Birth is, perhaps, the greatest miracle each of us has ever experienced. But John 3 mentions an even greater second birth for those who are born again in Jesus Christ.
In John 3, the Pharisee Nicodemus represents the problem of the sinner’s birth.
“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God’” (John 3:3).
Because Nicodemus was born into the natural world, he was bound to the sinful world. Those of us once-born have a sinful nature. There is no “cleaning up” our
Pastor, teacher, and author Adrian Rogers has introduced people all over the world to the love of Jesus Christ and has impacted untold numbers of lives by presenting profound truth simply stated. Thanks for joining us for this message. Here’s Adrian Rogers.
SPEAKER 01 :
TAKE GOD’S WORD, PLEASE, AND TURN TO JOHN CHAPTER THREE. AND, UH, RIGHT AWAY YOU RECOGNIZE THAT THAT’S ONE OF THE MOST FAMILIAR CHAPTERS IN ALL OF THE WORD OF GOD. AND, UH, THERE’S SOME TRUTHS THAT WE COME TO OVER AND OVER AGAIN IN THIS CHAPTER BECAUSE WE NEED TO REMIND OURSELVES OF THESE GREAT TRUTHS. I HAD A PREACHER FRIEND WHO WAS HAVING HIS FIRSTBORN CHILD, AND, UH, UH, HE WAS IN THE WAITING ROOM AND THEY WERE, THE MOTHER AND THE DOCTOR WERE IN THE DELIVERY ROOM ALONG WITH THE NURSES. AND HE WAS OUT THERE, UH, WAITING AND THOSE BIG DOUBLE DOORS SWUNG OPEN AND THE DOCTOR CAME OUT AND HE ALMOST HAD HIS HANDS IN THE AIR AND HE WAS SAYING, IT’S A MIRACLE! IT’S A MIRACLE! MY PASTOR FRIEND SAID, HIS HEART SUNK. WHAT ON EARTH HAS HAPPENED BACK THERE? HE THOUGHT, HAVE, HAVE I HAD, UH, TRIPLETS? UH, WHAT, WHAT’S GOING ON BACK THERE? HE SAID, DOCTOR, TELL ME WHAT HAS HAPPENED? HE SAID, YOUR WIFE HAS GIVEN BIRTH TO A LITTLE GIRL. HE SAID, EVERY TIME I SEE A BABY BORN, I REALIZE WHAT A MIRACLE IT IS, A MIRACLE OF GOD. JUST ANY BIRTH IS A MIRACLE. BUT TODAY I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THREE MIRACLE BIRTHS. I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT NATURAL BIRTH. THAT’S A MIRACLE. WHEN YOU REALLY CONCEIVE, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT GOD DOES TO BRING A CHILD INTO THE WORLD, IT’S, IT’S A MIRACLE. THEN I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE VIRGIN BIRTH. THAT IS A MIRACLE. THAT’S WHAT CHRISTMAS IS ALL ABOUT. AND THEN I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE NEW BIRTH. THAT, MY FRIEND, IS A MIRACLE. THREE MIRACLE BIRTHS, THE SINNER’S BIRTH, THE SAVIOR’S BIRTH, AND THE SECOND BIRTH. THEY’RE ALL RIGHT HERE IN THIS THIRD CHAPTER OF JOHN. AND I WANT YOU TO LOOK AT THIS PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE HERE. THERE WAS A MAN OF THE PHARISEES NAMED NICODEMUS, A RULER OF THE JEWS. 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. NICODEMUS, THIS MAN, THIS RULER, THIS HIGH MUCKETY-MUCK, THIS VERY RELIGIOUS MAN, IS SO IMPRESSED WITH THE MIRACLES THAT JESUS HAD DONE, HE WANTED TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT MIRACLES. AND SO HE ASKED JESUS ABOUT MIRACLES AND JESUS BEGINS TO TALK TO HIM ABOUT BIRTHS. AND LISTEN TO WHAT JESUS SAID, 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. IT’S AS IF JESUS IS SAYING, NICODEMUS, IF YOU WANT TO UNDERSTAND MIRACLES, YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE TO BECOME A MIRACLE. EXCEPT A MAN BE BORN AGAIN, HE CANNOT SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD. NICODEMUS SAID 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? HE’S SAYING, I’VE BEEN THERE, DONE THAT. HUH HUH. NOW, UH, NICODEMUS, UH, HAS A REAL QUESTION. HE SAID, I CAN’T DO THAT AGAIN. THERE ARE NO REVERSE GEARS IN LIFE. I CAN’T GO BACK AND, AND BE BORN. I’M AN OLD MAN. JESUS ANSWERED VERSE FIVE, VERILY, VERILY. NOW WHEN JESUS SAYS VERILY, VERILY, THAT MEANS PAY ATTENTION, LISTEN, 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. NOW THAT’S THE SINNER’S BIRTH. THAT WHICH IS BORN OF THE SPIRIT IS SPIRIT. THAT IS THE SECOND BIRTH. MARVEL NOT THAT I SAID UNTO THEE, YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN. THREE TREMENDOUS BIRTHS, THREE MIRACLE BIRTHS. THE BIRTH OF ANY BABY INTO THIS WORLD IS AN ABSOLUTE MIRACLE. NOW NICODEMUS WAS BORN INTO THE NATURAL WORLD. JESUS IS SAYING TO HIM, YOU CANNOT ENTER THE SECOND TIME INTO YOUR MOTHER’S WOMB AND BE BORN. UH, THAT WHICH IS BORN OF THE FLESH IS FLESH. AND ALL OF US HAVE HAD THE FIRST BIRTH. ALL OF US GOT HERE THROUGH THE PORTALS OF OUR MOTHER’S WOMB. WE ARE BORN INTO THE NATURAL WORLD. AND LIKE NICODEMUS, THERE ARE THREE THINGS TRUE ABOUT US. WHEN WE ARE BORN INTO THE NATURAL WORLD, WE ARE BOUND TO THE SINFUL WORLD. BECAUSE TO BE BORN NATURALLY IS TO BE A DESCENDANT OF ADAM. AND THE BIBLE SAYS, IN ADAM ALL DIE. AND THAT’S THE REASON THE BIBLE SAYS IN EPHESIANS CHAPTER TWO AND VERSE THREE, WE ARE BY NATURE THE CHILDREN OF WRATH. DAVID SAID IN PSALM 51, I WAS SHAPEN IN INIQUITY. THAT IS, I CAME INTO THIS WORLD WITH A SINFUL NATURE, AND SO DID YOU AND SO DID ALL OF US. THAT WHICH IS BORN OF THE FLESH IS FLESH. AND IF YOU WANT TO SEE WHAT THE FLESH IS LIKE, SOMETIMES TAKE YOUR BIBLE AND READ GALATIANS CHAPTER FIVE, WHERE PAUL DISCLOSES THE WORKS OF THE FLESH. AND ALL OF US HAVE THAT FLESH IN US, THAT SINFUL NATURE. NOW, ALL OF US ARE NOT AS WICKED AS WE COULD BE, BUT WE ALL HAVE THAT SINFUL NATURE WITHIN US. AND, UH, SOMETIMES IT COMES OUT MORE IN OTHERS AND OTHERS COVER IT UP, BUT IT IS ALL THERE. AND SOMETIMES WE THINK THAT WE CAN JUST IMPROVE THAT OLD NATURE, BUT WE CAN’T DO IT, FOLKS. I HEARD OF A, OF A MISSIONARY, UH, WHO MOVED INTO THE MISSIONARY COMPOUND AND THEY GAVE THE MISSIONARY THE MISSION HOUSE TO LIVE IN. THE MISSIONARY’S WIFE WAS ONE OF THESE VERY FASTIDIOUS PEOPLE WHO HAD TO HAVE EVERYTHING JUST RIGHT AND VERY CLEAN. AND SO SHE SAID, WELL, AS LONG AS I’M GOING TO LIVE IN THIS MISSIONARY HUT, ONE THING I’M GOING TO DO, I’M GOING TO HAVE IT SPICK AND SPAN. AND THE FLOOR WAS FILTHY. SO SHE DECIDED, FIRST THING I’M GOING TO DO IS TO SCRUB THE FLOOR. SHE GOT SOME SOAP SUDS, A BIG BUCKET AND SOME WATER TO RINSE WITH. SHE GOT A BIG SCRUB BRUSH. SHE GOT DOWN ON HER HANDS AND HER KNEES AND BEGAN TO SCRUB THAT FLOOR. AND SHE SCRUBBED AND MOPPED AND WRINGED OUT THE MOP AND SCRUBBED AND SCRUBBED. AND SHE SAID, I WILL NEVER GET THIS FLOOR CLEAN. SHE JUST KEPT ON SCRUBBING. FINALLY, SOMEBODY TOLD HER THE PROBLEM. IT WAS A DIRT FLOOR. AND THE MORE, THE MORE SHE SCRUBBED, THE MORE DIRT SHE SCRUBBED UP. THAT’S THE WAY OUR, OUR, OUR HUMAN NATURE IS. FOLKS, WE ARE SINNERS BY NATURE, AND YOU CAN NEVER SCRUB IT OFF. ALL YOU DO IS JUST REVEAL MORE THAT IS DOWN THERE, BECAUSE I HATE TO TELL YOU THIS, FOLKS, BUT WE’RE ROTTEN TO THE CORE. HA, HA, HA. NOW, NOW YOU MAY, YOU MAY NOT BELIEVE THAT. YOU MAY NOT BELIEVE THAT. BUT FOLKS, IT IS TRUE, THE BIBLE SAYS WE ARE SINNERS BY BIRTH, SINNERS BY NATURE, THEREFORE SINNERS BY CHOICE, AND SINNERS BY PRACTICE. A MAN IS NOT A SINNER BECAUSE HE SINS, HE SINS BECAUSE HE’S A SINNER. A MAN DOESN’T TELL, IS NOT A LIAR BECAUSE HE TELLS LIES, HE TELLS LIES BECAUSE HE’S A LIAR. AND, AND THAT DIRT IS DOWN THERE WHETHER YOU HAVE, UM, SCRUBBED IT UP OR NOT, IT IS STILL DOWN IN THE HUMAN HEART. SO HERE WAS A MAN, BORN INTO THE NATURAL WORLD, NUMBER ONE. NUMBER TWO, HE IS BOUND TO THE SINFUL WORLD BECAUSE OF HIS BIRTH. NUMBER THREE, UH, THIS MAN WAS BLIND TO THE SPIRITUAL WORLD. JESUS TOLD THIS MAN, NICODEMUS, EXCEPT A MAN BE BORN AGAIN, HE CANNOT SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD. HE COULD NOT PERCEIVE AND UNDERSTAND SPIRITUAL THINGS. NOW NICODEMUS WAS AN INTELLIGENT MAN. NICODEMUS WAS ONE OUT OF ONLY 71 IN ALL ISRAEL. HE WAS A RULER OF THE JEWS. HE WAS A SANHEDRIN. THE CREAM HAD RISEN TO THE TOP AND HE WAS THE CREAM. HE, HE WAS THE EQUIVALENT OF A DOUBLE PH.D. HE WAS A MAN WHO HAD ATTAINED MUCH. AND YET WITH ALL OF HIS LEARNING, THE VERY FACT THAT HE WAS A MASTER OF ISRAEL, JESUS SAID, EXCEPT YOU’RE BORN AGAIN, YOU CANNOT SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD. AND I WANT TO TELL YOU TODAY, SIR, MAN, WITH ALL OF YOUR LEARNING, YOU WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND SPIRITUAL THINGS UNTIL THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD TURNS THE LIGHT ON IN YOUR SOUL. I DON’T CARE HOW MUCH LEARNING YOU HAVE. IT’S JUST IN A DIFFERENT REALM. THERE’S NOTHING WRONG WITH YOUR EDUCATION. I’M GLAD THAT YOU HAVE IT, AND I SALUTE YOU IN THE PRICE THAT YOU PAID TO GET IT. BUT IT WILL NOT HELP YOU TO UNDERSTAND SPIRITUAL THINGS EXCEPT THE SPIRIT OF GOD TEACH YOU THESE THINGS. EXCEPT A MAN BE BORN AGAIN, HE CANNOT, HE CANNOT, HE CANNOT SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD. HE IS SPIRITUALLY BLIND, AND THE BIBLE SAYS IN SECOND CORINTHIANS CHAPTER FOUR VERSE FOUR, THE GOD OF THIS WORLD HATH BLINDED THE MINDS OF THEM THAT BELIEVE NOT.” SO THAT’S THE SINNER’S BIRTH. AND FOLKS, THAT IS TRUE ABOUT YOU, IT’S TRUE ABOUT ME, THAT’S THE WAY WE WERE ALL BORN. WE WERE BORN IN THIS WORLD WITH A SINFUL NATURE. NOW, HERE’S THE SECOND THING. JESUS NOT ONLY TALKED TO THIS MAN ABOUT THE, THE SINNER’S BIRTH, BUT HE ALSO TALKED ABOUT HIS OWN BIRTH. THE SAVIOR’S BIRTH. FOR NICODEMUS SAID, WE KNOW THAT THOU ART A TEACHER SENT FROM GOD. AND INDEED HE WAS A TEACHER SENT FROM GOD. BUT HE WAS MORE THAN A TEACHER SENT FROM GOD. HE WAS GOD SENT TO TEACH. HE WAS GOD IN THE FLESH. AND THAT’S THE REASON JOHN 3, 16 SAYS IN THIS SAME PASSAGE, JESUS IS TALKING TO THIS MAN, FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON. THAT REFERENCES BACK TO ISAIAH 9, 6, UNTO US A CHILD IS BORN, UNTO US A SON IS GIVEN. JESUS DID NOT HAVE HIS BEGINNING AT BETHLEHEM. JESUS CAME FROM HEAVEN TO BETHLEHEM. GOD GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON. HIS BIRTH WAS MORE THAN A BIRTH, IT WAS A GIVING. GOD SENT HIS SON INTO THE WORLD. JESUS WAS BORN OF A VIRGIN. NOW WHY WAS JESUS BORN OF A VIRGIN? IS THE VIRGIN BIRTH INCIDENTAL? OR IS IT MYTHOLOGICAL? NO, IT IS ULTIMATE FOUNDATIONAL TRUTH. ISAIAH CHAPTER 7 VERSE 14 SAYS, BEHOLD, A VIRGIN SHALL CONCEIVE AND BE WITH CHILD. LUKE CHAPTER 2 TELLS THE, THE BIRTH OF THE LORD JESUS. AND JESUS NOW IS TALKING TO NICODEMUS NOT