How do I become truly “Born again"?
Well, basically we are born again into the family of God through
• Repentance from sin and self-will
• Baptism in the Name of Jesus Christ
• The Baptism of, or infilling by the Holy Ghost
Every human being has their first birth by uniting the seed of man and of woman. Unless science interupts the process, a child is brought into this world from that conception, via the mother's womb where it matures to readiness for viable life.
Jesus foretold the plan of salvation for this age in talking to Nicodemus. In John 3, read: 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. 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 born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
- John 3:2-5
To be born, is to appear in this world with a particular nature. You and I were born human beings, not dogs, or monkeys. As such we will live in this world subject to the limitations and inclinations of human beings. But we have a desire for more, and to escape the bondage of sin, and to receive a more permanent condition of being. Human beings are by nature, inheritors of the kingdom of this earth. Jesus said that the Kingdom of Heaven was being made ready for the welcome of human beings. By a wonderful rebirth, you can receive the properties and nature which enable you to enter into and live in the Kingdom of God.
Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven . - vs 9-13
In this citation, we see that Nicodemus, a highly educated religious man was a little confused by the promise. Of course he was! Jesus came to lead us to receive His promise, and none of us were able to fully understand something which, by nature, we could not know!
What is the new birth?
in Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus, He gave it two divisions: 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. - vs 5-6 These are:
water
like the womb of the mother, where the identity of the child is contained
spirit
or the nature of the parents, conveyed to the child, giving it life
Jesus very adamantly taught that only the Spirit of God could convey the divine nature to men and women and make them able to enter the Kingdom of God!
No, Nicodemus did not understand this, and neither does it come naturally to us if we have not received it yet. But when the truth of the gospel was revealed, when the Apostles began to preach the message which they were ordained by Jesus Christ (God in the flesh) to preach, we find that the message of the new birth they taught was
• Baptism in water in the name of Jesus Christ for remission of sins
• Baptism in the Holy Ghost for conveyance of new life. Also referred to a " the promise of the Father" - Acts 24:49
We are born again into the family of God through
• Repentance from sin and self-will
• Baptism in the Name of Jesus Christ
• The Baptism of, or infilling by the Holy Ghost
This experience constitutes a rebirth into the Kingdom of God, or in another way of speaking, into the Church. This "gateway" into the "promised land" of salvation, and the covenant of truly knowing the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Peter, Paul and all saints as one's father, was revealed by the preaching of Peter (and the eleven other disciples, on the day of Pentecost, 7 weeks after Jesus was crucified for our sins, and resurrected to walk with and teach the disciples, and then to ascend from our sight into heaven. This wonderful message was preached from the very first Christian gathering ever, as God have instruction and power that the WHOLE WORLD ought to be invited into His PROMISED REST of salvation!
"Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." - Acts 2:36-39
As God sent his Son into this world to pay the terrible cost of sin, and to reveal the name of God, and a gospel of reconciliation to us, everyone today stands posed to receive or reject the means to accept God's offer to become His child through the new birth.
How do I repent….What do I say?
“Jesus!, I have sinned against You by breaking Your Commandments. Despite the conscience You gave me, I have looked with lust and therefore committed adultery in my heart. I have lied, stolen, failed to love You, failed to love my neighbor as myself, and failed to keep the Sabbath holy. I have been covetous, harbored hatred in my heart and therefore been guilty of murder in Your sight. I have used Your holy name in vain, have made a god to suit myself, and because of the nature of my sin, I have dishonored my parents. If I stood before You in Your burning holiness on Judgment Day, if every secret sin I have committed and every idle word I have spoken came out as evidence of my crimes against You, I would be utterly guilty, and justly deserve hell. I am unspeakably thankful that Jesus took my place by suffering and dying on the cross. He was bruised for my iniquities. He paid my fine so that I could leave the courtroom. He revealed how much You love me. I believe that He then rose from the dead (according to the Scriptures). I now confess and forsake my sin and yield myself to Him to be my Lord and Savior. I will no longer live for myself. I present my body, soul, and spirit to You as a living sacrifice, to serve You in the furtherance of Your Kingdom. I will read Your Word daily and obey what I read. It is solely because of Calvary’s cross that I will live forever. I am eternally Yours. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”
How to be Baptized?
