The New Birth - Part 9

What Does it Mean to Believe?

John 3:14, 15 – “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.  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.”

Arriving now at the most popular passage in the Bible, John 3:16, let us examine the words closely and carefully.  We are clearly told by Christ Himself, “whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  Here, it is plain that believing in Jesus Christ brings salvation.  But what does it mean to believe?  Allow me to look at, first, what believing IS NOT; and second, what believing IS.

“Believing in Jesus Christ” is NOT Believing in God’s Existence

When dealing with the lost, I have had people repeatedly tell me, “Oh, I believe in God.”  Believing in God’s existence is not what the scripture means by believing IN Jesus Christ, or believing ON Jesus Christ.  Notice:

James 2:19 – “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.”

As far as the existence of God is concerned, the devils believe, but they are lost both now and forever:

Jude 6 – “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.”

The devils believe in God’s existence; yet they are reserved for the judgment of God.  Simply believing that God exists does not produce salvation.

“Believing in Jesus Christ” is NOT Believing that Jesus Died on the Cross

Still yet, there are those who adamantly declare that they are ready for heaven because they accept the historical fact of Christ’s death upon the cross.  Again, the Bible is clear that the devil believes that Jesus died!  Every devil in hell saw the crucifixion of Christ take place, and was spoiled by it; yet every devil is lost!

Colossians 2:13-15 – “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers [devils], he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”

When Christ died upon the cross, He made a show of principalities and powers, triumphing over them.  The devil himself was there when Jesus died upon the cross.  He witnessed the fulfillment of every scripture prophesying Christ’s humiliation.  The devil was spoiled at the cross!  “Spoiled” is a war term.  When the scriptures declare that the devil was spoiled, this means that the devil lost a war at the cross of Jesus Christ, and Christ openly showed that Satan was a defeated foe!  Of course Satan believes that Jesus died upon the cross, for that is the very place where Satan lost the war.  Yet, Satan is as unconverted as he can be.  You can believe in the historical fact of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and still be lost.

“Believing in Jesus Christ” is NOT Obeying God’s Law

Now we come to the other extreme in people’s interpretation of “believing in Christ.”  While some think that believing in Jesus Christ is equivalent to believing in His existence, or believing in the historical fact of His death upon the cross, there are others, however, who go to the other extreme.  They say things like, “Believing is obeying;” and “Faith is action.”  They attest that one must obey God’s laws to be saved.  That, they say, is the true meaning of the Biblical word, “believe.”  They will read you a verse that speaks of believing on Christ to be saved; then they turn to James 2, where James says, “Faith without works is dead.”  Therefore, they conclude that believing on Christ is synonymous with obeying the law of God. The Bible, however, plainly shows that we are justified by believing (or, by faith), and that this faith is completely apart from the law.

Romans 3:20-22 – “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference.”

Romans 3:28 – “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.”

Galatians 2:16 – “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”

Galatians 2:19 – “For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.”

Galatians 2:21 – “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”

Galatians 3:11 – “But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.”

Galatians 3:21 – “Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.”

Clearly, the Bible teaches that when we believe, or place our faith, in Jesus Christ, this act is completely apart from the law.  Therefore, “believing in Jesus Christ” is not the same as “obeying the law of God.”  You can obey God’s moral laws, and burn in a devil’s hell. 

So, What is “Believing in Jesus Christ”?

Having seen a few things that believing in Christ IS NOT, I will now discuss what such belief IS.  In this post, I have used the terms, “believing” and “faith” interchangeably.  When the Bible speaks of “believing in Christ,” it is speaking of us placing our faith in Christ.  There are verses that show this plainly.

Galatians 2:16 – “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by THE FAITH of Jesus Christ, even WE HAVE BELIEVED IN JESUS CHRIST, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”

Romans 3:22 – “Even the righteousness of God which is by FAITH OF JESUS CHRIST unto all and upon ALL THEM THAT BELIEVE: for there is no difference.”

Without a doubt, the scriptures use the terms, “believing in, or on, Jesus Christ” interchangeably with “faith.”

And that is what the scriptures mean by believing IN, or ON, Jesus Christ.  When you believe in Christ, you are not merely believing about Christ; you are not merely affirming historical facts regarding Christ; but you are placing your faith in Christ.  Placing your faith in someone means that you are TRUSTING them. 