ONLY ABOUT THE NEW BIRTH, BUT ABOUT HIS OWN BIRTH. HE SAYS, GOD GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON. WHY DID JESUS COME INTO THIS WORLD BORN OF A VIRGIN? DOES IT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE? YOUR ETERNAL DESTINY RISES OR FALLS ON THE VIRGIN BIRTH. WITHOUT THE VIRGIN BIRTH, YOU COULD NOT BE SAVED. WHY? HAD JESUS BEEN BORN AS NICODEMUS WAS BORN, HAD HE BEEN BORN, UH, WITH A NATURAL BIRTH RATHER THAN A SUPERNATURAL BIRTH, HE WOULD HAVE BEEN A CHILD OF ADAM, NOT A CHILD OF GOD. HAD ADAM BEEN HIS FATHER, THEN HE WOULD HAVE BEEN A SINNER BECAUSE HE WOULD HAVE HAD ADAM’S NATURE. AND THE BIBLE SAYS, AND ADAM ALL DIE. NOW HAD HE BEEN A SINNER, HE COULD HAVE BEEN NO PERFECT SACRIFICE. OF COURSE NOT. BECAUSE HE COULD HAVE ONLY DIED FOR HIS OWN SIN, HE COULD NEVER HAVE DIED FOR MINE. BUT BEING BORN OF A VIRGIN, HE DID NOT INHERIT THE SINFUL NATURE OF ADAM IN HIS HUMANITY. HE HAD THE NATURE OF HIS FATHER WHO HAD FATHERED AND SIRED HIM, AND HE WAS ABSOLUTELY, TOTALLY WITHOUT SIN. HE WAS THE SON OF GOD WITHOUT SIN. THEREFORE, HE AND HE ONLY COULD BE THE SINLESS SACRIFICE TO PAY FOR OUR SIN. HE AND HE ONLY, MARY’S LITTLE LAMB, COULD BE A LAMB WITHOUT SPOT AND WITHOUT BLEMISH TO DIE FOR OUR SINS. YOU SEE, HE CAME AS HE DID, BORN OF A VIRGIN, TO BE WHAT HE WAS, SINLESS. HE WAS WHAT HE WAS, SINLESS, IN ORDER TO DO WHAT HE DID TO DIE FOR OUR SINS. HE DIED FOR OUR SINS AND BECAME WHAT HE WAS THAT WE MIGHT BECOME WHAT WE ARE, SONS OF GOD AND DAUGHTERS OF GOD. HE BECAME A SON OF MAN THAT I MIGHT BECOME A SON OF GOD. HE CAME TO EARTH THAT I MIGHT GO TO HEAVEN. HE WAS BORN OF A VIRGIN THAT I MIGHT BE BORN AGAIN. HE WAS BORN ONCE THAT I MIGHT BE BORN TWICE. THAT’S WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT. HE CAME TO THIS EARTH TO BE A SACRIFICE TO DIE FOR OUR SINS UPON THE CROSS. SO WHY THE VIRGIN BIRTH? WHY THE SAVIOR’S BIRTH? NUMBER ONE, REDEMPTION. FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, SHOULD NOT DIE AND GO TO HELL, BUT SHOULD HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE. THEN I’LL TELL YOU ANOTHER REASON HE CAME. NOT ONLY A MINISTRY OF REDEMPTION, BUT A MINISTRY OF REVELATION. LOOK IN THIS THIRD CHAPTER, IF YOU WILL, HERE IN VERSE 19, AND THIS IS THE CONDEMNATION, THAT LIGHT HAS COME INTO THE WORLD, AND MEN LOVE DARKNESS RATHER THAN LIGHT BECAUSE THEIR DEEDS ARE EVIL. THAT IS SO TRUE. DO YOU KNOW WHY PEOPLE LOVE DARKNESS? DO YOU KNOW WHY SOME PEOPLE WILL NOT EVEN COME TO CHURCH? IT MAKES THEM FEEL GUILTY. THEIR DEEDS ARE EVIL. THEY CAN’T FIND GOD FOR THE SAME REASON A THIEF CAN’T FIND A POLICEMAN. THEY HATE THE LIGHT AND THEY WILL NOT COME TO THE LIGHT. WHY DID JESUS COME? HE CAME TO GIVE LIGHT. THERE IS A PSYCHOLOGICAL FEAR CALLED PHOTOPHOBIA, FEAR OF LIGHT. PEOPLE CAN’T STAND LIGHT. SOME PEOPLE HAVE THIS PSYCHOLOGICAL HANGUP, THEY HAVE PHOTOPHOBIA. SOMETIMES WE LAUGH AT CHILDREN AFRAID OF THE DARK. UH, I THINK MORE RIDICULOUS IS A MAN AFRAID OF THE LIGHT, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT’S THE LIGHT OF THE LORD JESUS, BECAUSE HE CAME TO REVEAL GOD. FOR EVERYONE THAT DOETH EVIL HATETH THE LIGHT, NEITHER COMETH TO THE LIGHT, LEST HIS DEED SHOULD BE REPROVED. VERSE 20, BUT HE THAT DOETH TRUTH COMETH TO THE LIGHT. WHY DID JESUS COME? HE CAME AS A MINISTRY OF REDEMPTION, TO DIE FOR OUR SINS, TO BE THE PERFECT SACRIFICE. HE CAME AS A MINISTRY OF REVELATION, TO SHOW US WHAT GOD IS AND WHO GOD IS. AND HE COULD SAY, HE THAT HATH SEEN ME HATH SEEN THE FATHER. DO YOU EVER READ THE STORY OF HELEN KELLER, THIS PRECIOUS LITTLE GIRL? WHO WAS BORN INTO THIS WORLD BOTH BLIND AND DEAF. SHE COULD NOT SEE AND SHE COULD NOT HEAR. HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE A BABY BORN BLIND AND DEAF? WOULD THAT NOT BE TRAGIC? BECAUSE WHAT DO PARENTS WANT TO DO? PARENTS WANT TO TELL THAT CHILD HOW MUCH THEY LOVE THAT CHILD. IT IS AN INSTINCTIVE THING IN PARENTS TO EXPRESS LOVE TO THEIR CHILDREN. AND THE MOTHER OF HELEN KELLER SAID, OH, YOU PRECIOUS LITTLE THING, HOW MUCH YOUR MOTHER LOVES YOU, BUT I HAVE NO WAY TO TELL YOU HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU. SHE WAS BLIND AND SHE WAS DEAF. THERE CAME THAT BREAKTHROUGH WHEN THEY LEARNED TO COMMUNICATE WITH HER, AND THAT MOTHER WAS ABLE TO EXPRESS THAT LOVE THAT WAS IN HER HEART. DO YOU KNOW GOD WANTS TO EXPRESS HIS LOVE TO US? BUT HOW CAN WE, BEING FINITE, KNOW THE INFINITE? HOW CAN WE KNOW GOD? THE BIBLE SAYS THAT GOD IS MANIFEST IN HIS SON, THE LORD JESUS. IF JESUS COULD SAY, HE THAT HATH SEEN ME HATH SEEN THE FATHER. HE IS LIGHT THAT IS COMING TO THE WORLD. HE CAME. WHY THE VIRGIN BIRTH? REDEMPTION. WHY THE VIRGIN BIRTH? REVELATION. WHY THE VIRGIN BIRTH? RESTORATION. TO PUT US BACK LIKE WE WERE BEFORE WE EVER GOT MESSED UP BY THIS THING OF SIN. SECOND ADAM FROM ABOVE, REINSTATE US IN THY LOVE. THAT IS THE SAVIOR’S BIRTH. BUT NOW LET’S CLOSE THE FOCUS A LITTLE BIT MORE. WE TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE SINNER’S BIRTH. WE TALK ABOUT THE SAVIOR’S BIRTH. NOW LET’S TALK