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.”
THE NEW BIRTH COMES BY THE MERCY OF GOD
1st 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. . . .”
The new birth is not a process, it is the outright gift of God through Jesus Christ, but there are biblical elements concerning what led men to that gift; and saved men have their part in leading unsaved men to Jesus Christ who gives that gift.
Romans 10:13-16 (1) sent (2) preach (3) hear (4) believe (5) call on Him (6) obey
(1) John 4:7-38 “I sent you to reap. . . .”
John 17:1-18 “As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.”
Matthew 4:18-19 “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
12:30 “He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.”
25:14-30 The “talents.”
(2) 2nd Timothy 4:1-8 “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season. . . .”
Matthew 3:1-2 John the Baptist was a preacher, as we should all of us be.
10:27-28 “. . . and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.”
1:17-31 “. . . But we preach Christ crucified. . . .”
9:18-24 “. . . when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge. . . .”
1st Corinthians 4:15 “For . . . in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.” (or, born through the word.)
Romans 12:1 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”
(3) Matthew 13:9-23 “Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.”
Luke 10:16 “He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me. . . .”
1st John 4:5-6 “They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.”
1st Timothy 4:16 “Take heed . . . unto the doctrine . . . save thyself, and them that hear thee.”
John 8:31-47 “Why do ye not understand. . . ? He that is of God heareth God’s words. . . .”
Acts 8:30-37 He understood!
Romans 3:9-11 “There is none that understandeth. . . .”
Luke 24:45-49 “Then opened he their understanding. . . .”
John 6:44 “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him. . . .”
1st Corinthians 14:12-20 “Brethren, be not children in understanding . . . be men.”
Psalm 111:10 “. . . a good understanding have all they that do his commandments. . . .”
Ephesians 1:12-23 “. . . The eyes of your understanding being enlightened. . . .”
1st Corinthians 2:11-14 “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.”
(4) 2nd Thessalonians 1:7-10 “. . . when he shall come . . . to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.”
John 5:22-24 “He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life. . . .”
John 6:26-48 (see vs. 64-65) “He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.”
John 16:29-31 “Do ye now believe?”
1st John 5:1-5 “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. . . .”
Mark 16:16 and is baptized
Galatians 3:1-6 “Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
John 1:1-13 “. . . as many as received him . . . become the sons of God. . . .”
Colossians 2:6-7 “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him. . . .”
(5) Psalm 116:17 “I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord.”
Joel 2:32 “. . . whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered. . . .”
1st Corinthians 1:1-3 “. . . unto the church . . . with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ. . . .”
(6) Acts 5:17-32 “We ought to obey God rather than men.”
Matthew 7:21 “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”
21:28-32 “Whether of them twain did the will of his father?”
Romans 6:16 “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are. . . .”
Hebrews 5:8-9 “. . . he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him. . . .”
2nd Thessalonians 1:7-8 “. . . in flaming fire taking vengeance on them . . . that obey not the gospel. . . .”
3:14 “And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him. . . .”
(6 a) 2nd Peter 3:9 “The Lord . . . is . . . not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
(6 b) Isaiah 40:31 “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”
30:18 “And therefore will the Lord wait . . . blessed are all they that wait for him.”
Luke 12:35-36 “. . . and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord . . .”
(6 c) Matthew 10:16-22 “. . . but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.”
24:12-13 “. . . he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”
Colossians 1:21-23 “. . . to present you holy and unblameable . . . If ye continue in the faith. . . .”
2nd Peter 3:17-18 “. . . beloved . . . beware lest ye . . . fall from your own stedfastness.”
John 15:4-9 We’re told to abide (5 times) and if not: we’ll be: “. . . cast forth . . . into the fire. . . .”
Ephesians 1:10-14 We are presently “sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession . . .” which comes later.
John 8:31 “. . . If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples. . . .” (Anybody can make a good start!)
Galatians 1:6-7 “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him. . . .”