Picture this.  I am standing in front of a chair.  You ask me to have a seat.  I continue to stare at the chair.  You ask me again to have a seat.  I respond by saying, “Oh, I believe that if I were to sit down, the chair would hold me up.”  But I keep standing.  When I finally make the decision to sit down, then and only then am I trusting the chair to hold me up.  Many today look at Christ’s work upon the cross, and they say, “Oh, I believe Jesus died on the cross.”  But they are as lost as they can be.  On March 13, 1994, I believed on Jesus Christ completely and exclusively for salvation.  I completely trusted Him and Him alone to save me.  I am trusting Jesus Christ in such a way that the only way I could possibly be lost is if the blood that He shed upon the cross to save me was not enough.  I was baptized in water on April 24, 1994.  But I am not trusting my baptism in water to save me.  If you are trusting the fact that you have been baptized to save you, then you are not believing in Jesus Christ for salvation, and you are therefore lost and on your way to hell.  If you are trusting in church membership, sacraments, law-keeping, commandment-keeping, how much you pray, how much you fast, or anything other than Christ’s work upon the cross to save you, then you are lost at this very moment.  Believe in Jesus Christ today; trust Him completely to save you.  The moment that you let go and cease to trust anything else, and completely place yourself at the mercy of Jesus Christ, He will save you that very moment.  Trust Him now!

The New Birth - Part 8

What Masters Miss

John 3:10 – “Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?”

Matthew 11:25 – “At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.”

Continuing our brief study of the third chapter of John, we find that Nicodemus is struggling to believe Christ’s words admonishing him to be born again.  Though he is hungry for truth, Nicodemus is struggling to grasp what Christ is declaring to him.  Here is a master of Israel; a teacher of the law; a well-studied Pharisee; and yet he struggles at the simple command, “Ye must be born again!” 

Allow me to begin by saying that there is no reason for the well educated to be left out of God’s plan.  If you are an intelligent person, then the gospel of Jesus Christ is for you.  No intellectual would be disappointed by giving his life to Christ.  There are depths in God’s word that are so deep that the wisest of Bible commentators cannot seize them all.  And at the same time, a second grader can understand enough about the word of God to be saved from his sin.  I am sure that I study far less than many of my peers.  But I do study.  I find few things as thrilling as digging in the word of God to see what it says regarding Biblical truth.  Yet, the more I study, the more I am amazed at the depth of the word of God.  I have read passages over and over, and find jewels every time I read them.  That is the way the word of God is!  I’ve thumbed through the Koran and the Book of Mormon a few times, and I have yet to find anything deep in either one.  The Bible is far superior to any other so-called “holy book!” 

Nicodemus was not only a religious man, but he was also an intelligent man.  Our Lord referred to him as “a master of Israel.”  Masters, in most cases, like to reveal what they know; Nicodemus, a master of Israel, is revealing what he does not know.  He is a master, yet he struggles at the thought of being born again.  I am amazed how those who you think would grasp the truths of God’s word are the ones who often miss it.  On the other hand, those who you think would incapable of grasping the truth are the ones who take it readily.  The book of John records a few of these instances.  Let us look at a few of them.

The Woman at the Well

In this familiar story found in the fourth chapter of John, Jesus finds himself resting upon a well of Samaria.  Behold, here comes a woman to the well in the middle of the day.  Jesus begins talking to this woman.  To make a lengthy story shorter, Christ offers this woman LIVING WATER.  Immediately, she takes the water from the well of God’s grace.  She was not a Jew.  Her knowledge of the writings of Moses was minimal.  Her knowledge of Christ and His teachings was insignificant, to say the least.  Yet, when Christ offered her the living waters of salvation, she immediately received it with joy.

John 4:28-30 – “The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.”

This woman did not need a commentary on what Christ said; she simply received the words of our Lord. 

Immediately after the woman at the well received the living waters of salvation, the disciples came to the well because they had gone into the city to buy food.  The disciples offer Jesus some of the food they had bought.  Refusing their offer, the Lord informs them, “I have meat to eat that ye know not of.”  Jesus had just spoken to a heathen woman about the wells of salvation, and she grasped it immediately.  Now, Jesus is speaking to his religious disciples; he is talking to men who have heard him teach; he is speaking to men who saw the water turn into wine.  Surely, they know what Jesus is talking about when He says, “I have meat to eat that ye know not of.”  Surely, they know that He is not talking about steak and baked potatoes.  However, when Christ declares that He has meat to eat that they don’t know about, they miss it! 

John 4:31-33 – “In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?”

