JESUS SAID: YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN (Part II)

We ended the message last week with a scripture that detailed a very important truth.  That truth being this:  There are two different types of birth available to each person on this earth.  The first birth is not by our choice but the second birth is only by our free will choice.  Let’s look at John 3:6-7 again for confirmation of the above statement.  Jesus is speaking here.  John 3:6-7 states:

“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.”

Is it not clear that Jesus is saying that he knows we all had a natural birth, but to be reconciled to God we must be born again by the Spirit of God?  Welcome everyone to your 24/7, week long, online church service.  Everyone, let me repeat myself, everyone is welcome in this place.
  
Now listen to me folks, Jesus did not say you possibly should be born again.  He did not say it would be just a good idea to be born again.  No.  He said you must be born again.  Just as you received life by your natural birth, you can receive eternal life from our heavenly father.  By the way, eternal life means forever.  Do you get that?  To receive eternal life with God and his son, Jesus Christ, you must be born again.  You see, folks, Jesus came to this earth to give you the gift of eternal life.  Notice I said the gift of eternal life.

Salvation is not something we can earn or deserve.  It is given to us as a gift from God as the holiest expression of love that we could ever think or dream of.   You know, folks, in the church world we talk about physical and mental healings, the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues.  We talk about spiritual warfare and how we depend upon God for guidance and deliverance and so many other things.  But the truth is, without the born again experience that we know as salvation, God is not in it and all of the above would be as Solomon said in the book of Ecclesiastes – vanity of vanities or better translated as just empty nothings.  Now you know why I am presenting this message of salvation to you.

Let me say this to you – salvation is the foundation of eternal life.  It does not come by or through any denomination.   You can be born into a Catholic, Jewish or Protestant family.  Your parents, grandparents and other family members may attend one of the above or other types of churches, but none of that will save you from your sins or give you eternal life.

Salvation comes by only one way.  By receiving Jesus Christ into your heart and confessing him as Lord of your life.  Many years ago when the apostle Paul and Silas were in a jail for preaching about Jesus, a Roman jailer asked them the most important question a person can ask.  The question was this “What must I do to be saved?”  Tell you what, let’s read about this in the book of Acts.  The jailer fell down before Paul and Silas and helped lead them out of the jail they were confined in.  This is explained in Acts 16:30-31 which says:

“And (he) brought them out and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?  And they said believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”

Notice Paul did not say believe on a particular church or preacher.  No, my friends, to be born again we must believe only on the son of God, Jesus Christ.  So, who am I talking to here?  Each one of you.  That is why no one is excluded from this online church.  I want you to know that what Jesus did by dying on that cross was just for you.  He paid the price for your and my sins.  Why?  Because of the love God has just for you and for me. 

You might ask “If I live a good life, work hard and provide for my family.  And if I treat others right, why must I be saved?”  A good question.  The book of Romans tells us why you should.   When our first natural parents and representatives of the human race fell into sin, the curse covered all future mankind.  From that time to now each person is born into sin and a sinful world.  So you can now see why we are in desperate need of the one and only Savior of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ.  Romans 3:23 states clearly:

“For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Paul also said in Romans 6:23:

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord.”

There’s that word ‘gift’ again.  Ladies and gentlemen, this scripture shows us clearly the goodness and love of God toward us, doesn’t it?  Although we were born in sin and deserved the sentence of death and separation from the Holy God – he said no!!  He would make a way for us to be reconciled to himself.  That my friends, is when Jesus comes into the picture.  He is the gift of salvation to each of us.  God loves us so much, he sent his only begotten son as a special gift and by him we may obtain eternal life.

You know folks, I have often told you the extreme ends of the Bible is not heaven or hell, but rather eternal life with God or eternal death by being separated from God forever.  That is why I said earlier the second birth is a birth of choice.  We can either accept the gift of salvation through Jesus, or we can reject it.  My choice is to be born again.  How about you?

You see, church, it is God’s desire that we come to repentance and walk with him.  Repentance means letting go of the things of this world and turning from sin to walk in the righteousness of God.  II Peter 3:9 will show you how much God desires us to be with him.  Let’s read it together.

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise.  As some men count slackness; but is long suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

Do you understand this, church?  God has promised salvation to all who would receive his son Jesus as Lord and Savior of his life.  This scripture is telling us that the promises of God are not like the promises of men.  The difference, God does not break his promises.   One thing I especially like about this scripture is this:  God is patient with us.  That’s what long suffering means.  God is the God of second and sometimes many more chances.  So, don’t give up on yourself.  God hasn’t given up on you.  You know why?  Because as this scripture says, God is not willing that any (that means you) should perish.  But that all should come to repentance.  What a wonderful God we serve.

My friends, this message isn’t over yet.  But as our Michigan pastor, John Bullock would often say – we just have to unhook here.  The message of salvation is the most important message you will ever hear.  So come back next week.  Part III of “You must be born again” will be a message you will not want to miss.



God Bless You,
Bro. Bob