The Simplicity and Grace of

THE NEW BIRTH

[Romans 10: 9 and 10]

Many people simply assume that they are born again of God's Spirit simply because they go to church and 'believe in God'. Believing ‘in’ God and BELIEVING GOD are two different things. The New Birth, being born again of God's Spirit, is the first thing a person must do to be able to understand spiritual matters (i.e. the Word of God). A person who is simply body and soul cannot understand the Bible. He or she must be body, soul and spirit or they can NEVER understand spiritual matters. The Word of God clearly states this in the book of I Corinthians.

I Corinthians 2: 14 -- But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

The 'natural man' is the man of body and soul who is not born again of God's Spirit. God says that a man not born again simply cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God. Also, the natural man cannot know spiritual matters because he cannot discern or understand them.

The Word of God is not hard to understand when it is studied and researched. Men, with their opinions and misinterpretations of the Bible make it complicated and confusing.

I Corinthians 14: 33 -- FOR GOD IS NOT THE AUTHOR [A GOD] OF CONFUSION, BUT OF PEACE, AS IN ALL CHURCHES OF THE SAINTS. [emphasis added]

Whenever there is confusion, it is not of God. Now if you see a blind man trying to read a sign, you wouldn't laugh at him, would you? When you speak the Word to a man of body and soul, not born again of God's Spirit, that person may appear to be listening, but in their mind they DO NOT understand. If someone is not born again, they need your help and love. BUT THEY MUST DO WHAT ROMANS 10: 9, 10 SAYS. IT'S THAT SIMPLE. Remember 'believe' is a verb and it requires ACTION. We must ACT ON WHAT THE Word says, THEN AND ONLY THEN, will we see results.

Romans 10: 9 & 10 -- That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. [emphasis added]

What does it mean to 'confess'? IT SIMPLY MEANS TO SAY IT. To whom do you say it?! To a man?! To a priest?! SAY IT TO GOD. If you're waiting for the complicated part, there is none. WHAT DO YOU CONFESS? You confess Jesus Christ as Lord in your life and you believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead. You say this to God. The heart is the innermost part of the being and God knows whether you mean it or not. It's that simple.

Ephesians 2: 8, 9 -- For by grace [divine favor] are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of [from] God. Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Once you do this, at that exact moment, the miracle of the new birth takes place. YOU BECOME BORN AGAIN OF GOD'S SPIRIT. Now you have body, soul and SPIRIT. You are now made 'WHOLE'. This is what it means to be saved. It's truly a miracle beyond any person's understanding. You can look forward to eternal life. Did your mind change? Your mind did not change. Your thoughts didn't change but you now have the ability to understand spiritual matters. God teaches your spirit and your spirit teaches your mind. ONCE A PERSON IS BORN AGAIN OF GOD'S SPIRIT, THAT PERSON MUST RENEW THEIR MIND ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF GOD. This is a continuous process until Jesus Christ returns. This is stated clearly in Romans 12: 1, 2. It's an exciting time searching for all the treasures in God's Word -- at least 900 promises. The renewed mind is your KEY TO POWER.

Romans 12: 1, 2 -- I Beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable [logical] service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

If you're studying this, you are renewing your mind right now. It becomes obvious that we must STUDY GOD'S WORD in order to renew our mind and walk with the power of God. This must be done by our own free will. God never forces anyone to do anything. He never possesses or controls. God wants us to love and worship Him by our own free will. With God, YOU MUST ACT FIRST and then you will see results. It is not the other way around. God is a respecter of CONDITIONS -- all conditions to live the more than abundant life are in His Word. God created life -- He surely knows how to live it. So how do we renew our mind after we are born again? We study. Does the Bible exhort us to study?

II Timothy 2: 15 -- Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

First, make sure you are BORN AGAIN of God's Spirit by confessing Romans 10: 9, 10 or you will never understand the Bible.

Secondly, you must CHANGE YOUR THINKING to line up with God's Word [RENEW YOUR MIND -- Romans 12: 1, 2] by STUDYING GOD'S WORD as you are exhorted to do in II Timothy 2: 15. These Scriptures are foundational and most important if you are ever going to walk by the spirit of God in your life.

Fulfill these conditions and God will bless your life more abundantly.

Ephesians 3: 20 -- Now unto him [God] that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, [emphasis added]

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