Bible Matters 200

Born Again, Again

Death by God came to man in the Old Testament by water (Genesis 7) and fire (Genesis 19).   God saw that the wickedness in man was great and it grieved his heart.  Noah and Lot were found righteous in God’s eyes and he had mercy on them.

Genesis 6:5-6,8,22 – And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.  And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.  But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.

Genesis 19:16 – And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the Lord being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.

God loved man so much that he sent his only Son, Jesus, to be a propitiation for your sins. God was born again by flesh to offer salvation to all that believe in him.  

Luke 2:11 – For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.

John 3:16 – For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

You have been born in the flesh.  In the flesh, with sin and wickedness toward God as in the days of Noah and Lot. Sin grieves the heart of God.   Jesus said twice, that you must be born again in the spirit to see the kingdom of God. 

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.

When you are born again, you are walking in the light with the Holy Ghost giving direction in your life.  You love God and your neighbor.  Religious leaders like to take credit for you being born again and to offer you salvation.  They’ll use bible verses or water baptism to “give” you the gift of the Holy Ghost.  You go along with this for years and you don’t feel any different toward God or your neighbor.  Feeling pretty secure being led by man, you commit sin willfully and then you happen to read these two versus and you heart should drop!   Is there no forgiveness for sins? 

Hebrews 6:4-6,8 – For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.  But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.

Hebrews 10:26-31 – For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?  For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

You are confused because you have not been led by the knowledge of the truth.  Man cannot “give” you the gift of the Holy Ghost.  There is still hope for your salvation.  God’s word tells you not to continue in sin.  By your will, you must be born again, again but this time in the spirit.  You must have a change of heart toward sin.   Where your sorrow is, your heart will rejoice.   Only Jesus can forgive you of your sins.  Only with a clean heart and by obeying God’s Word, will God will send you the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Romans 6:1-2 – What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Matthew 9:6 – But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, ….

Acts 5:31-32 – Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

When you repent of your sins, you turn from your sinful past.    God knows what is in your heart.  Only the fearful and humble will accept God word and direction. Where you treasure is, there will be your heart.  

1 Peter 5:6, 10 – Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen

Acts 15:8-9 – And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

Matthew 6:21-22 – For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.  The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.

John 14:15,21,23-24 – If ye love me, keep my commandments. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.  Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.  He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.

Let God’s word fall onto good ground.  When you hear the word of God, understand it and do it.  Your heart no longer desires to live a life of sin, but righteousness toward Jesus Christ, your savior.  Loving God, loving your neighbor and avoiding sin.  Study God’s word.  Grow in grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Matthew 13:15-17,23 – For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them ; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it ; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

2 Peter 3:18 – But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen.

1 Thessalonians 4:3-4,7-8 – For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.

Galatians 5:19-21 – Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these ; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

1 John 5:19-21 – And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

To God be the glory in all you do, Amen.