ABOUT THE SECOND BIRTH, THE NEW BIRTH. NOTICE THAT JESUS SAID IN JOHN CHAPTER THREE VERSE SEVEN, MARVEL NOT THAT I SAID UNTO THEE, YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN. JESUS DIDN’T SAY IT PERHAPS MIGHT BE NICE IN SOME, UH, UNFORTUNATE SITUATIONS IF PER ADVENTURE YOU MIGHT JUST HAVE A NEW BIRTH. NO, HE SAID, YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN. IT’S AN ABSOLUTE PRIME REQUISITE. DO YOU KNOW WHAT WE’VE BEGUN TO DO TODAY? WE’VE BEGUN TO TALK ABOUT CHRISTIANS IN CATEGORIES. WE SAY, WELL, HE’S A BORN AGAIN CHRISTIAN. MAY I TELL YOU VERY PLAIN THAT THAT’S THE ONLY KIND THERE IS? THERE’S NO OTHER KIND. TO SAY HE’S A BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIAN IS REDUNDANT. IT’S LIKE SAYING FEMALE WOMAN OR TOOTH DENTIST. THERE’S NO OTHER KIND OF A CHRISTIAN EXCEPT BORN AGAIN CHRISTIAN. IF YOU’RE NOT BORN AGAIN, YOU’RE NOT A CHRISTIAN. IF YOU ARE BORN AGAIN, YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN. AND THAT’S THE ONLY KIND OF CHRISTIAN THERE IS, IS THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN BORN AGAIN. JESUS SAID, MARBLE NOT THAT I SAID UNTO THEE, YE MUST, YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN. NOW JESUS IS TALKING TO A GOOD MAN. HIS VERY NAME, NICODEMUS, MEANS SUPERIOR. HE WAS A RULER OF THE JEWS. I’M GOING TO TELL YOU THIS, IF NICODEMUS NEEDED TO BE BORN AGAIN, EVERYONE IN THIS BUILDING NEEDS TO, EH, IF YOU’VE NOT YET BEEN BORN AGAIN, RIGHT? NOBODY SO GOOD HE NEED NOT BE BORN AGAIN. NOBODY SO BAD HE CANNOT BE BORN AGAIN. I’M SO GLAD THAT JESUS TOLD THIS MAN, VERY RELIGIOUS MAN, VERY GOOD MAN, VERY MORAL MAN OUTWARDLY, THAT HE HAD TO BE BORN AGAIN. AND WHEN JESUS DESCRIBED SALVATION IN THE FIGURE OF A BIRTH, THAT’S SOMETHING WE CAN ALL RELATE TO. JESUS WAS SUCH A WONDERFUL TEACHER. WHAT A TEACHER THE LORD JESUS WAS BECAUSE THE BIBLE SAYS THE COMMON PEOPLE HEARD HIM GLADLY. AND JESUS NOW IS TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY CAN RELATE TO BECAUSE THAT’S HOW WE ALL GOT HERE, THROUGH A NATURAL BIRTH. AND SO HE TAKES THE NATURAL BIRTH AND USES THAT TO UNDER, HELP US TO UNDERSTAND WHAT SALVATION IS, THE SUPERNATURAL BIRTH. FOR EXAMPLE, IN A, IN A BIRTH THERE MUST BE CONCEPTION, ISN’T THAT RIGHT, BEFORE THERE CAN BE BIRTH? THERE MUST BE CONCEPTION. AND SO HOW DID, UH, THE CONCEPTION TAKE PLACE FOR OUR NEW BIRTH? WELL, LOOK IF YOU WILL IN, IN VERSE FIVE, HE SAID, EXCEPT A MAN BE BORN OF WATER AND OF THE SPIRIT, HE CANNOT ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD. EXCEPT A MAN BE BORN OF WATER AND SPIRIT, HE CANNOT ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD. SO WHAT ARE THE TWO PARENTS IN THE NEW BIRTH? HOW DOES CONCEPTION TAKE PLACE? THERE IS WATER, AND THERE’S THE SPIRIT. AND WHEN THESE TWO COME TOGETHER, THERE’S A NEW BIRTH. NOW SOME PEOPLE THINK THAT THE WATER HERE REFERS TO BAPTISM. MAY I TELL YOU EMPHATICALLY IT DOES NOT. UH, JESUS IS TALKING TO NICODEMUS. HE IS AN OLD TESTAMENT SCHOLAR. BAPTISM IS A NEW TESTAMENT DOCTRINE. JESUS SAYS TO HIM, ARE YOU A MASTER IN ISRAEL AND YOU DON’T KNOW THESE THINGS? INFERRING THAT HE SHOULD HAVE ALREADY KNOWN THIS? HE’S NOT TALKING ABOUT BAPTISM. BAPTISM IS NOT A SYMBOL OF BIRTH, BUT OF DEATH. WE ARE BURIED WITH HIM BY BAPTISM INTO DEATH. JESUS HERE IS TALKING ABOUT A BIRTH, NOT A DEATH. WHAT DOES HE MEAN WHEN HE SAYS TO BE BORN OF WATER? HE’S TALKING ABOUT THE WORD OF GOD. THE BIBLE SPEAKS OF WASHING OF WATER BY THE WORD IN EPHESIANS CHAPTER FIVE. IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, IN THE BOOK OF ISAIAH, GOD SAYS, IT’S NOT MY WORD LIKE THE RAIN THAT COMETH DOWN FROM HEAVEN. IN TITUS, THE BIBLE SPEAKS OF THE WASHING OF REGENERATION, THAT IS, OF THE NEW BIRTH. I THINK THERE’S ONE VERSE THAT MAKES IT EVEN MORE CLEAR, AND THAT, THAT VERSE IS OVER THERE IN FIRST PETER. WHERE THE BIBLE TELLS US IN FIRST PETER CHAPTER, AH, ONE THAT, AH, VERSE 23, BEING BORN AGAIN, BEING BORN AGAIN, NOT OF CORRUPTIBLE SEED, BUT OF INCORRUPTIBLE BY THE WORD OF GOD. THE SEED THAT IMPREGNATES AND BRINGS ABOUT THE NEW BIRTH IS THE WORD OF GOD. BEING BORN AGAIN, NOT OF CORRUPTIBLE SEED, BUT OF INCORRUPTIBLE BY THE WORD OF GOD. SO THERE’S THE WORD OF GOD. BUT THE WORD OF GOD ALONE IS NOT ENOUGH. THERE MUST BE THE SPIRIT OF GOD. THAT’S THE REASON WHY I, I ALWAYS GET ON MY KNEES AND PRAY BEFORE I PREACH, IF I CAN, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT IT TAKES MORE THAN THE WORD. IT TAKES THE HOLY SPIRIT. YOU KNOW, THE APOSTLE SAID, WE ARE WITNESSES OF THESE THINGS, AND SO IS ALSO THE HOLY GHOST WHOM GOD HATH GIVEN TO THEM THAT OBEY HIM. YOU SEE, I CAN PREACH THE TRUTH, BUT I NEED THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD WHILE I’M PREACHING, JUST TO TAP YOU ON THE SHOULDER AND SAY, WHAT HE’S SAYING IS TRUE. WHAT HE’S SAYING IS TRUE. BECAUSE ANYTHING I CAN TALK YOU INTO, SOMEBODY ELSE CAN TALK YOU OUT OF. BUT IT IS THE SPIRIT OF GOD THAT TAKES THE WORD OF GOD. AND YOU TAKE THOSE TWO TOGETHER AND YOU HAVE A MARVELOUS CONCEPTION AS THE SPIRIT OF GOD AND THE