Being Born Again

Today you hear a lot about people being born again. It is the politically correct thing to say and be. However, if those who claim to be born again were truly born again you would see some really amazing things taking place in our government and around our country. What doe it mean to be born again? The Bible teaches that in order to be saved, one must be regenerated, or born again. That regeneration consists in giving a holy disposition to the mind, and is effected in a manner above our comprehension, by the power of the Holy Spirit. This is done to secure our voluntary obedience to the gospel, and that its proper evidence is found in the holy fruits we bring forth to the glory of God. No matter what word you may use to describe the saving grace of Jesus Christ the meaning is still the same. By the operation of the Holy Spirit the soul is made new in Christ Jesus.
The need for the new birth is plainly set forth in the words Jesus spoke to Nicodemus, “Verily, verily I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (John 3:3) No human act or ecclesiastical provision can possibly be a substitute for, or take the place of, this necessary act of divine power. Confession to a Priest, his claim of absolution from sin, confirmation, baptism, nor anything else can serve in this connection. None of these are regeneration. None are a new birth, cannot be a substitute for it, neither can they produce it. They cannot unite the soul to the living head, cannot make it a child of God, an inheritor of the kingdom of Christ, and heir of eternal life. How God does this we do not know, beyond revealed truth. In Titus 3:5 Paul writes; “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost.” Again this work is called a creation, and only God can create, not man, nor the church, nor ordinance. We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works. (Ephesians 2:10)
The church needs people who have the backbone to stand up and say to the world they are Christians and are willing to die proving it. There needs to be a cleansing of the pulpit today. Too many “preachers” don’t know how to rightly divide the Word of God. Most get up on Sunday and give a book report. Because to them it is just a job, and it is the way they have been taught. It should be a way of life, with a deep passion to spread the Word of God. Heaven help them if they offend anyone in the congregation. If a man is truly called of God he will speak, as God directs not as the deacon board feels is correct. Few today call sin for what it is, sin. Fewer still condemn the actions of the church for condoning sin. I’m sure the Apostle Paul would have been a very unpopular guy today. Peter too would not have won any popularity contest. Neither would have been called to pastor a church today. Why? They called it like they saw it. They didn’t dress in the uniform of the “successful”. They called sin, sin and accused those who hid behind the robes of religion of being hypocrites and hindering the advancement of Christ’s church. Sounds like we need men who will tell it like it is and expose the condition of the church today as Peter and Paul did.