ARE YOU BORN AGAIN?

John 3:1-7

Joh 3:1  There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
Joh 3:2  The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
Joh 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.
Joh 3:4  Nicodemus saith unto 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?
Joh 3:5  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.
Joh 3:6  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Joh 3:7  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
 

Am sure some of us will be shocked about that question. It is usually not a shocking question in the early days of Christendom to ask the question "Are you born again?" because you can find it very easy to differentiate one who is born again from one who is not. Today everyone you ask the same question might probably tell you he or she is born again.

So many also are living in the delusion of bearing a christian name to mean being born again. Some believe because they attend a pentecostal or an evangelical or a methodical or a charismatic or a catholic church that they are born again. To some infant baptism, working in the church in one capacity or the other, singing in the choir, preaching and being a leader as Nicodemus means being born again. Others believe being long in a Bible believing church by dressing the way they do, speaking the way they do, dressing the way they do means being born again. While others think that alms giving, doing good and giving for the work of God will atone for their sins and means being born again.

Nicodemus in our text has a lot of these qualities but Jesus still told him he needs to be born again. The same thing Jesus is telling you that all these qualities mentioned above does not qualify you as being born again. Now what does it mean to be born again?

Joh 3:4  Nicodemus saith unto 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?
Joh 3:5  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.
Joh 3:6  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 

To be born again simply means to be born of the water of God's word and be born of the Spirit of God. It means you were initially born of a woman in the flesh and you have lived most or some of your life living and walking in the flesh. Fulfilling the desires and lust of the flesh.

Gal 5:19  Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Gal 5:20  Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Gal 5:21  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. 

And many more which are not mentioned here.  But to be born of the Spirit simply means being born of God leaving all the works of the flesh behind and now being renewed by the Spirit to bear the fruits of the Spirit.

Gal 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Gal 5:24  And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Gal 5:25  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

It means now you live in the Spirit and walk in the Spirit and that you have put behind you and have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. It means total, complete and absolute freedom from sin and its lusts thereof. It means possessing true righteousness that emanates from the throne and grace of God. It means total and absolute peace with God and man. It means grace at work in your life to live right and do the right without struggles. (Rom. 7:15-25).

Note that these life of living and walking in the Spirit cannot be achieved by all the qualities i mentioned earlier in this message. Look at these:

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9  Not of works, lest any man should boast.

With the life you are living right now (both in the secret and in the open, privately and publicly), ARE YOU SURE YOU ARE TRULY BORN AGAIN?

So you see, going to church and all that cannot lead to being born again. How can you be truly born again?

The first thing you need to do is not to deceive yourself that you are born again but to realize that you are still living and working in the flesh and that if you continue that way you definitely will miss Gods' kingdom. Rom 7:24  O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Saul who is now called Paul quickly realizes his condition and he cried out. You should do the same.

Next humbly and sincerely confess and forsake your sins. Pro 28:13  He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

Determine not to go back to them any longer.

Then accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour. John 1:12  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Ask for Gods' forgiveness and forgive yourself and your past. Then go and live a renewed life. 

2Co 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.
2Co 5:18  And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
2Co 5:19  To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
2Co 5:20  Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
2Co 5:21  For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 

Praise God for a new life and then go and sin no more. After this you will see that the joy of the Lord will fill your heart which will in turn radiate all around you.

If this message has blessed you and you want to give your life unto Christ before it is too late. Jesus will forgive your sins, He will heal your past and He will secure your future here on earth and in that which is to come. Say these prayer from a sincere heart:

"Lord Jesus I know I have gone astray and have disappointed you, I now realize the errors of my ways and sincerely turned from all my sins and surrender my life afresh unto you. Accept me just as I am, forgive my sins, restore me back unto yourself and endue me with grace to live the rest of my life for you from this day forward in Jesus name. Amen".

If these words have blessed you leave your comments and let us know. For counseling and prayers call +2348062451455, +2348035908376 or email us: jesusonlyislordofall@gmail.com