The Book of Acts establishes that the apostles and the
early church consistently baptized in the name of Jesus
Christ. This pattern is the norm for the church today.
It is our responsibility to obey the commands and
examples of the Bible regardless if whether we understand
the reasons for this practice or the importance of it.
Obedience is the only course open to us. [We may
question what authority deserves obedience, but ought to
recommend scripture, or the apostle's record where there
seems to be conflict with other powers (Romans 16:17, 2
Corinthians 2:17-3:1). The Lord Jesus ought to be made
Lord of our lives in our thoughts, values, beliefs and
practices.]
Baptism in the name of Jesus Christ is not an arbitrary
practice, however. Using the name of Jesus in baptism is
inextricably linked with the very purpose of baptism
itself. All the reasons for being baptized in water are
also reasons for invoking the name of Jesus at baptism.
If someone wishes to be baptized but refuses the
invocation of the name of Jesus, he has not fully grasped
the reasons why he should be baptized.
1. As a minimum, all groups in Christendom agree that
the purpose of water baptism is to express faith in Jesus
as Lord and Savior. When the listeners on the day of
Pentecost accepted Jesus as Lord and Messiah, they were
baptized (Acts 2:36-38, 41).
When the Samaritans "believed Philip preaching ... concerning the kingdom of
God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized"
(Acts 8:12).
When the disciples of John at Ephesus heard
that Jesus was the fulfillment of the prophecy of John
the Baptist, they were baptized (Acts 19:4-5). When the
Corinthians "believed on the Lord" they were baptized
(Acts 18:8).
The proper way to express faith in Jesus is to confess
His name. In each of the cases just cited, the candidates
expressed their faith in Jesus by being baptized in the
name of Jesus. (See Acts 2:38; 8:16; 19:5; 1Cor 1:13.)
2. Baptism is "for the remission of sins" (Acts 2:38),
or "to wash away ... sins" (Acts 22:16), and the name of
Jesus is the only name given for remission of sins.
"through his name whosoever believeth in him shall
receive remission of sins" (Acts 10:43).
Thus the proper way to seek remission of sins at baptism is to invoke the
name of Jesus in faith. Acts 2:38 and Acts 22:16 not only
connect the remission of sins with water baptism, but
they specifically connect remission of sins with water
baptism on the name of Jesus.
3. Baptism is part of our salvation experience (Mark
16:16; 1 Peter 3:21), and the name of Jesus is the only
name given for salvation. "Neither is there salvation in
any other: for there is none other name under heaven
given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).
(See also Acts 2:21; Romans 10:9, 13.)
Thus the proper
way to integrate water baptism with the New Testament
salvation is to invoke the name of Jesus.
4. Baptism is a burial with Jesus Christ (Romans 6:4;
Colossians 2:12). The Spirit of God did not die for us;
only Jesus the man died for us and was buried in the
tomb. To be buried with Jesus Christ, we should be
baptized in His name.
How to Receive the Holy Ghost ?
What is required for you to receive the Holy Ghost?
Hunger and thirst
The first and foremost requirement if for you to desire it, and seek for it. It make take a little time to concentrate and to completely convince yourself that this is worth taking the time for. We busy people are so self-sufficient....
Consecrate
Don't hang out with people who discourage you, and are very cynical. Any old mule can kick down a stall, but care is required to design and build one. Jesus Christ is the baptizer in the Holy Ghost. He is doing a careful and perfect work. Give Him honor, and separate your spirit unto His. That means neglecting some old attitudes, and some people who will try to dissuade you!
