I AM BORN AGAIN II
In Part I of this series I AM BORN AGAIN I, we look at what it really means to be born
again. Kindly go back to that post if you have not read it already. To be born
again is to be born the second time. The first birth is by our biological
parents into this physical world. The second birth is by God Himself into His
kingdom. It means entering into a vibrant and personal relationship and
fellowship with the Father God through Jesus Christ.
WHY MUST YOU BE BORN AGAIN?
John 3:1 There was a
man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 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. 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. 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? 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. 6
That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit
is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
When Jesus spoke to Nicodemus about his need to be born again, He was
actually saying that to the human race (Mark 13:37). Who was Nicodemus? He was
1. A man; a human being
2. A Pharisee; exclusively religious
3. Nicodemus; victorious among his people
4. A ruler; a first (in rank or power)
5. Jew; Judaean, i.e. belonging to Jehudah:--Jew (-ess), of Judaea.
It is really surprising to tell such a ‘nice’ person as Nicodemus to be
born again. Nicodemus was the standard of his people, he was the ideal man.
The meaning of his name: ‘victorious among his people’, summed it all up. And
yet Jesus looked beyond all these niceties and tells him not to marvel or not
to be shocked or surprised that all his credentials do not still measure up to
what God looks for from us. No human can be good enough to enter the kingdom of
God. Except you are born again, you cannot see or entre into the kingdom of
God.
Why should born again only be the ultimate requirement for seeing and
entering into the kingdom of God. There is a reason for that.
ADAM
After everything God intended to create had been created, the man was
brought on the scene. Adam, in the very image and likeness of God, had the
powers of God to exercise on earth, but more importantly, he possessed the
authority of the heavenly kingdom to rule in the earthly realm. In carrying out
his assignment, the only caution Adam received was not to eat from the tree of
knowledge of good and evil:
Genesis 2:16-17 ¶ And
the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest
freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not
eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
The consequence of not heeding to this caution was to result in death,
sure death, spiritual death. Adam, like no one else, really understood the very
import of the instruction he had received. Unfortunately, Adam did not keep
this instruction to the end. But see what scripture says:
1Timothy 2:14 And Adam
was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
Eve was deceived but Adam was not. He was not deceived at all. He was conscious and fully aware of the extent of the consequences of his action, but he still went ahead with his action. Think of that for a moment. What Adam did was beyond eating a mere fruit. What was the nature of Adam’s sin?
BENEDICT ARNOLD
Benedict Arnold (1741-1801) was an early American hero of the
Revolutionary War (1775-83) who later became one of the most infamous traitors
in U.S. history after he switched sides and fought for the British. At the
outbreak of the war, Arnold participated in the capture of the British garrison
of Fort Ticonderoga in 1775. In 1776, he hindered a British invasion of New
York at the Battle of Lake Champlain. The following year, he played a crucial
role in bringing about the surrender of British General John Burgoyne’s
(1722-92) army at Saratoga. Yet Arnold never received the recognition he
thought he deserved. In 1779, he entered into secret negotiations with the
British, agreeing to turn over the U.S. post at West Point in return for money
and a command in the British army. The plot was discovered, but Arnold escaped
to British lines. His name has since become synonymous with the word “traitor.”
TREASON
Treason is defined as intentionally betraying one’s allegiance by
levying war against the government or giving aid or comfort to its enemies.
It’s the most serious offence one can commit against the government and is
punishable by imprisonment and death.
This was Adam’s actual sin-TREASON. He handed over the power to govern
earth into the hands of another government. He participated in staging a coup
against heaven’s government on earth. Since the penalty for treason is death,
Adam received death, sure death, spiritual death.
SPIRITUAL DEATH
We have always thought of death as extinction but is actually separation-
separation from life. Spiritual death is a separation from spiritual life. But
is not just separation from God’s life and nature but simultaneously, an integration into Satan’s nature.
WHY BORN AGAIN?
Before Adam and his wife Eve started having children, they had already
lost God’s life and nature and had acquired spiritual death-Satan’s nature. It
is with this newly acquired nature they gave birth to their children. Every
human being, including you, was born with spiritual death. The best of human beings
like Nicodemus carried spiritual death in our veins. Once our father Adam
defected from God’s colony and ended up in Satan’s, all his children were born
in Satan’s.
Romans 3:23 For all
have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Romans 6:23 For the
wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ
our Lord.
This is why Jesus says, YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN. Your problem is not the
sins you commit, the problem with you and all humankind is the nature of
spiritual death reigning in us, and this is why we must be reborn to start the
restoration process.
DO YOU CHOOSE TO BE BORN AGAIN TODAY?
If you are reading this post and you have not yet been born again or born of God or have no personal and vibrant relationship and fellowship with God but would like to, please pray this prayer out now:
‘Lord Jesus, I come to you today. I am a sinner, I cannot help myself. Forgive me my sins. Cleanse me with your precious blood. Deliver me from sin and Satan, to serve the living God. Today, Lord Jesus, I accept you as my Lord and my Saviour. Thank you for saving me! Now I know, I am born again!’
If you have prayed this prayer in faith, you are born again, saved, a child of God.
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
1 John 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
Romans 10:9-10 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Acts 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
If you will spend the rest of your days listening and speaking with him by studying the Bible and praying, then your friendship with Christ shall become permanent and intimate.
Let me also encourage you to start reading the bible for yourself. Start by patiently reading the 21 chapters of the Gospel of John in the Bible. It will be of immense help to you.
Kindly let me know of this all-important decision you have made to be born again by emailing me abekahj007@gmail.com
Thank you also for reading and commenting on my previous posts, it gives me great encouragement. Kindly add your name to the comment so I can know. God bless you.