What the heathen woman grasped so easily, the religious disciples missed just as easily!  Jesus had to explain to them what He meant.

John 4:34 – “Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.”

The Multitude on the Shore

In the sixth chapter of John, we find our Lord speaking to a multitude of people on the seashore.  Immediately, without explanation, they receive the words of our Lord, declaring to Him, “Evermore give us this bread!”

John 6:33, 34 – “For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.”

Wasn’t that simple?  Christ said, “I have bread;” and the multitude, who had never heard anything like that before, said, “Evermore give us this bread!”  Wouldn’t it be good if everyone received it this easily? 

In the same chapter, however, Christ speaks to His disciples about bread from heaven.  If a heathen multitude on the shore can understand, one would be convinced that Christ’s own disciples would get it.  But do they understand?

John 6:58-60 – “This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever. These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum. Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?”

The response of the religious disciples was, “This is an hard saying!”  A hard saying?  It wasn’t hard for the heathen multitude who had never heard it!  I have the hardest time getting the message of salvation across to religious lost people.  Then, I turn around and give the same message to a hardened sinner who has seldom, if ever, darkened the door of any church whatsoever.  It is often them that receive the message of salvation the easiest.

Nicodemus was a master of Israel, but could not grasp, at this point, the message of being born again.  Just because they are religious is no indication that they are receiving the truths of God’s word.

The New Birth - Part 7

Disbelief vs. Unbelief

John 3:9 – “Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?”

Never in the workings of man or the miracles of God has there been a phenomenon as miraculous as the new birth!  Upon hearing, first, of its necessity; and second, of its inability to be explained, Nicodemus answers with this logical question: “How can these things be?”  At this point, Nicodemus is struggling with doubt.  He is having trouble believing.  It appears that Nicodemus desires to believe, but is having some difficulty.  The problem with Nicodemus is disbelief, not unbelief.  Disbelief, or doubt, is a struggling attempt to believe while falling short of believing; unbelief, on the other hand, is an outright refusal to believe.  It is unbelief that damns the soul.  Often, the Holy Ghost will deal with the doubting, disbelieving soul.  It is the soul tainted with unbelief that insults a holy God.  I love what Henry Drummond states concerning doubt and unbelief in his sermon Dealing with Doubt –

“Christ never failed to distinguish between doubt and unbelief.  Doubt is ‘CAN’T BELIEVE;’ unbelief is ‘WON’T BELIEVE.’  Doubt is honesty; unbelief is obstinacy.  Doubt is looking for light; unbelief is content with darkness.”*

Nicodemus is questioning Christ by asking, “How can these things be?”  Is Nicodemus in a state of disbelief; or is Nicodemus in a repulsive condition of unbelief? 

In our Bible, we have a story where two Bible characters questioned an angel by asking the same question Nicodemus asked – “How can these things be?”  One Bible character was answered respectfully; the other was punished for questioning the angel, who proclaimed the word of God.  The story to which I allude is found in the first chapter of Luke.  The angel Gabriel appears first to Zacharias in the temple.  Gabriel tells Zacharias that he and his wife Elisabeth would bear a son in their old age.  Let us look at the response of Zacharias:

Luke 1:18 – “And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.”

Plainly, Zacharias responded to Gabriel by questioning him.  Now, let us look at the next verse to see what happens next.

Luke 1:19, 20 – “And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.”

Zacharias was punished for questioning Gabriel with the words, “Whereby shall I know this?”  He was to be dumb until the child was born.

In the same chapter, we are told that Gabriel, the same angel that visited Zacharias, visited Mary.  Gabriel tells Mary that she would conceive and bring forth a son.  There was only one problem – Mary was a virgin.  Let us look at Mary’s response:

Luke 1:34 – “Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?”

Mary questions Gabriel, just as Zacharias questioned Gabriel.  Mary, however, was not punished for questioning the angel, as Zacharias was.  In the next verse, we find that Gabriel simply answers Mary’s question respectfully.  There is no sign of rebuke in Gabriel’s response to Mary’s questioning.

Luke 1:35 – “And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.”

The question now looming is this: “Why was Zacharias punished for questioning Gabriel, while Mary was not punished for questioning the same angel?”  The answer is this: The all-seeing eye of Almighty God can see further than just the question; He can see the spirit behind the question.  He knows if your question to Him is one of disbelief or one of unbelief.  He knows whether you CAN’T BELIEVE, or WON’T BELIEVE.  Mary was asking a sincere question, while Zacharias thought the angel’s proclamation laughable.  Mary was trying to believe; Zacharias wouldn’t believe. 

