The Truth of Being “Born Again”

By R.S. Neaville

Section One: What is Born Again?

What does it really mean to be “born again”? Instead of dealing with all the misinformation and the varying denominational viewpoints let us go straight to the scriptures. The first place the term “born again” is used is in the Gospel of John in a recorded discourse between Jesus himself and a man named Nicodemus.

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.

This Jewish ruler Nicodemus comes to Jesus by night. Two reasons of why he came by night are easily discernable from the scriptures. The first is Nicodemus was a sitting member of the Sanhedrin which is the religious leadership of the Jews. He did not want it known by the others that he was genuinely interested in this Jesus of Nazareth. It would not do his career or reputation any good to be seen with him. The second reason is that Jesus only spoke in parables to the Jewish leaders. It was probable that Nicodemus hoped that being alone with Jesus would encourage him to speak clearly in a way Nicodemus could understand (John 6:10-21).

Nicodemus approached Jesus with flattery. “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.” Jesus did not respond in a way Nicodemus anticipated. Instead Jesus dealt with his need ” Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” This response caught Nicodemus off guard. He simply didn’t understand what Jesus was telling him.

John 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?

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.

It is apparent from the above that Nicodemus was thinking of being born again physically. In other words from his reference to his mother’s womb he was thinking two physical births. Jesus corrects him at this point. Jesus tells him it is not two physical births but rather a physical one and a spiritual one. The term “born of water” makes reference to Nicodemus’s idea of re-entering his mother’s womb. We were all born of water in our physical birth out of our mothers water sack. Jesus assures him that this is not the case. You must be born twice. Born first physically and then spiritually to see God’s kingdom. Hence we all must be born of water AND the spirit. This becomes important later as we can see from the below verses.

John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

God himself is Spirit so to have fellowship with him we must be spiritually alive to him hence the new birth. Jesus went on to explain that this is a nature we are born into. A new nature as children born from above…from heaven. No longer only children from below...earth.

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.

In the above verse Jesus describes the properties of this new nature. People born of the Spirit are like the wind in this respect. You can’t physically see the spiritual change but you can see the physical affected by the change. You may see and hear evidence of the wind but you cannot know where it comes from or where it is going. People of the Spirit are like that. Jesus was like that. He was the first man that was born of God.

Matthew 1: 18. Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

God was his father. God is Spirit. Jesus was not born of Adam but of God. His very nature was that of God before he was planted in the likeness of a man in Mary’s womb.

John 1:

1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2. The same was in the beginning with God.

3. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

4. In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

And….

John1:1. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Jesus was planted as a man in the likeness of a man. He was in this way the only man born of God. Therefore he is referred to as God’s only begotten son. In other words the only Man God ever fathered.

Philippians2: 5. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

6. Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

7. But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

8. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

9. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

10. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

11. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

All other men were born with Adam as their father. All men were only born of fleshly Adam. Jesus was the man that Adam could not produce for all that were born only of Adam (the flesh) were born into sin. Sin is the corrupted nature of Man. This nature cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. Man must be changed into the image of the new man Jesus who has a spiritual nature from above. All must be “born again”.

Romans 5: 19. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

1 Corinthians 15: 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

22. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

1 Corinthians 15:44. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

45. And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

46. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.

47. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.

48. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.

49. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

50. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption

Jesus spoke to the Jewish leaders of this. As he told Nicodemus that the child born of God is like the wind; you do not know where he comes from or where he is going. Flesh and blood alone cannot know. This knowledge is not something flesh and blood can figure out. It must be revealed from Heaven. It was that way with Jesus who was born from above.

John 3: 31. He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.

32. And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony.

33. He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.

34. For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.

35. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.

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.

John 8: 14. Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go.

15. Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man.

16. And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.

17. It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true.

18. I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.

19. Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.

20. These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come.

21. Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.

22. Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come.

23. And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.

John6: 35. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

36. But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.

37. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

38. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

39. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

40. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

41. The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.

42. And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?

You can see clearly from the above verses that those of the flesh did not know who Jesus was and that he was the man from heaven. They neither knew where he came from nor where he was going. Like the wind; so it is with everyone born of the Spirit. This is the new birth we must participate in to see the Kingdom of God. We enter in to this new nature and this new birth through faith in Jesus whom God sent from above.