WORD OF GOD COME TOGETHER. WHERE DO THEY COME TOGETHER? IN THE WOMB OF FAITH. IN THE WOMB OF FAITH. THAT’S WHERE THE NEW BIRTH TAKES PLACE. AND THAT’S THE REASON VERSE 16 SAYS, FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOSOEVER, WHAT? BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT AND SO WHEN YOU HAVE THE WORD OF GOD AND THE SPIRIT OF GOD IN THE WOMB OF WILLINGNESS AND THE WOMB OF FAITH, AND THEN THE SON OF GOD, UH, PERFORMS A MIRACLE IN YOU, AND THAT MIRACLE IS THE NEW BIRTH. THERE IS A CONCEPTION THAT TAKES PLACE IN A BIRTH. BUT NOT ONLY IS THERE A CONCEPTION THAT TAKES PLACE IN A BIRTH, FOLKS, THERE IS A CREATION THAT TAKES PLACE IN A BIRTH. PARENTS DON’T MANUFACTURE BABIES. WHAT HAPPENS IS THERE’S A NEW LIFE. IT’S A MIRACLE. A NEW LIFE TAKES PLACE. A BRAND NEW INDIVIDUAL COMES INTO BEING WHEN, WHEN, UH, THERE’S A PHYSICAL BIRTH, AND SO IT IS IN A SPIRITUAL BIRTH. THAT’S THE REASON THE BIBLE SAYS IN SECOND CORINTHIUS CHAPTER FIVE AND VERSE 17, IF ANY MAN BE IN CHRIST, HE IS A NEW CREATION. BRAND NEW. NO YESTERDAYS, YOU’RE ALL TOMORROWS. THIS IS, THIS IS LIFE. NEW LIFE. SO IT IS WHEN YOU GET SAVED. DID YOU KNOW THAT THE, THE, THE GOSPEL OF JOHN THAT WE’RE STUDYING TODAY IS ABOUT LIFE? JOHN USES THE WORD LIFE 36 TIMES HERE. AND HE SUMS IT UP, THE LORD JESUS TELLS ABOUT HIS MINISTRY IN JOHN 10 VERSE 10. HE SAID, I’VE COME THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE LIFE. WHY? BECAUSE WHEN YOU RECEIVE ME, YOU STEP OUT OF JUST MERE EXISTENCE INTO EVERLASTING LIFE. NOW, IN A BIRTH, There must be a conception. In a birth, there’s creation. I’ll tell you what follows now is night follows day. When there is that conception and when there is that creation, then there comes character. Character comes through birth. I’m talking about nature. You receive the character of your parents. UH, THE REASON THAT WE ARE SINNERS IS THAT OUR PARENTS ARE SINNERS, AND THEIR PARENTS ARE SINNERS. AND WE ARE BY NATURE THE CHILDREN OF WRATH. WE ARE CHILDREN OF ADAM, AND IN ADAM ALL DIE. BUT WHEN WE GET SAVED, WE NOW BECOME A CHILD OF GOD. AND HAVING BECOME A CHILD OF GOD, HAVING EXPERIENCED THE SECOND BIRTH, WHAT DO WE GET? WE GET A NEW NATURE. THAT’S THE REASON PETER SAYS, WE HAVE BECOME PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE. THIS IS SO IMPORTANT THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THIS. WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO SAY THEY’VE BEEN BORN AGAIN AND THEY’RE NOT BORN AGAIN. AND I’LL TELL YOU WHY THEY’RE NOT BORN AGAIN. THEY HAVE NEVER BECOME PARTAKERS OF THE NEW NATURE. THEY MAY HAVE AGREED TO SOME INTELLECTUAL THINGS, THEY MAY HAVE JOINED A CHURCH, THEY MAY HAVE GONE THROUGH CERTAIN RITUALS, BUT UNLESS YOU HAVE BECOME A PARTAKER OF THE DIVINE NATURE, YOU’VE NEVER BEEN BORN AGAIN. IF ANY MAN BE IN CHRIST, HE IS A NEW CREATURE. OLD THINGS ARE PASSED AWAY. DO YOU KNOW WHAT SALVATION IS? SALVATION IS NOT GETTING MAN OUT OF EARTH INTO HEAVEN, IT IS GETTING GOD OUT OF HEAVEN INTO MAN. YOU, YOU, YOU BECOME A PARTAKER OF THE DIVINE NATURE. NOW, LET ME TELL YOU WHAT THAT DIVINE NATURE IS LIKE. AND YOU CAN JUST CHECK IT AND SEE WHETHER OR NOT YOU’RE SAVED. WHAT, WHAT ARE THE TRAITS OF THE TWICE-BORN? NUMBER ONE, NUMBER ONE, GOD’S SPIRIT, WILL BEAR WITNESS WITH YOUR SPIRIT THAT YOU’RE A CHILD OF GOD. THAT’S WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS IN ROMANS CHAPTER EIGHT AND VERSE 16, THE SPIRIT HIMSELF BEARS WITNESS WITH OUR SPIRIT THAT WE ARE THE SONS OF GOD. THE SPIRIT HIMSELF AGREES WITH OUR SPIRIT. NOW WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? WHAT IS THE WITNESS OF THE SPIRIT? DID YOU KNOW THAT WHEN I LOOK AT MY PARENTS, MY MOM AND MY DAD, I JUST KNOW I’M THEIR CHILD. I know that there are things about them that are true about me. There’s just an awareness that I belong to them. You have that awareness that you belong to the Lord. The witness of the Spirit is not an emotional feeling. It may result in emotion. And I’m not opposed to emotion. But don’t get the idea because you have goose bumps, because you get all wet around the lashes and warm around the heart, that that’s a sign that you’re saved. YOUR EMOTIONS ARE FICKLE. IF YOU DEPEND UPON YOUR EMOTIONS FOR THE ASSURANCE OF YOUR SALVATION, THE ASSURANCE OF YOUR SALVATION WILL VARY WITH THE CONDITION OF YOUR LIVER AND YOUR DIGESTION. SOME DAYS YOU’LL GET UP AND YOU’LL FEEL TERRIBLE. YOU THINK YOU LOST YOUR SALVATION. YOU DIDN’T, YOU JUST FEEL BAD. UH, YOU SEE, YOUR EMOTIONS ARE THE SHALLOWEST PART OF YOUR NATURE. SALVATION IS THE DEEPEST WORK OF GOD AND GOD DOESN’T DO HIS DEEPEST WORK IN THE SHALLOWEST PART. WHAT IS THE WITNESS OF THE SPIRIT? IT’S VERY HARD TO EXPLAIN BECAUSE PAUL SAYS IN FIRST CORINTHIANS, WHAT MAN KNOWS THE THINGS OF MAN SAVE THE SPIRIT OF MAN THAT’S IN HIM. THAT MEANS THEY’RE JUST CERTAIN THINGS THAT ARE NON-COMMUNICATIVE. YOU CANNOT TELL SOMEBODY ELSE HOW YOU KNOW, BUT YOU KNOW THAT YOU KNOW. YOU KNOW THAT YOU BELONG TO JESUS. THERE’S SOMETHING IN ME, THAT’S THE