When Nicodemus asked Christ how these things could be, it was a sincere question, as Nicodemus was earnestly seeking Christ.  We have already seen that Nicodemus was so hungry for God that he approached Christ at night.  He could not wait until dawn; he had to be satisfied NOW!  Anyone questioning the Lord from the depths of a hungry heart will find that Christ will continue to deal with them.  And that is exactly what Christ did – He continued to deal with Nicodemus. 

SO WE CONTINUE…

*Drummond, Henry.  Dealing with Doubt.  Taken from Classic Sermons on Faith and Doubt by Warren W. Wiersbe.  Kregal Publications.  ©1985.

The New Birth - Part 6

The New Birth is the Lord’s Doing!

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.”

Psalm 118:23 – “This is the LORD’S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.”

The New Birth is Unexplainable

Having looked at the first seven verses of the third chapter of John, it now behooves us to examine the eighth.  Here, the Lord uses an illustration of nature to describe how that the new birth is unexplainable.  One may as well describe the wind as to explain the experience of a man being born again.  The subject of the wind is meteorological, and most people in our society are well aware that the weather is not predicted accurately on a consistent basis, to say the least.  So it is with the new birth!  Man cannot predict WHEN it will occur; for it often occurs in the least expected of times.  Man cannot foretell WHO will be born again; for many times it is the least likely of individuals who are saved by the grace of God.  Man is incapable of determining WHERE a person may experience the blessed born-again experience; for lost souls have found saving grace at altars in churches, in automobiles, on jobsites, in living rooms, on street corners, in cornfields, and in many other unsuspected places.  No one is competent enough to predetermine the SORTS of individuals who become born again – for this born-again bunch is composed of pauper as well as the wealthy; the bankrupt as well as the banker; the janitor as well as the judge; the defamed as well as the distinguished.  The various backgrounds of born-again believers are derived from all walks of life – atheists have come to the common sense of salvation; third-generation drunkards have staggered their way to God, finding new life in Christ; coldhearted, abortionist murderers have repented of their murders and have found the grace of God to be sufficient for them; sportsmen, businessmen, convicts, drug dealers, and prostitutes have found their way to God.  Muslims have had their eyes opened to the Jesus Christ, the King of the Jews; Buddhists have confessed Christ as the Saviour; there have even been professing Christians who saw that they had not been born again, who have trusted Christ to completely save them from their sins.  Americans, Africans, Asians, Europeans, and individuals from every tribe, nation, and ethnic group under the heaven will join together in unison, declaring that they have been redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ.  The new birth, in many aspects, is unexplainable. 

The New Birth is Undeniable

While the miracle of the birth is unexplainable, it is yet undeniable.  Like the wind, which no man can consistently and accurately predict, the new birth contains many aspects that cannot be explained.  These aspects, however, in spite of our inability to explain them, cannot be denied.  While there are many things about the wind we cannot describe, who will walk through New Orleans and defy the fact that the winds of Hurricane Katrina have passed through that city?  Who among the readers of this post will go to Joplin and tell those residents that there have been no stormy winds within those city limits?  While we cannot see the wind; while we cannot consistently and accurately predict the wind; we cannot deny that stormy winds have passed through our acreage. 

So it is with the new birth!  While we cannot explain many of its aspects, neither can we deny its powerful ability to change lives!  I know people personally, who were drinking alcohol when they were born again, and never took another drink!  I know people personally, whose marriages were on the brink of divorce, when they found the Prince of Peace, resulting in the reconstruction of their broken marriage.  I know people personally, who were drug dealers, but when Christ found them, He instantly gave them a new life!  While a person of reason cannot explain the new birth, he can neither deny it!

The New Birth is the Work of God

“The wind bloweth where it listeth!”  There is one remarkable attribute of the wind – man has absolutely nothing to do with it!  “So is every one that is born of the Spirit!”  In all our technological advances, man is still helpless in controlling winds, waves, and weather.  All we can do with regard to coming storms is prepare for them; we cannot stop them! 

I am amazed at how much is INCLUDED in God’s great plan of salvation.  He included justification, redemption, imputation of righteousness, peace with God, adoption, regeneration, forgiveness of sins, joy unspeakable, a friend in Jesus, a place in the body of Christ, and a promise of never being forsaken by Him!  However, there are times when we get so preoccupied with declaring what is INCLUDED in salvation that we forget to mention what is EXCLUDED from the plan of salvation!  Look at what the scripture declares:

Romans 3:24-27 – “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. WHERE IS BOASTING THEN?  IT IS EXCLUDED. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.”