Repent
Next, you must repent. This simply means turning from selfish will, and sins which are obvious to you. You know in your heart that you are not strong enough to guarantee that you will never do it again, but for a moment, for a day, and before the presence of God, you can sincerely put yourself in His hands, and agree that you need to repent.
Worship
You should gravitate to either a place of intense prayer, or an atmosphere where there is dynamic, lively and sincere praise and worship. If you seek the Holy Ghost, make this kind of environment your mainstay, as much as possible.
Relax,
let God have his way in your immediate life. Worship him vocally. This is important! Open your mouth, and audibly speak to God. Raise your hands. Empty your heart of everything except praise for the Lord Jesus Christ. Tell Him you love Him! Drive out distracting thoughts. Be willing to say to doubt, "I hear you, but I believe that God's word is true, and God does desire to give me his Spirit". Don't let thoughts of unworthiness condemn you. We are all unworthy of the beautiful gift of the Holy Spirit!
And ...
When you do receive the Spirit, you will begin to speak in other tongues. You must be unhindered and willing to open your mouth and to speak out the strange sounds and utterances which you feel pushing outward from within. This is perfectly right, and furthermore, it is expected. It is the resulting evidence which God provides. The utterance comes from the Spirit, but it is your tongue, diaphragm, and facial muscles which actually make the sounds. Don't force yourself to speak in tongues, rather open up, and allow it to happen as you concentrate on the beauty of the Lord Jesus Christ. And Boom, you will suddenly burst forth speaking in a language you never learned or knew before! The Spirit of Jesus will be speaking right out of your mouth!
and you will know what it is to be like the first apostils... You will know what the prophets never knew and could only foretell for you WILL be Truly Born Again!
Acts 2:16-18
16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 'And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. 18 And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy.
Isaiah 28:11-12
11 For with stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people, 12 To whom He said, "This is the rest with which You may cause the weary to rest," And, "This is the refreshing"; Yet they would not hear.
Well, basically we are born again into the family of God through
• Repentance from sin and self-will
• Baptism in the Name of Jesus Christ
• The Baptism of, or infilling by the Holy Ghost
Every human being has their first birth by uniting the seed of man and of woman. Unless science interupts the process, a child is brought into this world from that conception, via the mother's womb where it matures to readiness for viable life.
Jesus foretold the plan of salvation for this age in talking to Nicodemus. In John 3, read: 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. 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 born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
- John 3:2-5
To be born, is to appear in this world with a particular nature. You and I were born human beings, not dogs, or monkeys. As such we will live in this world subject to the limitations and inclinations of human beings. But we have a desire for more, and to escape the bondage of sin, and to receive a more permanent condition of being. Human beings are by nature, inheritors of the kingdom of this earth. Jesus said that the Kingdom of Heaven was being made ready for the welcome of human beings. By a wonderful rebirth, you can receive the properties and nature which enable you to enter into and live in the Kingdom of God.
Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven . - vs 9-13
In this citation, we see that Nicodemus, a highly educated religious man was a little confused by the promise. Of course he was! Jesus came to lead us to receive His promise, and none of us were able to fully understand something which, by nature, we could not know!
What is the new birth?
in Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus, He gave it two divisions: 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. - vs 5-6 These are:
water
like the womb of the mother, where the identity of the child is contained
spirit
or the nature of the parents, conveyed to the child, giving it life
Jesus very adamantly taught that only the Spirit of God could convey the divine nature to men and women and make them able to enter the Kingdom of God!
