The new birth that Jesus refers to in in John 3, is manifested by a transformed life. And that transformation comes about by several realities: 1) Salvation does not come based on our merit (Ephesians 2:8-9) 2) No amount of good works will gain us access to heaven (Titus 3:5) 3) The new birth occurs when we trus the work that Christ has done for us through His work: Death, burial, resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:3-4) 4) Salvation is the work of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3) 5) In the new birth, we are sealed into the family of God (2 Corinthians 1:22) 6) In the new birth we are made a new person in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17) A transformed life is not based on what we do, it is based on who we are. Remember: What we do manifests what we are!… READ MORE

It was absolutely necessary for Nicodemus to get over his astonishment that he was so wrong about how one is accepted into God’s kingdom n John 3:1-10. Jesus shares with him that he could never do so based on his own righteous works. And He illustrates His point with a very familiar example from Nature in verse 8 “The Wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” The wind cannot be controlled; it blows where it wishes. And though its general direction can be known, where it comes from and where it is going cannot be precisely determined. Nevertheless, the wind’s effects can be observed. The same is true of the work of the Spirit. His sovereign work of regeneration in the human heart can neither be controlled nor predicted. Yet it’s effects can be seen in the transformed lives of those who are born of the Spirit. If you are a believer you will manifest that change in your life and heart, through your actions. As you go about your life today, remember: what we … READ MORE

Our salvation is based on the covenant whose redeeming work is finished on the sacrifice that has been offered once for all time by the eternal Spirit Himself. Hebrews 9:23-24 reminds us that the Sacrifice of Christ was offered “through the eternal Spirit” It is in John 3:1-10 that Jesus introduces the concept of the importance of being Born Again. He does so to a extremely religious Jew named, Nicodemus. This is a powerful account of the message of the gospel, that reminds us that New Birth is essential to establish a relationship with God. Just as we have no control over our initial conception and birth, we do not control the implementation of the New Birth. That is Jesus’ point. The Pharasees were an especially conservative group who were more focused on outer behavior, than inner change. Jesus’ point was that we need to be changed both on the outside (our actions) and our insides (our thinking). The truth of the matter is that in the New Birth, while we do not change physically, our change comes from the heart, for we need to have a new heart, that makes us a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). Evaluate you … READ MORE