John 1: 10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

11. He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

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:

13. Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

14. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

1Peter1: 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,

4. To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

5. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

1Peter 1: 18. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

19. But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

20. Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

21. Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

22. Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

23. Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

24. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:

25. But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

Section One Review Questions

Why did Nicodemus come to Jesus by night?
What kind of birth did Jesus reveal to Nicodemus?
Adam was our father in the birth of flesh. Who is our father in the new Birth?
What does it mean to be Born of water and the Spirit? Discuss this with the class.
According to John in Chapter 3:31 Where was Jesus from?

Section Two: Why the New Birth is Necessary

The problem is sin. Sin is more than just what you do in that it causes the sins that you do. It is the nature of all those born of Adam in sin. It is a nature of corruption. It all started back in the Garden of Eden with the first man and woman. When mankind was created he was created uncorrupted but not incorruptible. This is apparent by his later corruption. Satan deceived Adam and Eve and they disobeyed God. By this disobedience they were cut off from God and his fellowship. God cannot commune with corruption. He is holy.

To use a simile Man was the apple and God was the tree. As long as the apple abode in the tree it was nourished and grew but when the tree flung its fruit the fruit began to rot or corrupt. It could no longer be nourished or renewed. This is the nature of sin. It is the consequence of being separated from God. Adam and Eve in disobeying God and eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil effectively removed themselves from God’s fellowship even as the removed the fruit from the tree. They cut themselves off from God’s life in them. They went from a dependence on God to provide for them and to nourish them and to make good decisions for them all the way to making bad decisions for themselves. When creation cannot receive from creator it corrupts. It becomes a perversion of what it was meant to be. Man was created to serve God and to depend on God. When man serves himself it is perversion. When man depends on himself it is calamity. Man is shortsighted. We cannot choose wisely apart from God.

Genesis 3

1. Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

2. And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:

3. But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

4. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

5. For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

6. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

7. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

8. And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.

9. And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

10. And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

11. And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?

12. And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.

13. And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

14. And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

15. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

16. Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

17. And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

18. Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;

19. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

It is easy to see how man has fared apart from God. Death is not a natural part of life; it is a natural part of corruption. It is a natural end to sin.

Romans 5:12. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

13. (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

14. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.

Romans6:23. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

This all brings us to the nature of man in his creation. Man was created to be a living soul comprised of a physical part and a spiritual part. It takes body and a spirit together to make a living being.

Genesis 2:7. And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

8. And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.

9. And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

Man was created with a body and a spirit. It takes both to make you a living soul. Man’s Spirit had as its main purpose to commune with God. This was how we were able to walk with him in his guidance and will because he is a Spirit. When man sinned he was cut off from that communion of the spirit so that he became dependant on his own thinking and effort without any exchange of information with God. Without God to guide him man lived in ignorance and his thinking became corrupt. That is what evil is. Evil is simply something good that became perverted. Apart from fellowship with the creator creation becomes evil. Then the body which is the part of you that is perishable begins to corrupt as well. This is how sin works. It starts in the inside and works its way to the outside to bring forth its end which is death. People who are living without the guidance and nourishment of the spirit that comes from fellowship with God are only living according to the flesh. Spiritually they are already dead. Physically they will die in time. So it was with Adam and so it is with us his children. We all die as a consequence of the sin nature. Adam died spiritually the moment he disobeyed. He died physically at the age of 930 years which is just 70 years short of a full day with God.

Genesis2:15. And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

16. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:

17. 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.

Genesis 3: 19. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Genesis5:5. And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.

Psalms 90: 4. For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.

2Peter 3: 8. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

Now Adam did not have children till after he fell. All his offspring were born in sin and its corruption. We are all born now according to the flesh. Spiritually we are cut off from God and physically we are wasting away. As Jesus told Nicodemus:

John3:6. 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.

Romans 5:17. For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

18. Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

19. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

20. Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

20. That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

God told us the truth of our situation when he gave the law to Moses. The law is the Ten Commandments and the 613 ordinances found in the first five books of the bible, also called the Pentateuch and also called the books of Moses. In it are God’s requirements of a man. (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy) Adam knew what it was like to walk with God but his children did not. His children’s children did not and so on. Man in his ignorant state of corruption did not know that death was not natural. He did not know that his nature was corrupt. Being cut off from fellowship with God who is the source of truth. So God in his mercy gave us a source of truth that was outside of that fellowship we had lost. It was written in stone. He gave us the Law through Moses. It is by this law we can identify sin in us. Without communing with God or the knowing the law we cannot understand the concept of sin. Sin is in all of us and is killing all of us. Death is not natural. It is the result of a perverted corrupt nature. It is the written law that tells us this. We only know sin by the law.