Ephesians 2:8, 9 – “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, LEST ANY MAN SHOULD BOAST.”

“Where is boasting then?  It is excluded!”  When you are born again, it is completely His work, and it is the result of nothing you have done.  I have heard people brag about their sinlessness, declaring that it is their sinlessness that has saved them.  This is not the salvation of the Bible!  I read a man’s post on Facebook, where he bragged about going twenty-seven years without committing a single sin.  A woman commented on his post, stating that it has been seven years since she committed a sin!  Others boast that they have been baptized in Jesus’ name, and they are trusting in their baptismal experience to save them!  This is not the salvation of the Bible!  Others boast in their good works and sacraments!  This is not the salvation of the Bible!  In the salvation of the Bible, Jesus Christ is solely the Saviour.  Our works do not help Him save us!  Our method of baptism does not help Him save us!  I am saved by God’s grace, and there is not one square of inch of room for me to boast of anything, other than what Jesus did on the cross to save me!  The Lord made sure that when He saved us, He left boasting out of it completely!  We have nothing to boast of; we simply trust what Christ did, believing solely upon Him.  This is not our work, or our doing; it is the Lord’s doing!

John 6:29 – “Jesus answered and said unto them, This is THE WORK OF GOD, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.”

Ephesians 2:8-10 – “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are HIS WORKMANSHIP, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

Philippians 1:6 – “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

Philippians 2:13 – “For IT IS GOD WHICH WORKETH in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”

If you believe that you are saved because anything of which you can boast, then dear reader, you need to be born again!

ANOTHER POST PENDING...

The New Birth - Part 5

The Miraculous Nature of the New Birth

John 3:4-7 – “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? 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. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.”

Birth is a miracle.  In my travels, young couples have many times allowed me to hold their infant.  Every time I hold someone’s baby, I think of the miracle of life.  When holding a precious baby, I cannot understand how any human being can so heartless as to be pro-abortion.  To carry out a premeditated plan to stop the beating of a human heart is murder in our courts, unless the victim is a defenseless, helpless child in the womb.  If you believe in a woman’s right to have her baby murdered, you are considered an “intellectual.”  Those who believe in such stupid nonsense call themselves progressive; and they are!  They are progressing into a sick, disgusting, repulsive, sickening, ghastly, nauseating monster!  Each time I hold a baby, I cannot escape from confronting the truth of the miracle of birth.  It is a miracle how that, from a single cell, a complex little body with functioning organs can be formed inside the womb.  It is miraculous to think how a baby, very early in its development in the womb, can feel pain, move, and even sense the mood of his or her mother.  While physicians can understand how a baby is formed, there is much regarding the baby in the womb and his or her birth that is unknown even to the physician.  Birth in itself is miraculous.

The virgin birth of Jesus Christ is miraculous.  It is appalling that the intellectuals will deny the virgin birth of our Lord.  They say that it is not scientifically possible for a human being to have a human mother, but not a human father.  Then, they’ll turn around and teach that the first human had apes for parents!  It only goes to show that liberalism is hypocrisy on every level.  Yes, I believe in the miraculous event of the virgin birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In addition to birth in general and the virgin birth of our Lord, the Bible records miraculous births.  John the Baptist was a miracle baby.  He was born of Zacharias and Elizabeth, both of whom were very elderly.  Isaac was a miracle baby, being born of elderly parents as well.  I believe in the miracle births recorded within the pages of God’s holy Word.

The phenomenon of a man being born again is also miraculous!  Nicodemus heard the cure for lost mankind from the lips of the Saviour – “Ye must be born again!”  Upon hearing this, he immediately began to rationalize the cure.  “How can a man be born when he is old,” he asked.  “Can he go into his mother’s womb and be born a second time?”  Now, understand this, dear reader, that if Jesus had been speaking of a physical second birth, that occurrence would certainly be miraculous.  But, Christ is not speaking of being born physically the second time.  We are already born of the flesh, and that’s what got us into trouble!  Jesus is speaking of our spirit, which is dead in trespasses and sins, being born again!  That is why He tells Nicodemus, “That which born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”  It would undoubtedly be miraculous if we crawled into our mother’s womb and were born physically a second time; but Jesus Christ is speaking of something much more miraculous than that. 

