By the first birth all men are foolish and ignorant. Our second birth is spiritual and makes us spiritual. By our first birth we were polluted and unclean. The second birth is of incorruptible seed. The second birth is of God, and we are born in his image. Second, it means, "You must be born a second time." Your first birth was of sinful parents, and you were born in their image. "Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth" ( James 1:17-18). The word "again" has two meanings.įirst, 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. When our Lord says, "Ye must be born again," his meaning is twofold. It is a work of God beyond our comprehension. It cannot be explained, nor can it be fully understood. Here is A PROFOUND WORD - "Again." The new birth is a mystery of grace. Your only hope is that God the Holy Spirit will give you life. This is what I am saying, you are spiritually dead, helplessly lost by nature. 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. Just as God created the world, God must create life in your soul. When our Lord declares, "Ye must be born again," he is saying you must be the object and recipient of divine power. I am talking to you about the gift of life, eternal life. Here is A POWERFUL WORD - "Born." I am talking to you about a gift but it is not just any ordinary gift.
#Ye must be born again free#
"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." I fully agree with what Martin Luther had to say in this regard. The new birth is something done to you, for you, and in you by God's sovereign, irresistible grace. We believe according to the working of God's mighty power, by the operation of his grace ( Eph. Faith in Christ is not the cause of the new birth. Your imaginary free will cannot raise you from death to life! The new birth is God's work! Not even faith in Christ can accomplish the new birth.
Religious devotion cannot change your nature. Baptism cannot transform an infidel into a Christian. Moral reformation will never make you a new creature. You cannot be born again by something you do ( Tit. He has nothing to do with it ( John 1:12-13). In this matter of regeneration man is passive. A man has no more to do with his spiritual birth than he does with his natural birth. Here is A PASSIVE WORD - "Be." The new birth is not something you do. You will die under the wrath of God! Hell will be your portion forever! "You must be born again!" Otherwise, you will perish in your sins. 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.
I have this word from God for you - "You must be born again." My friend, if you are yet without life toward God, this message is to you. He was totally ignorant of all things spiritual. This was a man of highest rank in the Jewish church. Nicodemus was a preacher who taught preachers. Nicodemus was a teacher who taught the teachers. He was a well respected religious leader, a Pharisee, and a ruler among the Jews. Some of you may even be very well instructed in doctrinal truth. Here is A PERSONAL WORD - "Ye." This message is for you. Listen to these five words, and ask God to give you wisdom and grace to understand what they mean. This is my message to you today, "Ye must be born again!" This is just as necessary and urgent today as it was when it was first stated by the Son of God two thousand years ago. Our Lord's admonition to Nicodemus still stands. Let me begin by telling you that no one has ever been or ever can be born again by doing those things. 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. May God be pleased to make it so for Christ's sake. More importantly, I pray that you will be born again. When you have heard what I have to say in the next five minutes, I want you to understand what the new birth is and how it is accomplished. Therefore, I want to address this vital subject in simple, clear, unmistakable terms. These days, almost everyone talks about being born again but virtually no one knows what the Word of God teaches about the new birth. Ye Must Be Born Again John 3:7 by Don Fortner