Romans 5: 12. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

13. (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

14. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.

Romans 7: 7. What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

The Law shows us our sin nature but not as a nature. Man is blind to spiritual things and so he cannot see the nature of sin. But we can see it demonstrated physically in what we do that is corrupt. For example the law tells us to covet is sin. We try not to covet to please God. Through this we find that we cannot stop coveting. The act of coveting is labeled as a sin or transgression of the law. The penalty of death is added in the law to show us that the nature that causes us to covet will kill us eventually. The sacrifices of the law in which animals were offered tell us we cannot justify ourselves by this law but that a justification of innocent blood can be paid to redeem us from sin. Just like the act of sin shows us our true nature the blood of bulls and goats show God’s provision. His dear son sacrificed for you. Innocent blood is shed to cleanse you of guilt and restore your communion to God. You cannot please God of yourself or the righteous requirements of the law but Jesus can please God in your place. He was not born of Adam but of God. It is by being adopted into his clean nature that you escape the corruption of Adam’s. You are “born again.”

1Peter 1: 23. Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

24. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:

24. But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

Romans 8

1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

2. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

3. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

4. That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

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.

6. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

7. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

8. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

9. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

10. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

11. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

We have much more to say about the law, and sin. This will be dealt with in another chapter. For now, let us deal with basics and how a person may be “born again”.

Section Two Review Questions

1. Is sin at its root a nature or an act?

2. What caused sin in Mankind?

3. Can mankind deliver himself from sin? Discuss this with the class.

4. What shows us our sin nature and therefore our need for redemption?

5. How does man find the Truth? Is it in his nature or must it be revealed?

Section Three: How to be Born Again

We are looking for the salvation of our souls. This is being born again. Remember we are living souls.

Genesis2: 7. And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

1 Corinthians15: 45. And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

46. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.

47. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.

It takes both body and spirit to be a living soul. It is not just our spirits that are redeemed. It is our bodies as well but everything in its order. Remember there was almost a thousand years in between the time Adam was spiritually cut off and the time his body died. There is a similar span of time for us in reverse. Our spirits are redeemed through faith immediately but we wait patiently for the resurrection of our bodies. Righteousness works like sin. As Adam’s sin started in the spirit and then worked its way to be manifested in death to the body so righteousness too starts in the heart or the spirit and is manifested in the body through the resurrection of the dead. Sin is a nature that produces acts of sin. Righteousness is a nature that produces acts of righteousness.

At this point we need to understand some things about the soul. The soul is merely the union of you body and spirit. It is the agreement or covenant to walk in agreement or to be in union as one. It is the marriage if you will of body and spirit as one. Compare the following verses.

Genesis 2: 24. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

Genesis2: 7. And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Notice the similarity? Man and women together are a picture of the soul. Man like the spirit is to have headship. The body like the woman should be in submission to the man. In the sin nature man pleases his flesh like the Adam pleased his wife instead of God. Remember it is a perversion for a servant to please himself. The spirit is in bondage to the flesh’s desires in the corrupt soul (marriage,agreement) with Adam. This agreement in sin or the soul of Adam must be destroyed. We see this through the law.

Romans 7:14. For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.

15. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.

16. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.

17. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

18. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

19. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

20. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

21. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

22. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

23. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

24. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

25. I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

When a sinner finds himself trying to please God by keeping his commandments he fails. This is a necessary evil. This shows us that in the sinful nature; the very soul of Adam, that we cannot please God. The spirit is willing but unable to disobey its master. The law causes a disagreement in us between our spirits and flesh. But even though our spirits want to serve God we find through the law we are in bondage to the flesh and its desires. The law can show us our bondage to sin but it cannot free us. That is why God sent us his son to be a sacrifice for our sin; to free us from the corrupt union or soul of Adam. First he redeems our spirits back to communion with him through faith in Christ’s sacrifice. Then our bodies are redeemed through the resurrection of the dead. When the body dies the sin nature dies too. Then the body can be redeemed without the sin nature and be clean.