When a lost man is born again, the miracles that take place in that man’s life are astounding!  Let us look briefly at a couple of these miracles.

The Miracle of a New Creation

II Corinthians 5:17 – “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

This is a miracle I have witnessed many times.  I have seen men and women who were bound by drugs and/or alcohol get immediate deliverance!  I can name families that were on the brink of destruction; I have witnessed marriages on the edge of the cliff of divorce; but in one moment’s time, someone in the family came to Christ, and Christ took the pieces and put them back together!  I have seen it!  You came too late to tell me it doesn’t work; I have seen it!  There’s no debate over whether or not it works.  You either believe the evidence, or you do not!  It is an amazing miracle how God can take the lowest of the low, and give them new life! 

The Miracle of Justification

Romans 5:1 – “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Justification, as I have stated many times, is a legal term, meaning, “to declare one to be righteous.”  It is a declaration that one is not guilty.  But, it is infinitely more than that!  When a man is justified by God, God Almighty sees that man as having never sinned, and as always having the righteousness of Jesus Christ!  No wonder the songwriter said it this way:

Born of the Spirit with life from above

Into God’s family divine,

Justified fully through Calvary’s love,

O what a standing is mine!*

It is a miracle that one, whose life is full of sin, can be justified in the sight of a holy, righteous, just God.  It is only made possible that Christ’s righteousness can be placed upon me because my sins were placed upon Him, and He died to pay the penalty thereof.  What a miracle!

*John Willard Peterson

TO BE CONTINUED…

The New Birth - Part 4

Ye Must Be Born Again!

As we have seen in the third chapter of John, Nicodemus was religious; his religion did not satisfy him; he even admitted the right things; but he was still in his sins.  Now we come to an important question.  What was Nicodemus missing?  Jesus answers this question concisely.  After Nicodemus admitted the right things concerning our Lord, Christ did not even acknowledge his admissions.  Let us look again at verse three:

John 3:2 – “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.”

Immediately after Nicodemus made the correct admissions concerning Christ’s advent from heaven, Christ did not so much as make a single remark regarding his comments.  Immediately, Christ cuts to the chase and gets to the root of the problem.

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.”

Being born again is the answer.  It is the missing ingredient in Nicodemus’ religious recipe.  You may be religious; you may be even be a religious leader.  You may conduct services, perform sacraments, do good deeds, and all the rest of it.  But if you have not been born again, you are lost and hell-bound!

God’s Examination of Man

Men and women today boast of their religious accomplishments.  If you were to ask the next ten people how to go to heaven, I am sure you would get ten different answers.  Some think that because they haven’t done anything too bad, they are sure to have a home in heaven.  Some think that because they are good to their neighbors and try to help people, that they are sure to go to heaven.  Some think that since there are hypocrites in church, they will be assured a place in heaven. 

But when God examines lost, unregenerate mankind, he does not see a basically good picture.  When man is laid out on God’s examining table, God looks closely at the specimen.  He lifts up the hands and says, “His hands shed innocent blood.”  He looks at the feet and says, “His feet are swift in running to mischief.”  He pulls back the eyelids and says, “There is no fear of God before his eyes.”  He looks under the lips and says, “The poison of asps is under his lips.”  He beholds the mouth says, “His mouth is full of bitterness and cursing.”  He views the tongue and says, “With his tongues he has used deceit.”  Observing even further, He looks at the throat and says, “His throat is an open sepulchre.”  Then, God listens to the heart of mankind and finds that the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked!  This is what God sees in unsaved mankind.  It is laughable that some ministers teach that man is basically neutral.  That’s not what God said!  Mankind is in sin!  Conceived in sin and shaped in iniquity!  That’s what God said in Psalm 51:5.  Notice:

Psalm 58:3 – “The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.”

Isaiah 48:8 – “…for I knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb.”

Ephesians 2:3 – “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.”

Plainly, God said that when you were born of the flesh, you were born wrong.  The only hope is for you to be born again. 

In understanding the new birth, it is necessary for me to ask the reader a question.  The question is as follows: “When were you made a sinner?”  Some teach that they were made a sinner the first time they committed a sin.  This is not what the Bible teaches.  Another question necessary to be asked is this: “When were you made righteous?”  Some would answer that they became righteous when they started doing righteous things.  This is contrary to the word of God.  The Bible truth is that the sinner was made a sinner when Adam sinned, and the saved were made righteous when Christ obeyed the Father in laying down His life.