WITNESS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, THAT IS, WHISPERS TO MY HEART, YOU BELONG TO HIM. BECAUSE YOU’VE BEEN BORN OF THE SPIRIT, AND, AND JOHN 3 VERSE 5, THEN YOU HAVE THE WITNESS OF THE SPIRIT. THAT’S THE FIRST MARK. THAT’S THE FIRST TRAIT, THE WITNESS OF THE SPIRIT. I’LL TELL YOU ANOTHER MARK OF, OF THE TWICE-BORN. BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE SPIRIT IN YOU, THERE IS GOING TO BE A DEEP LOVE FOR CHRIST AND HIS WORD. BECAUSE JESUS SAID, HE WILL TAKE THE THINGS OF MINE AND HE WILL SHOW THEM UNTO YOU. AND WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT IS IN YOU AND YOU BECOME A PARTAKER OF THE DIVINE NATURE, WHAT IS THE DIVINE NATURE? THAT’S THE NATURE OF GOD. AND WHAT IS THE NATURE OF GOD? HE SAYS, BEHOLD MY BELOVED SON. GOD LOVES THE LORD JESUS, AND IF YOU’RE SAVED, YOU WILL LOVE THE LORD JESUS. YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES FOLKS LOVE CHURCHES, THEY LOVE PREACHING, THEY LOVE MUSIC, THEY LOVE FELLOWSHIP, BUT I WANT TO ASK YOU A QUESTION. DO YOU LOVE JESUS? I LOVE JESUS. I MEAN, JESUS IS REAL TO ME. IS JESUS CHRIST REAL TO YOU? DOES THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD THAT BEARS WITNESS WITH YOU, DOES HE MAKE JESUS CHRIST A BRIGHT LIVING REALITY IN YOU? THERE WILL BE A LOVE FOR CHRIST AND A LOVE FOR HIS WORD BECAUSE YOU CANNOT SEPARATE THE TWO TO LOVE THE LORD OF THE WORD AND THE WORD OF THE LORD. THERE WILL BE THAT DEEP ABIDING LOVE. NOW YOU MAY NOT LOVE HIM AS MUCH AS YOU OUGHT TO BECAUSE I HOPE TOMORROW I’LL LOVE HIM MORE THAN I DO TODAY. AND YOU MAY NOT LOVE HIM PERFECTLY BECAUSE NONE OF US DO THAT, BUT THERE WILL BE IN YOU A LOVE FOR THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. AND IF YOU DON’T LOVE, THE JESUS THAT I’M TALKING ABOUT, YOU BETTER CHECK UP AND FIND OUT IF YOU’VE EVER BEEN BORN AGAIN, BECAUSE THERE’S THE WITNESS OF THE SPIRIT, THERE’S THE LOVE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. I’LL TELL YOU SOMETHING ELSE THAT THERE WILL BE, THERE WILL BE A DESIRE TO LIVE A HOLY LIFE, A DESIRE FOR HOLINESS, BECAUSE WHAT KIND OF A HOLY SPIRIT COMES INTO YOU? THE HOLY SPIRIT. HE COMES INTO YOU. HE IS THE HOLY SPIRIT. WHAT KIND OF A GOD IS GOD? HE IS A HOLY GOD. AND WHEN YOU BECOME A PARTAKER OF A DIVINE NATURE, WHAT IS THAT DIVINE NATURE? IT IS HOLINESS. AND HE SAID, BE YE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY. WHAT RIGHT DO WE HAVE TO SAY THAT WE’RE CHILDREN OF GOD IF WE HAVE NO DESIRE FOR HOLINESS? YOU SAY, WELL, PASTOR, ARE YOU TELLING ME THAT IF I EVER SIN THAT I HAVEN’T BEEN SAVED? NO, I’M NOT TELLING YOU THAT. BECAUSE, AS WE’RE GOING TO SEE IN A MOMENT, WHEN YOU GET SAVED, YOU ARE BORN AGAIN AS A CHILD AND YOU HAVE TO LEARN TO GROW IN THE GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS. BUT THE BIBLE SAYS IN, IN THIS PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE, UH, UH, AN UNSAVED MAN HATES THE LIGHT AND HE WILL NOT COME TO THE LIGHT BECAUSE HIS DEEDS ARE EVIL. BUT HE SAYS, IF YOU LOVE GOD, YOU COME TO THE LIGHT THAT YOUR DEEDS MIGHT BE MADE MANIFEST THAT THEY ARE IN GOD. THERE IS JUST A DESIRE FOR HOLINESS IF YOU’VE BEEN SAVED. FROM THE MOMENT I GAVE MY HEART TO JESUS CHRIST, TO THIS VERY MOMENT, IN EVERY INSTANCE, THOUGH I HAVE FAILED MANY TIMES, THERE’S NEVER BEEN A DESIRE TO FAIL. THERE’S ALWAYS BEEN A DESIRE TO LIVE FOR GOD. ALWAYS, BEFORE I GOT SAVED, I WAS RUNNING TO SIN. NOW I’M RUNNING FROM IT. NOW, THE LORD’S NOT FINISHED WITH ME YET. WHEN GOD SAVES YOU, HE DOESN’T FIX YOU UP WHERE YOU CAN’T SIN ANYMORE. HE JUST FIXES YOU UP WHERE YOU CAN’T SIN AND ENJOY IT ANYMORE. NOW, IF, IF THAT, IF THAT DESIRE TO SIN IS STILL THERE, IF YOU DON’T HAVE A DESIRE TO BE A RIGHTEOUS AND A HOLY PERSON, YOU NEED TO PUT A BIG QUESTION MARK AFTER THIS THING YOU CALL SALVATION, BECAUSE YOU ARE TO BECOME A PARTAKER OF THE DIVINE NATURE, YOU’RE TO HAVE A TRAIT OF THE TWICE-BORN. HERE’S THE FOURTH ONE. YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE A DESIRE TO SHARE THE LORD JESUS WITH OTHER PEOPLE. YOU’LL NEVER IN A BILLION YEARS MAKE ME BELIEVE THAT IF YOU KNOW HOW TO BE SAVED, HOW TO BE BORN AGAIN, YOUR SINS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN, YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT CHRIST DID ON THE CROSS, YOU UNDERSTAND THE AGONIES OF HELL AND THE GLORIES OF HEAVEN, THAT YOU COULD BE SILENT ABOUT IT AND NOT WANT TO SHARE IT. HOW? HOW COULD YOU SAY THAT YOU HAVE BEEN TWICE BORN AND HAVE NO DESIRE TO SHARE THE LORD JESUS? UH, THE BIBLE SAYS EVERY ONE THAT IS BORN OF GOD, IT COMES TO HIM, VERSE 19, THAT HIS DEEDS MIGHT BE MADE MANIFEST THAT THEY ARE WROUGHT IN GOD. THE GOD IN YOU WANTS TO SHARE THIS LIGHT WITH EVERYBODY. I REMEMBER HEARING A STORY MANY YEARS AGO ABOUT A LITTLE GIRL IN, IN, UH, THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF DALLAS, TEXAS, WHEN THE GREAT GEORGE W. TRUITT WAS THE PASTOR THERE. AND, UH, THIS LITTLE GIRL CAME DOWN THE AISLE TO GIVE HER HEART TO CHRIST, AND THEY DID AS WE DO. THEY QUESTIONED THE LITTLE GIRL VERY CAREFULLY