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Ephesians 1:3 ... Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 

Colossians 1:13–14 ... Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

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

Only One Way!!

Jesus did not call you to be Catholic, Baptist, Pentecostal, Muslim, Buddhist, or any other denomination.

The Lord calls you to be Born Again!  He is the only way to Heaven!

John 14:6 ... Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

John 3:5-7 ... Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. ❤

"Blessed By God"

My dear Brother,

 I am happy to say that the sermon has been blessed by God in this neighborhood and consequently has made a very great stir. I received a letter from a poor man at some distance, thanking me for printing the sermon, as it has been a comfort to his soul and to others. Of course, I shall have neither the praise of the unbelievers, nor their good wishes. The gospel is a fan that will separate the chaff from the wheat. The Pharisees and philosophers get but little hope from me, and will, therefore, seek more flattering preaching elsewhere. I am thankful to say the Lord enables me to be faithful; but it will avail nothing to assent to this or that doctrine, unless the Lord writes it on the heart. What is received in the flesh is all nothing, for the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God, nor can he know them; consequently, a man must be born again of the Spirit to understand then. By nature, there is no difference among us; we are all sprung from Adam, and Christ says, "A corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit." The Scriptures make no distinction in us; we are all vile sinners. "What then? are we better than they? No, in nowise." 

 The more you know of the truth in a spiritual way, the humbler you will be. To know the mysteries of the gospel it is necessary that you be taught of the Spirit, so as to divide the law and the gospel, and the flesh and the Spirit. Then you will understand the two covenants. Read your Bible frequently. The whole work of salvation is Christ's, and Christ's alone. It is to Him we owe all blessing, in Him all fullness dwells, and we are complete in Him. If you can understand and realize that happy, are you. Faith will not profit you without love to Christ and His people. He will then be precious to your soul, and you will rejoice in Him. You will see when the true light shines into your heart, that you are vile and sinful. You will say with the bride, "I am black, because the sun has looked upon me." We must be taught of God, that we are not even able to think a good thought. We shall then give all the glory to God and shall not then think that we can choose between good and evil. A child must be born before it receives milk, and so must man be born again before he can receive the sincere milk of the word. 

Praying that grace, peace, and love may be multiplied, I am yours most affectionately, 

William Tiptaft

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The Old Man ...

Why does God not remove the old sinful nature out of the Christian? 

SIN REMAINING IN THE BELIEVER: drives him humbly to confess his own nothingness, excludes all boasting from his tongue, compels him to trust in his God, takes away from him his propensity to trust in himself, leads him to value the precious blood which cleanses him, to prize the Holy Spirit who sanctifies him, to rejoice in the faithfulness, and patience, of God who still continues to be gracious to him. And oh! what songs will the man of God sing when he gets to heaven! How much sweeter will be the music, because of the conflict! How much more glorious the victory, because of the warfare! 

If I could be totally delivered from sin, root and branch, I certainly would; but yet am I conscious that no Christian would glorify God so much in heaven as he now does, if there were not sinned to be contended with. A creature that could not sin, could scarcely show forth much of the praise of God by its holiness; but that the creature can sin, nay, that there is a strong drawing towards sin, and yet the divine grace keeps a man from it, and sanctifies him even to perfection, why this will make the song come swelling up of "Hallelujah! hallelujah! hallelujah!" 

If no adversaries had been fought, then no victories could have been won; if there were no temptations for us to struggle with, then there would have been no elbowroom for our faith, and no power for the display of the bare arm of God. Many believers would have grown too proud to be borne with, if some infirmity had not plucked the plume from their helmets and made them mourn with brokenness of heart before God. 

God can bring good out of evil by his overruling grace, while on the other hand our good works have often been the greatest curse we have ever had! Good works have puffed us up and so have led us into pride; while our sins, though pulling us down, have, through almighty grace, led us to work for eternity. 

[Charles H. Spurgeon]

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Galatians 3:11 ...  But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.

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

Letter on Spiritual Subjects

Dear Friend, 

Grace unto you and peace be multiplied.  

I hear you say, "I greatly want to know whether I am one of those who are born again." There are two ways whereby a soul comes to know that it is born again. The first is by the revelation of the Spirit bearing witness to the soul in some word or other where this truth is declared. The second is by His enabling the soul to discern its own acts in Divine light, and to draw conclusions from its discerned acts of grace that it has the principle; and in both these ways the Lord can give you satisfaction in an instant if it pleases Him. But, generally speaking, it is some time before a child of God can draw steady conclusions of its being new-born from its own feelings of the new life; and therefore, you may be new-born though you do not know it! 

A living infant, you know, when first born into the world has life, but it does not know it. It had a secret life from its first quickening in the womb, and from thence a secret motion; but as soon as it is born it begins to live visibly to others, but yet the child itself knows nothing of the matter. It cries, desires the breast, tastes the milk, and is satisfied, sees the light and feels the heat with pleasure, all of which are visible demonstrations of its life to bystanders, but the child knows nothing of it, because it is not capable of self-reflection. 