Romans 8

1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

2. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

3. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

4. That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

1Peter 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,

4. To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

5. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

6. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:

7. That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

8. Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

9. Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

This is the new birth. We are born of the Spirit now and born of God if we have accepted Jesus in faith as the payment for our sin. It is our nature renewed. Not renewed back to Adam’s garden nature but to the nature of the one above. We gain more than Adam ever had. Our communion with God is restored in us because he gives us of his own nature through his son. This is what we have now through faith in Christ; his spirit joined with ours through faith in his sacrifice. It is a communion Adam never had. It is Not God outside of us but now inside of us. First the communion of the Spirit is restored then the body in its turn when Jesus comes back. Then the whole soul will be saved or redeemed or adopted…or “born again”

Ephesians 1: 13. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

14. Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

2 Corinthians 5

1. For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

2. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:

3. If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.

4. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.

5. Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.

Philippians 3: 20. For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

21. Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

Romans 8: 21. Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

22. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

23. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

24. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

25. But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

So we see that as Christians what we have now we have through faith. It is a restored communion with God by his spirit in us. The fullness of our redemption or salvation is the resurrection of the dead. What do you have to do to have a part in this communion and to share in this hope of immortality? To be born again? Simply ask in faith and receive it. Repent of your former life. Acknowledge to God and man the truth that Jesus rose from the dead as the scriptures proclaim. Count yourself dead with Jesus to the flesh, and so alive with Jesus in his resurrection. If you ask him he will come in to you and restore what Adam has lost. He will give you the hope of immortality! He will adopt you in to the family of the spirit.

Ephesians 3:11. According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

12. In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

13. Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.

14. For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

15. Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

16. That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

Romans 10: 4. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

5. For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.

6. But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)

7. Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)

8. But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;

9. 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.

10. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

11. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

12. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.

12. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

John1:12. 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:

13. Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

13. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

We must lay our lives down in the flesh to take up our lives with him in the Spirit through the hope of the resurrection. We must die as far as the flesh to live by the Spirit.

Romans 6

1. What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

2. God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

3. Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

4. Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

5. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

6. Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

7. For he that is dead is freed from sin.

8. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:

9. Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.

10. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.

10. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 8: 9. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

10. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

11. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

12. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

13. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

We submit ourselves to God who purchased us from among men with his own son’s blood. You were bought with a price. If you believe this you can be born again. You can enter into heaven by the Spirit and come to have fellowship with the living God and he will change not just your actions but also your very nature. He will cleanse your Spirit and also your body through the resurrection of the dead. Just ask him and pray about the truths you find in this book. It is God who will confirm it in your heart. Remember this though; this is only the beginning and not the end. Continue in him as you receive him; in faith and repentance. Get water baptized. It is a command of Jesus. It is how we acknowledge to the world that Jesus now owns us. Look for the coming chapter on baptism.

Colossians1:10. That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

11. Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;

12. Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

13. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

15. In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of

sins:

So this is how a person who wants to be born again must respond to the Gospel message. The Gospel is the “good news’ that a man through faith in Christ Jesus can be saved from his sin and death. He can be “born again”. First he must repent and ask forgiveness of his sin. Repentance is a turning way from our way and a turning toward God and his way. He must believe that Jesus died for his sin and ask to be adopted by the Spirit into Jesus and his eternal life. He must believe in his heart that God raised Jesus from the dead and confess the Lord Jesus with his mouth. All who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. It is only the name of Jesus that is given to all men that they may be saved. If a man will do this God’s Spirit will come into his heart and live there changing his very nature through that communion with God through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.

Romans 10:8. But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;

9. 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.

10. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

11. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

12. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.

16. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

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:

13. Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Revelation 3:20. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Matthew10: 32. Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.

33. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

Section Three Review Questions

1. Who needs to be Born Again?

2. Can man please God without the new birth? Discuss this with the class.

3. What is the soul?

4. Who paid for Man’s sin?

5. What must one do to be Born Again?

Get more studies and audio studies by R.S.Neaville At: http://propheticjournal.net

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Discerning God's plan, pattern, and propriety by the leading of the Holy Spirit through Scripture