BECAUSE THEY DIDN’T WANT HER JUST TO HAVE A, AN EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE WITHOUT TRULY KNOWING THE LORD, AND SHE WAS JUST A LITTLE GIRL. AND SO, THEY BEGAN TO PUT THESE PREPONDERATE QUESTIONS TO HER AND SHE, UH, DID NOT ADEQUATELY ANSWER. IT WASN’T THAT SHE DIDN’T KNOW THE ANSWER, SHE JUST COULD NOT ANSWER ADULT QUESTIONS. YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE GET THE LITTLE CHILDREN, WE ASK THEM ADULT QUESTIONS WHEN JESUS SAYS THE ADULT HAS TO BECOME LIKE A LITTLE CHILD. WE GET IT BACKWARDS SOMETIME, DON’T WE? THESE LITTLE CHILDREN HAVE PERFECT FAITH, BUT SOMETIMES THEY CAN’T ARTICULATE LIKE WE WANT TO. AND SO, UH, ONE OF THE MEN SAID, WELL, BRETHREN, I MOVE THAT, UH, THAT WE NOT BAPTIZE THIS CHILD YET, THAT WE WAIT A WHILE. AND THEY SAID, NOW SWEETHEART, WE’RE GLAD THAT YOU’VE COME, AND, AND, AND WE KNOW THAT YOU LOVE JESUS, BUT WE WANT YOU TO WAIT A LITTLE WHILE BEFORE YOU BAB, YOU GET BAPTIZED. SHE PUDDLED UP AND BEGAN TO CRY. AND THEY SAID, NOW SWEETHEART, DON’T CRY. The time will come when you can be baptized. She said, I’m not crying because I can’t be baptized. She said, I’m thinking about my brother. He doesn’t know Jesus and he needs to be saved. ONE OF THOSE MEN SAID, BROTHER, AND I MOVE WE BAPTIZE HER NOW. HUH, HUH, HUH. THAT’S, THAT’S, THAT’S THE MARK OF, OF, OF, OF A PERSON WHO’S BEEN SAVED IN SALVATION. LISTEN TO ME. IN SALVATION THERE IS A CONCEPTION IN A NEW BIRTH. UH, IN, IN, THERE IS A CREATION. YOU BECOME A NEW CHILD. AND THERE IS A CHARACTER. YOU BECOME A PARTAKER OF THE DIVINE NATURE. AND I’LL TELL YOU SOMETHING ELSE THERE IS WHEN THERE’S A BIRTH. THERE IS A COMPLETION. WHAT I MEAN IS THAT A BIRTH IS ONCE AND FOR ALL COMPLETE IN THE PHYSICAL SPHERE AND IN THE SPIRITUAL SPHERE. NOBODY’S EVER BEEN BORN TWICE PHYSICALLY. HAVE YOU EVER KNOWN ANYBODY THAT’S BEEN BORN TWICE PHYSICALLY? BRING THEM TO ME, I WANT TO MEET THEM. AH, HAVE, AND NOBODY’S EVER BEEN BORN TWICE SPIRITUALLY. THAT’S THE REASON WE BELIEVE IN THE ETERNAL SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER. NOWHERE CAN YOU EVER FIND WHERE ANYBODY HAS EVER BEEN SAVED TWICE IN THE ENTIRE BIBLE. SEE IF YOU CAN FIND IT. YOU CAN’T FIND IT. THAT’D BE LIKE YOU GOING OUT HERE TO ALMOST SIX BILLION PEOPLE ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH AND TRYING TO FIND ONE WHO’S BORN TWICE PHYSICALLY. IT CAN’T BE DONE. ONCE YOU COME INTO THE FAMILY, YOU’RE IN THE FAMILY. NOW THERE’S TIMES WHEN I DISAPPOINTED MY PARENTS, THERE’S TIMES WHEN MY FATHER HAD TO CHASTISE ME, BUT I AM A ROGERS. I WILL BE A ROGERS FOR ALL ETERNITY. EVEN WHEN MY BODY CEASES, WHEN I DIE, WHEN I GO DOWN THE GRAVE, I, THERE’S NO WAY THAT I CAN EVER BE ANYTHING ELSE THAN WHAT I WAS WHEN I WAS BORN. NO WAY. AND SPIRITUALLY, WHEN WE’RE BORN INTO THE FAMILY OF GOD, OUR NAMES ARE WRITTEN IN THE LAMB’S BOOK OF LIFE, AND THERE’S A COMPLETION THAT IS DONE. IT IS FIXED. JESUS SAID, REJOICE THAT YOUR NAMES ARE WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF LIFE. AND THE, THE GREEK, UH, UH, CONSTRUCTION IS THAT THEY STAND WRITTEN. SO, A BIRTH IS A COMPLETION. IT IS DONE. NOW, HAVING SAID THAT, LET ME SAY, IT IS ALSO A COMMENCEMENT. IT IS A COMPLETION. IT IS A ONCE IN A LIFETIME EXPERIENCE IN THE SPIRITUAL REALM, BUT IT IS A COMMENCEMENT. NO BABY IS EVER BORN FULL GROWN. AND WHEN YOU GET SAVED, THAT DOESN’T MEAN YOU’RE GONNA SPROUT WINGS AND GET A HALO AND YOU’RE GONNA BE A SAINT. BUT THEN WE HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO WALK. WE HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO TALK. A BIRTH IS A COMMENCEMENT. IT IS A BEGINNING. AND YOU’RE GOING TO STUMBLE, YOU’RE GOING TO FALL, YOU’RE GOING TO FAIL. IT DOESN’T MEAN THAT YOU HAVEN’T BEEN SAVED. DOESN’T MEAN THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU’RE NOT PERFECT THAT, UH, YOU HAVEN’T, UH, MET THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. WE HAVE IN THIS AUDITORIUM TODAY SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE ABSOLUTELY GOING TO HEAVEN, BUT YOU’RE BABY CHRISTIANS, BUT YOU’RE GOING TO GROW IN THE GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST. A BIRTH IS A COMMENCEMENT AS WELL AS A COMPLETION. BUT NOW, LET ME SAY THIS ABOUT A BIRTH. A BIRTH IS ALSO A CERTAINTY, A CERTAINTY. I SUPPOSE I WOULD ASK YOU, TALKING IN THE PHYSICAL REALM, HAVE YOU EVER BEEN BORN, I’M NOT TALKING ABOUT BEING BORN AGAIN, JUST HAVE YOU EVER BEEN BORN? NUMBER ONE, IT SOUND LIKE KIND OF A, ALMOST A STUPID STATEMENT. BUT SUPPOSE YOU WERE TO, TO SAY THIS TO ME, WELL, I DON’T KNOW. I HOPE SO, I’M DOING THE BEST I CAN. I WOULD SAY, HE DOESN’T UNDERSTAND MY QUESTION. IF YOU’VE BEEN BORN, YOU’D KNOW IT, RIGHT? AND THE SAME IS TRUE IN THE SPIRITUAL REALM. A BIRTH IS A CERTAIN DAY. NOW IF JESUS SAID, YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN, WOULD THERE BE A MUST THERE AND A PERSON COULD NEVER KNOW WHETHER OR NOT THEY’VE DONE IT? WOULDN’T THAT BE FRUSTRATING? TO SAY, HERE IS SOMETHING THAT IS AN ABSOLUTE PREREQUISITE TO GO INTO