No, Nicodemus did not understand this, and neither does it come naturally to us if we have not received it yet. But when the truth of the gospel was revealed, when the Apostles began to preach the message which they were ordained by Jesus Christ (God in the flesh) to preach, we find that the message of the new birth they taught was
• Baptism in water in the name of Jesus Christ for remission of sins
• Baptism in the Holy Ghost for conveyance of new life. Also referred to a " the promise of the Father" - Acts 24:49
We are born again into the family of God through
• Repentance from sin and self-will
• Baptism in the Name of Jesus Christ
• The Baptism of, or infilling by the Holy Ghost
This experience constitutes a rebirth into the Kingdom of God, or in another way of speaking, into the Church. This "gateway" into the "promised land" of salvation, and the covenant of truly knowing the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Peter, Paul and all saints as one's father, was revealed by the preaching of Peter (and the eleven other disciples, on the day of Pentecost, 7 weeks after Jesus was crucified for our sins, and resurrected to walk with and teach the disciples, and then to ascend from our sight into heaven. This wonderful message was preached from the very first Christian gathering ever, as God have instruction and power that the WHOLE WORLD ought to be invited into His PROMISED REST of salvation!
"Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." - Acts 2:36-39
As God sent his Son into this world to pay the terrible cost of sin, and to reveal the name of God, and a gospel of reconciliation to us, everyone today stands posed to receive or reject the means to accept God's offer to become His child through the new birth.
How do I repent….What do I say?
“Jesus!, I have sinned against You by breaking Your Commandments. Despite the conscience You gave me, I have looked with lust and therefore committed adultery in my heart. I have lied, stolen, failed to love You, failed to love my neighbor as myself, and failed to keep the Sabbath holy. I have been covetous, harbored hatred in my heart and therefore been guilty of murder in Your sight. I have used Your holy name in vain, have made a god to suit myself, and because of the nature of my sin, I have dishonored my parents. If I stood before You in Your burning holiness on Judgment Day, if every secret sin I have committed and every idle word I have spoken came out as evidence of my crimes against You, I would be utterly guilty, and justly deserve hell. I am unspeakably thankful that Jesus took my place by suffering and dying on the cross. He was bruised for my iniquities. He paid my fine so that I could leave the courtroom. He revealed how much You love me. I believe that He then rose from the dead (according to the Scriptures). I now confess and forsake my sin and yield myself to Him to be my Lord and Savior. I will no longer live for myself. I present my body, soul, and spirit to You as a living sacrifice, to serve You in the furtherance of Your Kingdom. I will read Your Word daily and obey what I read. It is solely because of Calvary’s cross that I will live forever. I am eternally Yours. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”
How to be Baptized?
The Book of Acts establishes that the apostles and the
early church consistently baptized in the name of Jesus
Christ. This pattern is the norm for the church today.
It is our responsibility to obey the commands and
examples of the Bible regardless if whether we understand
the reasons for this practice or the importance of it.
Obedience is the only course open to us. [We may
question what authority deserves obedience, but ought to
recommend scripture, or the apostle's record where there
seems to be conflict with other powers (Romans 16:17, 2
Corinthians 2:17-3:1). The Lord Jesus ought to be made
Lord of our lives in our thoughts, values, beliefs and
practices.]
Baptism in the name of Jesus Christ is not an arbitrary
practice, however. Using the name of Jesus in baptism is
inextricably linked with the very purpose of baptism
itself. All the reasons for being baptized in water are
also reasons for invoking the name of Jesus at baptism.
If someone wishes to be baptized but refuses the
invocation of the name of Jesus, he has not fully grasped
the reasons why he should be baptized.
1. As a minimum, all groups in Christendom agree that
the purpose of water baptism is to express faith in Jesus
as Lord and Savior. When the listeners on the day of
Pentecost accepted Jesus as Lord and Messiah, they were
baptized (Acts 2:36-38, 41).
When the Samaritans "believed Philip preaching ... concerning the kingdom of
God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized"
(Acts 8:12).
When the disciples of John at Ephesus heard
that Jesus was the fulfillment of the prophecy of John
the Baptist, they were baptized (Acts 19:4-5). When the
Corinthians "believed on the Lord" they were baptized
(Acts 18:8).