And thus it is with a newborn soul; there is a secret work of God upon all the heart, a principle of life given, and from thence some secret motions and faint stirrings now and then, under begun convictions, before it is brought forth into the visible life of grace, which discovers itself as soon as ever the soul is born again, in the breath or cry of the new creature, its desires, its discerning's, and its enjoyments, which, when communicated to grown Christians, they know such a soul is one of Christ's new-born babes, although this child itself is not yet capable so to reflect upon its own acts as to conclude its life from thence. And if this be your case, that you can not pass a judgment from what you have experienced that you have the life of grace, or are newborn, then tell me, as a rational creature, how it is with you, for as such you can tell what the feelings of the soul have been, although as a new creature you may not yet be come to such an exercise of your spiritual senses as to know those feelings to be feelings of grace, and a certain demonstration of your being born again. 

Well, a living child sees. What have you seen? Have you seen yourself to be a sinner by nature as well as by practice, in heart as well as life, and that you are utterly undone, and must perish forever without a saving interest in Jesus Christ, as being utterly unable to do anything to deliver yourself from the wrath to come? Have you seen your own righteousness to be but filthy rags, and your own strength to do any good but weakness? Again, have you seen as excellency in Christ, as a complete Savior, that is exceedingly suitable to your case as a lost sinner? And have you any discerning's of the glory of God's free grace and mercy in Christ? You have then the new creature's eye, discerning faith, even the faith of God's elect. And from these discerning's have you been made to cry unto the Lord, to lament your sinfulness before Him, and to supplicate His Throne for mercy, praying Him to give you Christ whatever He denies you of? You have then the new creature's breath, which flows from none but those that have the new creature's life. 

Again, what are your desires? Are the longings of your soul after the free grace and mercy of God in Christ, as held forth in the Promises, those breasts of consolation? You have then the new creature's appetite and are certainly born of the Word and Spirit of God. Once more, what are your enjoyments? What satisfies and pleases your soul best? Has the free grace of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ been sweet and savory to you in a promise or in an ordinance, to the refreshing and satisfying of your soul for some moments, just so long as you have had the breast in your mouth, the grace of the promise milked out to you? Then you have tasted that the Lord is gracious and are one of Christ's new-born babes. And have you ever felt any refreshing warmth and comfort in the love of God, which, like fire, has warmed and heated your cold soul? 

You have then that sensation which is proper to a new creature, and it is evident in these respects that you are certainly born again, and as such you shall see, that is, enjoy the kingdom of God as a kingdom of grace here, which is a kingdom of power, righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit; and you shall enter into the kingdom of glory hereafter, as being made fit to be a partaker of the inheritance of the saints in light; for he who is your God has prepared for you a city, and wrought your soul for this self-same thing, there being never a soul in the world that is thus wrought upon but is a vessel of mercy prepared unto glory, by a saving work of the Holy Spirit upon it, as well as in the purpose of God concerning it. Go on, therefore, as a new-born babe, to desire the sincere milk of the Word the unmixed grace of the Gospel that you may grow thereby, for it is on purpose for you to maintain and increase the begun life of grace in your soul, until it is perfected in the life of glory. Rejoice, then, you lamb of Christ, for you are exceedingly safe under your kind Shepherd's care. He will gather you with His arm and carry you in His bosom; He will lead you into green pastures, beside the still waters, and make you to lie down safely. (Psalm 23:2)

[Anne Dutton]

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Blessed Change!!

No new physical faculties are given to him; but his faculties have new qualities and applications. They receive a new bias and are engaged in new and different views and pursuits. The understanding is enlightened and has different ideas and sensations of spiritual things. 

The desires are fixed on God and holiness. The will is submissive to the Word and will of God; and the renewed person enjoys peculiar satisfaction and delight in whatever is heavenly and divine. He now hates sin, conquers the world, obeys the divine precepts, loves all his brethren in the Lord, and pursues holiness in the fear of God. 

Blessed change! Who is the author of it? The Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, the first and the last, of a Christian's birth and character-is the sovereign mercy of God; and to that mercy, in time and eternity-he may well ascribe all the praise! 

[William Nicholson] 

1 Peter 1:3 ... Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

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

"One Day"

One day Paul was killing Christians, the next day he was a Christian. 

One day Peter was a fisherman, the next day he was a fisher of men. 

Don’t judge someone based on that one day. 

If God can create the whole world in six days,

He can surely create a new heart in one. 

[message from the Internet]

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Ezekiel 36:26 ... A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

Psalm 51:10 ... Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

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

Empowered Life

There are seven new things, which all believers now possess:

Repentance—A new mind about God. Acts 20:21

Justification—A new state before God. Romans 4:25

Regeneration—A new life from God. Titus 3:5

Conversion—A new attitude toward God. Matthew 18:3

Sonship—A new relationship with God. 1 John 3:1

Sanctification—A new position before God. Jude 1

Glorification—A new place with God. Romans 8:30

[A.W. Pink]

1 Corinthians 4:20 ... For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. ❤

Are You Born Again?

Born once, die twice.

 

Born twice, die once.

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Romans 6:23 ... For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

John 3:3 ... Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Revelation 20:6 ... Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. ❤

Change...