Romans 5:19 – “For as by one man’s [Adam] disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one [Christ] shall many be made righteous.”

You are born again, not by your own deeds of righteousness; not by sacraments; not by church membership; but solely by trusting Christ’s obedience to the Father.  Trusting what Jesus did on the cross is the only way whereby you can be saved.  Ask Him to save you today, completely believing Him to do so, and He will immediately save you!

Romans 10:13 – “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

MORE COMING UP…

The New Birth - Part 3

The points of our focus heretofore have been as follows: first, that Nicodemus was religious – not only a religious man, but a religious leader; and second, that his religion left him empty, barren, and hungry, resulting in his midnight journey to Christ.

Continuing our examination of the third chapter of John’s gospel, it is now necessary to inspect the latter portion of the second verse:

John 3:2 – “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.”

Religious Nicodemus was the victim of a religious mirage. Like all false religions, Judaism in Christ’s day left Nicodemus empty and hungry. Notice the first words to Jesus from the lips of Nicodemus – “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.” Here, we witness a single sentence, yet it is a mouthful. Allow me to dissect each of the phrases in Nicodemus’ opening statement in his conversation with Christ.

“Rabbi…” – By calling him by this title, Nicodemus is acknowledging that Jesus Christ is a Jewish teacher of the law with the necessary credentials.

“…we know…” – It is noteworthy that, while speaking to Christ, Nicodemus uses the plural pronoun “we.” He comes to Jesus alone; yet says, “WE know.” Nicodemus is speaking not only for himself; but for the entire sect of the Pharisees.

“…that thou art a teacher…” – Again, Nicodemus acknowledges Christ to be a teacher of the law.

“…come from God…” – Here, Nicodemus acknowledges that Christ came, not merely from Bethlehem, but from God! No Pharisee would admit that Christ came from God unless the Spirit of God were dealing with him. Nicodemus is not far from the kingdom of God!

“…for no man…” – Nicodemus, in this phrase, separates Christ from every other man! Christ has no counterpart! I often hear the media report our President’s meetings with other chief executives. They will say, “President Obama met with his British counterpart.” What they are saying is this – Although the British chief executive is called a Prime Minister, and the American chief executive is called a President, they have the same powers. What the President is to America, the Prime Minister is to Great Britain. But when we speak of Jesus Christ, know this – He has no counterpart! No one is like Him! Every religious leader; every Greek god; every Roman goddess; every Buddhist monk; even Buddha, Mohammad, and every atheist who worships himself – they all, without exception, take a back seat to Jesus Christ! Mohammad will bow his knee to Jesus Christ! Buddha will confess with own lips that Jesus Christ is Lord of all! No one compares to Christ. No one is equal with Jesus Christ. There is no counterpart to Jesus Christ! The reader may ask, “Are you saying that Jesus Christ is superior to every religion on the face of the earth?” No, that is not what I am saying. I am saying that Jesus Christ is FAR SUPERIOR to every other religion, god, goddess, prophet, imam, teacher, or any other religious figure. Man’s religions are so insignificant when compared to Christ that the word “superior” does not do justice in describing Christ’s relationship to them!

Psalm 97:9 – “For thou, LORD, art high above all the earth: thou art exalted far above all gods.”

Ephesians 1:20, 21 – “Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, FAR ABOVE ALL principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.”

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.”

Philippians 2:9-11 – “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Now, for our next phrase.

“…can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.” – Nicodemus noticed the miracles Christ was doing and acknowledged that God had to be with Jesus Christ.

So, let us get some things straight. First, Nicodemus was religious, yet he was as lost as he could be. Second, his religion left him empty. Third, we now see that Nicodemus is even admitting the right things, but he is still lost! Nicodemus acknowledges that Christ is a rabbi. Admitting that Christ is a great teacher will not save you. Nicodemus then admits that Jesus came from God! In spite of this acknowledgement, Nicodemus is still lost. Nicodemus even admits that Christ’s great miracles reveal the fact that God the Father is with Jesus Christ.

In compelling lost souls to trust Jesus Christ to save them, many times these precious people will admit all the right things. I’ve had them nod their head and agree with what I was saying. When speaking to them regarding salvation, I’ve had them to respond by saying, “I know.” But knowing that I’m telling you right won’t save you! You can admit all the right things and still be lost – just as Nicodemus did! Nicodemus did not need religion – he had religion and was lost. Nicodemus did not need to merely admit the right things – he did so and was yet in his sins. What did he need?