Born Again
John 3:1-3 Nick has a question he’s beating around the bush about.
v. 4-5 He doesn’t understand the answer and gets another answer. . . .
v. 6-8 and an explanation
v. 9-18 He still doesn’t get it and the Lord explains it completely.
vs. 35-36 “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life. . . .” (Many “believe” in the Lord and everything else!)
Matthew 23:9-10 “. . . for one is your Master, even Christ.”
6:24 “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other: or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.”
1st John 2:3-5 “. . . hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.” (Obey)
v. 28-29 “. . . every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.”
4:4-7 “. . . .every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.”
2nd Corinthians 5:17 new creature
Ephesians 5:8-21 “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit. . . .”
1st Peter 1:22-25 “Being born again . . . by the word of God. . . .”
Romans 8:5-11 “. . . if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.” [IF] 3 times in v. 9,10,11
John 6:24-71 [This scripture covers a lot of ground.]
Who is Born Again?
1st Corinthians 12:3 “. . . no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.”
[Is this equivalent to having a bumper sticker that says “Jesus is Lord over Mora and Me”?]
[Does this mean that anybody who says “Jesus is the Lord” is “born again?”]
Matthew 16:15-17 “. . . flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.”
[Peter is not born again.]
(Luke 22:31-32 “. . . and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.”)
[Can a man do something “by the Holy Ghost,” yet not be born again?]
Numbers 24:1-2 “And Balaam lifted up his eyes . . . and the spirit of God came upon him.”
[Balaam is not born again.]
2nd Peter 2:15-17 “. . . Balaam . . . loved the wages of unrighteousness. . . .”
Revelation 2:14 “. . . Balaam . . . taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel. . . .”
Joshua 13:22 “Balaam also . . . did the children of Israel slay with the sword among [the enemy.]”
1st Samuel 10:9-12 “. . . and the Spirit of God came upon him [Saul], and he prophesied among them.”
11:6 “And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings. . . .”
[Saul is not born again?]
16:14 “But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him.”
Being Under Grace is Not “New Testament” (We ARE under “grace,” but any “chosen people” ALWAYS WERE.)
Genesis 6:8 (Noah found it.) “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.”
Genesis 19:19 (Lot said it.) “Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight. . . .”
Exodus 33:12 (Moses testified of it.) “Yet thou hast said . . . thou hast also found grace in my sight.”
v. 17 (The Lord said it.) “And the Lord said unto Moses . . . thou hast found grace in my sight.”
Judges 6:17 (Gideon asked for PROOF, and got it!) “If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign. . . .”
Ezra 9:8,13 (A “remnant” got it.) “. . . grace hath been shewed from the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant. . . .”
Proverbs 3:34 (“the lowly” got it.) “Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly.”
Jeremiah 31:1-2 (In the wilderness, “all the families of Israel” found it.)
Being Filled With the Spirit of God is Not “New Testament”.
Exodus 31:1-3 “. . . and I have filled [Bezaleel the son of Uri] with the spirit of God. . . .”
Proverbs 1:23 “. . . behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.”
Isaiah 44:1,3 “Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant . . . I will pour my spirit upon thy seed. . . .”
Joel 2:26-28 “And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and . . . I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh. . . .”
What Being Born Again is NOT.
Matthew 3:1-8 It is not water baptism.
2nd Corinthians 6:14-18 It is not joining “the church.”
(1st Corinthians 12:13 A man seeks to join the church because he is already born again!)
1st Corinthians 11:29 It is not partaking of communion.
Luke 13:24 It is not trying to enter the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 15:7-8 It is not praying.
v. 9 It is not worshipping the Lord.
Matthew 7:21-23 It is not calling on the Lord.
Ephesians 2:8-9 It is not good works.
Isaiah 64:6 It is not living righteously (in your opinion).
Hebrews 4:2 It is not listening to the preaching of the gospel
2nd Timothy 3:7 It is not learning the bible.
v. 5 It is not living a godly life.
1st Corinthians 4:20 It is not having the bible (or ten bibles) in your possession.