GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH

"YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN!"

The New Birth
John 3:7

My subject tonight is the new birth. I take the words of our Lord Jesus Christ to Nicodemus as my text and the title of my message – "Ye must be born again." These days, almost everyone talks about being born again; but virtually no one knows what the Word of God teaches about the new birth. Therefore, I want to address the subject in simple, clear, unmistakable terms. When you leave here tonight, I want you to understand what the new birth is and how it is accomplished. More importantly, I want you to leave here born again. May God be pleased to make it so for Christ's sake.

The religious world around us, in its apostate rejection of the truth of God, has made the new birth to be nothing more than making a decision, walking an aisle, and saying a prayer. Because of their abuse and error regarding the doctrine of the new birth, our tendency is to shy away from using the term "born again", lest we be identified with those who deny the gospel of Christ. But, no matter how much men may pervert the language and the doctrine of Christ, our Lord's admonition to Nicodemus still stands. It is as necessary and urgent today as it was when he first made it two thousand years ago. This is my message to you today, "Ye must be born again!"

Some of you have never made any profession of faith in Christ. I want you to hear this message. "Ye must be born again!" Perhaps, some of you are who have been in the church for years are yet without Christ. You made a profession of faith a long time ago; but you are yet without life before God. May God the Holy Spirit cause you to hear this message and grant you his grace this very hour. "Ye must be born again!"

Look at these five words, and ask God to give you wisdom and grace to understand what they mean. Here is A PERSONAL WORD – "Ye." This message is for you. I know you are moral. I know you are religious. I know that you are well instructed in doctrinal truth. So was Nicodemus. He was a well respected religious leader, a Pharisee, and a ruler among the Jews. Nicodemus was a teacher who taught the teachers. He was a preacher, but more. Nicodemus was a preacher who taught preachers. He was a theologian. This was a man of highest rank in the Jewish church. But he was dead. He was without life before God. He was totally ignorant of all things spiritual. He was a lost man. My friend, if you are yet without life toward God, my message is to you. I have this word from God for you – "You must be born again."

Here is A PRESSING WORD – "Must." "Time is short." "What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?" This is not a good recommendation. This is not wholesome advice. This is imperative. This is vital. This is a necessity. "You must be born again!" Otherwise, you will perish in your sins. You will die under the wrath of God! Hell will be your portion forever!

Here is A PASSIVE WORD – "Be." The new birth is not something you do. It is something God does for you. A man has no more to do with his spiritual birth than he does with his natural birth. In this matter of regeneration man is passive. He has nothing to do with it (John 1:12-13). You cannot save yourself. You cannot give yourself life. You cannot be born again by something you do (Tit. 3:4-6).

John 1:12-13 "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: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."

Titus 3:4-6 "But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 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; 6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;"

• Not by moral reformation.


• Not by baptism.


• Not by religious fervor and devotion.


• Not even by faith in Christ.

Faith in Christ is not the cause of the new birth. Faith is the result of the new birth. We believe according to the working of God's mighty power, by the operation of his grace (Eph. 1:19; 2:8; Col. 2:11-12). The new birth is something done to you, for you, and in you by God's sovereign, irresistible grace. It is not something you do. "You must BE born again!"

I fully agree with what Martin Luther had to say in this regard. "If any man ascribes anything of salvation, even the very least thing, to the free will of man, he knows nothing of grace, and he has not learned Jesus Christ rightly."

Here is A POWERFUL WORD – "Born." I am talking to you about a gift; but it is not just any ordinary gift. I am talking to you about the gift of life, eternal life. When our Lord declares, "Ye must be born again," he is saying you must be the object and recipient of Divine power. Just as God created the world, God must create life in your soul. Just as God breathed into Adam and made him a living soul, so God must breathe into you the breath of life by his Spirit, or you will perish in your sins. This is what I am saying, you are spiritually dead, helplessly lost by nature. Your only hope is that God the Holy Spirit will give you life. "You must be born again!"

Here is A PROFOUND WORD – "Again." The new birth is a mystery of grace. It cannot be explained, nor can it be fully understood. It is a work of God beyond our comprehension. When our Lord says, "Ye must be born again," his meaning is twofold. The word again has two meanings.

• First, it means, "You must be born from above." James tells us that "every good and perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." Then he tells us what he is teaching in the next verse. "Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth" (James 1:17-18).
• Secondly, it means, "You must be born a second time." Your first birth was of sinful parents, and you were born in their image. The second birth is of God, and we are born in his image. The first birth was of corruptible seed. The second birth is of incorruptible seed. Our first birth is in sin. Our second birth is in righteousness. By our first birth we were polluted and unclean. By our second birth we become holy. Our first birth was fleshly and carnal. Our second birth is spiritual and makes us spiritual. By the first birth all men are foolish and ignorant. By our second birth we become wise unto salvation. By our first birth we were slaves to sin and the lusts of the flesh. By our second birth we are made free from the dominion of sin. By our first birth we are all children of wrath. By our second birth we are children of promise. Our Lord says, "Ye must be born again," because we were all born wrong the first time.

Proposition: Our Lord said, "Ye must be born again," because none shall ever enter into glory except those who are born again by the power and grace of God and made to live in and by the Lord Jesus Christ.

In order for God to save a sinner two things must be done. God must do something for you. And God must do something in you.

• Redemption is the work of God for sinners.


• Regeneration is the work of God in sinners.

Both are the works of God. Man has nothing more to do with regeneration than he has to do with redemption. "Salvation is of the Lord!"

Divisions: Let me answer four questions for you from the Word of God about the new birth –

1. Why must we be born again?
2. What is the new birth?
3. How are men and women born again by the Spirit of God?
4. When is a sinner born again?