STILL NOT DONE…

The New Birth - Part 2

Our text for this concise study is found in the third chapter of John’s gospel.  Having examined the first verse, we have seen that Nicodemus was a religious leader. 

John 3:1 – “There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.”

The verse following reveals yet more information concerning this man Nicodemus. 

John 3:2 – “The same came to Jesus by night…”

For this post, it is necessary to consider why Nicodemus came to Jesus at night.  This point is important enough for John to record it.  No phrase in scripture is insignificant.  Every word of God is pure.  Every word recorded in holy writ is present with purpose, and the fact that Nicodemus came to Jesus at night is important enough for John to record the fact.  The one thing John does not tell is WHY Nicodemus came to Jesus by night.

Scholars have much to say as to the reason for Nicodemus’ midnight journey.  Some say that Nicodemus came at night because he feared that he would have been persecuted by his fellow religious Jews had he come to Christ openly.  Others have suggested that Nicodemus, being a religious leader, was very busy during the day, and therefore approached the Son of God at the dark side of the sunset.  While either of these propositions may divulge actuality, they are only speculations, for the scriptures do not tell us.  I suppose that if the commentators can offer their speculations, then it would be in order for me to offer mine.  I believe that Nicodemus came to Jesus by night because he had a hunger for God – a hunger so intense that it could not wait until morning.  No man who hungers for God like that needs to go without Him.  Jesus plainly stated, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.”

So, there are two things concerning Nicodemus that every reader should understand.  First, that he was religious; and second, his religion did not satisfy him.  There are many today who are in the same shape.  There are those who play with beads, pray to Mary, get their children sprinkled, confess to a priest, journey to Mecca, attend church every Sunday, read a Bible, and are left as empty as they can be. 

A pastor told me recently that he asked his son to find out how many religions there are in the world.  Figuring that there are probably hundreds, maybe a couple thousand, this pastor was shocked to find out that there are tens of thousands of religions in this world!  No wonder people are confused!  No wonder people who have an innate desire for religion stay away!  They do not even know where to start!  This ought to make every true born-again believer rejoice that he has found the only true way!  I am thankful to God for allowing the Holy Ghost to convict me of my sin, showing me undoubtedly that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God, and that every religion contrary to Jesus Christ is as false as it can be! 

Tens of thousands of religions!  Imagine that!  Many of them are full of ritual, ceremony, and creed.  Yet, when the demands of religions are fulfilled, the adherents are left desolate, empty, dry, hungry, thirsty, barren, unsatisfied, and lost.  How sad!  While most religions admit that mankind is lost, few religions offer any assurance to their adherents.  Most religions say that if you do this, do that, do the other, do, do, and do…hopefully you will be saved.  No wonder the world’s religious community is left empty!  Even in Christendom, you will find those who deviate from the true gospel.  They preach that salvation is attained by doing this, doing that, and doing the other.  Some preach that Christ will save you solely by His grace, but to “stay saved,” one must keep laws, keep commandments, pray every day, go to church, and so forth.  I have heard some preachers who have a long list to perform in order to “stay saved” that they can’t keep the list themselves! 

I have said it before in this blog, and I’ll say it again.  At the end of the day, there are only two religions: man’s religion, and God’s religion.  Man’s religion says, “Do;” God’s religion says, “Done.”  Man’s religion says, “Finish the work;” God’s religion says, “The work is finished!”  Jesus Christ came into the world to fulfil the law of God, which no man has ever been capable of keeping. 

Matthew 5:17 – “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.”

John 7:19 – “Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?”

Because He fulfilled the law of God Almighty perfectly, completely, and entirely, Jesus Christ was the only valid candidate to take my sins and yours upon Himself.  And He did just that.  He who was innocent as He could be went to the old rugged cross, and died upon it, paying off my sin and yours.  He completely paid the debt that you and I could never pay!  In man’s religion, man tries to save himself by keeping creeds, sacraments, and commandments.  In God’s religion, Jesus Christ is the Saviour, and He saves man completely apart from any works on man’s part.  This is God’s religion.  This is the “pure religion” that separates from the world and every false religion connected with it!

James 1:27 – “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”

All other religions will leave you empty and hungry.  Nicodemus was religious, but not satisfied.  His religion left him so hungry that he had to get to Jesus that night – it couldn’t wait until morning!  I pray that your religion, if it is not centered on Jesus Christ, will make you so empty and hungry that you can no longer delay; you must come to Christ today!

MORE TO COME…