HEAVEN, AND YOU COULDN’T KNOW THAT YOU’VE DONE IT? YOU KNOW, THAT’S THE REASON FIRST JOHN, UH, CHAPTER FIVE VERSE 13 SAYS, THESE THINGS HAVE I WRITTEN UNTO YOU THAT BELIEVE IN THE NAME OF THE SON OF GOD, THAT YOU MAY KNOW THAT YOU HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. WHEN YOU GET SAVED, WHEN YOU GET SAVED, YOU’RE NOT A QUESTION MARK, YOU’RE AN EXCLAMATION POINT. YOU SAY, I KNOW THAT I HAVE BEEN NOW BECAUSE OF THE WORD OF GOD AND THE SPIRIT OF GOD THAT ARE YOUR PARENTS, YOU CAN SAY, I KNOW, I KNOW THAT I’M SAVED. IT’S NOT ARROGANT TO SAY THAT YOU KNOW THAT YOU’RE SAVED. IT’S ARROGANT TO SAY THAT YOU DON’T KNOW IT IF YOU HAVE BEEN. AND IT IS FAITH TO SAY, YES, I KNOW THAT I’M SAVED. AND I DON’T TAKE ANY CREDIT FOR IT ANY MORE THAN I TAKE CREDIT FOR MY FIRST BIRTH. BUT I THANK GOD I CAN REJOICE IN IT. NOW LET ME SAY THIS. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO REMEMBER WHEN YOU WERE SAVED. NOW LISTEN, I DON’T REMEMBER WHEN I WAS BORN PHYSICALLY. ANYBODY HERE REMEMBER WHEN YOU WERE BORN? I DOUBT YOU DO. NOW THE NEW BIRTH, MANY TIMES WE DO REMEMBER IT, BUT YOU DON’T HAVE TO REMEMBER IT. THERE, I’VE HEARD PEOPLE STAND UP AND SAY, NOW IF YOU CAN’T TELL ME THE TIME AND THE PLACE WHEN YOU WERE SAVED, YOU HAVEN’T BEEN SAVED. THERE’S ONE THING WRONG WITH THAT, IT’S A LIE. THERE’S NOT ONE VERSE OF SCRIPTURE IN THE BIBLE THAT SAYS THAT. AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE BIBLE NEVER TELLS YOU TO LOOK BACK TO SOME PAST EXPERIENCE. THE BIBLE DOESN’T SAY, HE THAT BELIEVED IS SAVED. THE BIBLE SAYS, HE THAT BELIEVES IS SAVED. IT’S ALWAYS IN THE PRESENT TENSE. NOW I’M NOT SAYING THERE WAS NOT AN EXPERIENCE. THERE HAD TO BE AN EXPERIENCE. I HAD TO BE BORN IN ORDER TO BE HERE. And if you are saved, you were saved, and there was a moment in time, but it might have been fuzzy to you. You may not have known all about it. It may have been just as a child, you just, one day you woke up and realized that you are really, with all of your heart, trusting Jesus. And you could not tell me the exact moment. If you and I were to go from here to Alabama, and you go in an automobile and I go in an airplane, and let’s say we’re going to Tuscaloosa, AND HE SAYS, I’LL MEET YOU AT THE AIRPORT. NOW WHEN HE CROSSES THE STATE LINE, IT SAYS, WELCOME TO ALABAMA. HE KNOWS EXACTLY WHEN HE CROSSED. WHEN I CROSS THE STATE LINE, I’M IN AN AIRPLANE. I DON’T KNOW. HOW DO I KNOW THAT I CROSSED THE STATE LINE? BECAUSE I’M THERE IN THE AIRPORT WITH HIM. I HAD TO CROSS THAT LINE TO BE THERE. THE QUESTION IS NOT, WERE YOU SAVED? THE QUESTION IS, ARE YOU SAVED? AND IF YOU ARE, YOU WERE. AND IF YOU’RE TRUSTING JESUS, YOU ARE. AND IF YOU’RE NOT TRUSTING JESUS, YOU’RE NOT. QUIT LOOKING BACK TO SOME MUSTY EXPERIENCE AND ASK YOURSELF THIS QUESTION, ARE YOU NOW WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART AS MUCH AS IN YOU IS TRUSTING CHRIST AND HIM ALONE AS YOUR SAVIOR? AND IF YOU ARE, THEN YOU CAN SAY, YES, I WAS. I DID. WILL ROGERS WENT TO THE, WANTED TO TRAVEL OVERSEAS AND HE WENT TO GET A PASSPORT. THEY SAID, WELL, IN ORDER TO GIVE YOU A PASSPORT, YOU’LL NEED A BIRTH CERTIFICATE. HE SAID, WHAT DO I NEED THAT FOR? THEY SAID, FOR PROOF OF YOUR BIRTH. HE SAID, WELL, I’M HERE, AIN’T I? THAT’LL BE PROOF ENOUGH. NOW FOLKS, IF YOU HAVE BEEN BORN AGAIN, AH, YOU ARE THE VERY PROOF THAT YOU HAVE BEEN BORN AGAIN. A BIRTH IS A CERTAINTY. AND LAST OF ALL, AND I, I DON’T EVEN HAVE TIME TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THIS, BUT A BIRTH IS A COMPENSATION. WHEN YOU GET BORN INTO THE FAMILY OF GOD, YOU’RE BORN INTO A VERY RICH FAMILY. HA HA. THE BIBLE SAYS, THE, THE, THE LORD IS RICH UNTO ALL THAT CALL UPON HIM. YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE GET TO HEAVEN? THE BIBLE SAYS WE’RE HEIRS OF GOD AND JOINT HEIRS WITH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. DO YOU KNOW WHAT A JOINT HEIR IS? GET A, GET A LAWYER TO TELL YOU. THAT MEANS SHARE AND SHARE ALIKE. You are, listen, you are royal blue blood. You’re born into God’s family. Just call me Prince Adrian. I’ve been born into God’s family. There’s a compensation that comes with a new birth. Three births. The sinner’s birth. We’ve all had that. The Savior’s birth. Thank God for that. The second birth. YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN. YOU MUST. RIGHT NOW, THIS MOMENT, YOU CAN PRAY AND RECEIVE CHRIST. THE GREAT VERSE THAT, THAT JESUS GAVE TO NICODEMUS WAS THIS, FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT SHOULD HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE. THE WORD BELIEVE DOESN’T MEAN JUST INTELLECTUAL BELIEF, IT MEANS TRUST, AND YOU CAN DO IT RIGHT NOW. WOULD YOU PRAY AND SAY, LORD JESUS, COME INTO MY HEART, FORGIVE MY SIN, SAVE ME, HELP ME TO BECOME YOUR CHILD AND TO GROW IN YOU. I GIVE YOU MY HEART RIGHT NOW. I RECEIVE YOU RIGHT NOW. I RECEIVE YOUR WORD. AND YOUR SPIRIT IN THE WOMB OF FAITH, AND I TRUST YOU. IN YOUR NAME I PRAY, AMEN.
SPEAKER 02 :
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