The proper way to express faith in Jesus is to confess
His name. In each of the cases just cited, the candidates
expressed their faith in Jesus by being baptized in the
name of Jesus. (See Acts 2:38; 8:16; 19:5; 1Cor 1:13.)
2. Baptism is "for the remission of sins" (Acts 2:38),
or "to wash away ... sins" (Acts 22:16), and the name of
Jesus is the only name given for remission of sins.
"through his name whosoever believeth in him shall
receive remission of sins" (Acts 10:43).
Thus the proper way to seek remission of sins at baptism is to invoke the
name of Jesus in faith. Acts 2:38 and Acts 22:16 not only
connect the remission of sins with water baptism, but
they specifically connect remission of sins with water
baptism on the name of Jesus.
3. Baptism is part of our salvation experience (Mark
16:16; 1 Peter 3:21), and the name of Jesus is the only
name given for salvation. "Neither is there salvation in
any other: for there is none other name under heaven
given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).
(See also Acts 2:21; Romans 10:9, 13.)
Thus the proper
way to integrate water baptism with the New Testament
salvation is to invoke the name of Jesus.
4. Baptism is a burial with Jesus Christ (Romans 6:4;
Colossians 2:12). The Spirit of God did not die for us;
only Jesus the man died for us and was buried in the
tomb. To be buried with Jesus Christ, we should be
baptized in His name.
How to Receive the Holy Ghost ?
What is required for you to receive the Holy Ghost?
Hunger and thirst
The first and foremost requirement if for you to desire it, and seek for it. It make take a little time to concentrate and to completely convince yourself that this is worth taking the time for. We busy people are so self-sufficient....
Consecrate
Don't hang out with people who discourage you, and are very cynical. Any old mule can kick down a stall, but care is required to design and build one. Jesus Christ is the baptizer in the Holy Ghost. He is doing a careful and perfect work. Give Him honor, and separate your spirit unto His. That means neglecting some old attitudes, and some people who will try to dissuade you!
Repent
Next, you must repent. This simply means turning from selfish will, and sins which are obvious to you. You know in your heart that you are not strong enough to guarantee that you will never do it again, but for a moment, for a day, and before the presence of God, you can sincerely put yourself in His hands, and agree that you need to repent.
Worship
You should gravitate to either a place of intense prayer, or an atmosphere where there is dynamic, lively and sincere praise and worship. If you seek the Holy Ghost, make this kind of environment your mainstay, as much as possible.
Relax,
let God have his way in your immediate life. Worship him vocally. This is important! Open your mouth, and audibly speak to God. Raise your hands. Empty your heart of everything except praise for the Lord Jesus Christ. Tell Him you love Him! Drive out distracting thoughts. Be willing to say to doubt, "I hear you, but I believe that God's word is true, and God does desire to give me his Spirit". Don't let thoughts of unworthiness condemn you. We are all unworthy of the beautiful gift of the Holy Spirit!
And ...
When you do receive the Spirit, you will begin to speak in other tongues. You must be unhindered and willing to open your mouth and to speak out the strange sounds and utterances which you feel pushing outward from within. This is perfectly right, and furthermore, it is expected. It is the resulting evidence which God provides. The utterance comes from the Spirit, but it is your tongue, diaphragm, and facial muscles which actually make the sounds. Don't force yourself to speak in tongues, rather open up, and allow it to happen as you concentrate on the beauty of the Lord Jesus Christ. And Boom, you will suddenly burst forth speaking in a language you never learned or knew before! The Spirit of Jesus will be speaking right out of your mouth!
and you will know what it is to be like the first apostils... You will know what the prophets never knew and could only foretell for you WILL be Truly Born Again!
Acts 2:16-18
16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 'And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. 18 And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy.
Isaiah 28:11-12
11 For with stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people, 12 To whom He said, "This is the rest with which You may cause the weary to rest," And, "This is the refreshing"; Yet they would not hear.