 You can't go back and change the beginning.

But you can start where you are and change the ending.

[C.S. Lewis]

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

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New Begininngs ...

When God gives you a new beginning, don't repeat the old mistakes.

Joel 2:12-13 ...  Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. ❤

With or Without?

A man without the Spirit of God is a dead man walking.

1 Coritnthians 6:9-11 ... Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. ❤

Jesus Saves!!

 Repent.

Get Saved.

Be Born Again!!

Acts 2:38 ... Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Romans 10:9 ... That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

John 3:3 ... Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. ❤

Changed.

 

John 3:3 ... Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Romans 6:4 ... Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

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

1 Peter 1:23 ... Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

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Oh, How Changed a Man is He Now!

Originally shaped in iniquity and conceived in sin the love of sin and the hatred of holiness are born with us. But when by the Holy Spirit we are born again, this original and natural love of sin and hatred of holiness are reversed!  A new and heavenly principle is implanted which leads the regenerate to hate sin and love holiness. 

Now, it is in this divine principle that the love of holiness in the believer is implanted and a power in antagonism to sin is implanted in his heart. What a reverse now transpires! The regenerate now loves what they once hated and hates what they once loved! 

We loved sin, lived in sin, in some of its many forms intellectual sin, gross sin, refined sin, open sin, secret sin, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, the pride of life, the power of Mammon, the fascination of the world, the idolatry of the creature, the love of SELF. Some, or all these forms of sin maintained the supremacy, and held their unbroken, undisputed rule. 

Oh, how changed a man is he now! The sins which he once committed, the objects which he once loved, the tastes which he once cultivated, the sensualities in which he once indulged, have lost their power to fascinate, to please, to enthrall. 

[Octavius Winslow] 

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

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Radical, Revolutionary, Lasting!

In the new birth, God exerts a quickening influence or power upon His own elect. Regeneration is very, very much more than simply shedding a few tears because of some temporary remorse over sin. It is far more than changing our course of life, the leaving off of bad habits and the substituting of good ones. It is something different from the mere cherishing and practicing of noble ideals. It goes infinitely deeper than coming forward to take some popular evangelist by the hand, signing a pledge-card, or "joining the church." 

The new birth is no mere turning over a new leaf but is the inception and reception of a new life! It is no mere reformation, but a radical transformation. In short, the new birth is a miracle, the result of the supernatural operation of God. It is radical, revolutionary, lasting! In the new birth: God lays hold of one who is spiritually dead and quickens him into newness of life! 

God takes up one who was shaped in iniquity and conceived in sin and conforms him to the image of His Son! God seizes a drudge of the Devil and makes him a member of His holy family! God picks up a destitute beggar and makes him joint heir with Christ! God comes to one who is full of enmity against Him and gives him a new heart that is full of love for Him! God stoops to one who by nature is a rebel and works in him both to will and to do of His good pleasure! By His irresistible power, God transforms a sinner into a saint, an enemy into His friend, a drudge of the Devil into His beloved child! 

 [A.W. Pink] 

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

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True Faith

True faith transforms the temper and frame of our souls into another image, even the image of Christ. This is done, in some degree, in the first saving discovery which we have of Him; so that he who truly believes in Jesus, is a new creature. 

We hence infer, that to be a real believer, is to be a new creature. Our very tempers are changed into Christ's holy likeness. The meek and lowly, the devout and heavenly mind, which was in Christ Jesus in some degree, takes place in us.

Such is the efficacy of saving faith that it is the vigorous root to all holy obedience.
it bears up the soul amidst the severest trials; it strengthens it for the most arduous services; enables it to overcome the world, and to lay hold upon eternal life.

Faith genuinely influences all the powers of the soul, and all the actions of the life, according to the degree of its vigor, strength, and liveliness. The more we live by faith in Jesus, the more steadily we look to him, the more we shall be transformed into His likeness.

True faith sets all things in a different light before the eyes of the soul. It alters the view and appearance of all the great and mirthful things of this world. The treasures, the splendors and the entertainments of this world were once the most inviting objects upon which we could look. But now we look on the world, with all its most glittering and the richest scenes as trifling, poor, and despicable things. We are crucified to the world, by the cross of Christ. 

We seek the things which are above, where our Redeemer sits; and when the world begins to flatter us again, and to appear great and tempting in our eyes renewed discoveries of Christ's glory, who is the chief among ten thousand, and altogether lovely eclipse the splendor of all below the skies. 

 [John Fawcett]

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

Galatians 6:14 ...  But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

1 John 5:4 ...  For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. ❤

Born From Above..

Truth Bomb ~ Without the New Birth, you are none of His.  Only those that have truly repented will be saved.

John 3:3 ...  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

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Evidences.

 The following are the principal evidences of regeneration:

(1) Hatred to sin.

(2) Victory over the world.

(3) Brotherly love.

(4) Delight in spiritual duties.

(5) A life of holiness.

(6) Self-loathing, and constant faith in the sacrifice of Christ.

(7) Sincere love to Christ.

[William Nicholson]

Titus 3:5 ... Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

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