There are many answers that are given to that question in the Word of God. But we will stay with our text. Our Lord gave Nicodemus three reasons why he must be born again. These three things make it imperative that you must be born again. A. Unless you are born again you cannot understand anything spiritual (v. 3).

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."

The natural man is totally void of spiritual understanding. You may be a logical, reasonable, rational, and well educated person among men, but with regard to the things of God you are as ignorant, foolish, and unreasonable as a madman. You have no capacity for spiritual knowledge (Rom. 8:5; 1 Cor. 2:14). The heart of stone is hard, cold, unbending, unaffected.

Romans 8:5 "For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit."

1 Corinthians 2:14 "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."

• His suretyship


• His incarnation


• His substitutionary atonement


• His ascension and exaltation

B. Unless you are born again by almighty grace you can never enter into the kingdom of God (v. 5).

John 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."

You can reform your life without the new birth. You can be baptized without the new birth. You can join the church, be zealous in religion, teach a Bible class, serve as a deacon or elder, you can even preach with great success without being born again. But unless you are born again, you will never enter the kingdom of God.

1. You will never be a part of the church and family of God.
2. You will never have eternal life.
3. You will never enter into the worship and fellowship of God's saints.
4. You will never be admitted into the presence of God's glory in the bliss of heaven (Rev. 20:6; 21:27).

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."

Revelation 21:27 "And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life."

Only new creatures will enter the new Jerusalem. Only holy men will walk into the Holy City. Only heaven born citizens will possess the bliss of heaven.

C. "Ye must be born again" because by nature you are a fallen, sinful, depraved child of human flesh (v. 6).

John 3:6 "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."

All flesh is defiled. All flesh is corrupt. All flesh is sinful. All flesh is condemned. All flesh must die. Unless you are born of the Spirit, you will die in your sins, and your flesh shall be justly damned.

NOTE: The flesh is your natural, sinful self (Psa. 51:5; 58:3; Rom. 5:12; Rev. 20:11-15).

I cannot explain to you the mystery of the new birth. It is one of God's incomprehensible works. But there are several things in the Word of God which identify God's regenerating grace.

Ephesians 2:1-5 "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins: 2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)"

(Illustration: Lazarus – Ezekiel's vision.)

2 Peter 1:4 "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust."

In regeneration a divine like nature is created in our souls, so that men and women upon the earth are born in the image of God (Gal. 5:22).

John Gill put it this way – "In regeneration there is that wrought in the soul which bears a resemblance to the divine nature, in spirituality, holiness, goodness, (and) kindness."

To have eternal life is to have the Lord Jesus Christ living in you (Gal. 2:20; Col. 1:27).

D. To be born again is to have a good seed implanted in you by grace (1 John 3:9-10).

1 John 3:9-10 "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother."

By nature we are all sprung from bad seed – Adam. But in regeneration we are sprung from good Seed – The Lord Jesus Christ.

NOTE: The seed virtually contains all that is in the full grown plant.

• A New Heart To Know And Love God.


• A New Will To Bow To The Rule Of Christ.


• A New Mind To Understand The Things Of God.


• A New, Spiritual Nature To Know, Enjoy, And Live Upon Spiritual Things.


• New Eyes, Eyes Of Faith, With Which To See Christ.


• New Ears With Which To Hear His Voice.


• New Hands, Hands Of Faith, With Which To Lay Hold Of Christ And Do His Will.


• New Feet, With Which To Flee To Christ And Walk With Him In The Newness Of Life.

Note: This is the great difference between the law and the gospel. The law demands everything, but gives nothing. The gospel demands nothing, but gives everything!

III. HOW ARE MEN AND WOMEN BORN AGAIN BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD?

Anyone who understands the nature of man and the nature of the new birth realizes that divine, sovereign power and grace is required to give dead sinners life.

• Moral reason cannot give men life.


• Eloquence and logic cannot give men life.


• Emotional stirrings cannot give men life.


• A mere exercise of the will cannot give men life. "Ye must be born again."

A. Regeneration is the sovereign, irresistible work of God the Holy Spirit (v. 8).

John 3:8 "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit."

At the time appointed by God, the Holy Spirit comes to the sinner who was chosen by grace in eternal election and redeemed by Christ at Calvary, and creates life in that sinner by his sovereign, irresistible, effectual grace (Gal. 4:4-7).

John 3:12-16 "If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? 13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 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."

"It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." "Of his own will begat he us with the Word of Truth." Sinners are "born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God which liveth and abideth forever…And this is the Word which by the gospel is preached unto you."

C. In preaching the gospel to you, I am calling upon dead men to arise (Eph. 5:14).

Ephesians 5:14 "Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light."

Illustration: "Tabitha, arise!"

I know that I am preaching to dead sinners. I know that you cannot hear me and cannot obey me. But if God the Holy Spirit will be pleased to speak through me to your heart, though you are dead, you shall hear and you shall live (John 5:25).

John 5:25 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live."

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."

I have no interest in answering the foolish questions of men about the chronological sequence of events in a man's salvation. I will leave that to theologians who have nothing better to do than dissect the scriptures and dissect my sermons. But I do want to tell you when a person may with confidence say, "I am born again by the grace of God."

John 17:3 "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."

John 3:15 "That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life."

John 3:36 "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."

Isaiah 45:22 "Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else."

Get Christ and you get life. Miss Christ and you miss life.

1 John 5:10-13 "He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. 11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God."

(Illustration: The Farmer).

• "Seek, and ye shall find."


• "Knock, and it shall be opened unto you."


• "Ask, and it shall be given you."


• "Look, and you shall live."

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