What is the Meaning of Being Born Again? – Dr. Charles Stanley

[Music] he says unless you are born again unless there is a spirits of experience whereby you accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior because the Holy Spirit is convicted you of your sin and made you realize you're not ready to meet the Lord we're either ready or not ready the only thing that makes us ready is our relationship to Jesus Christ [Music] four decades ago we started in touch ministries to lead people worldwide into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ throughout the years we've seen God's greatness his love and his blessings in such awesome ways that we just want everyone to know him so let's open God's Word and seek Him together next on InTouch what is the meaning of being born again the title of this message is what is the meaning of being born again lots of people have different ideas and attitudes about it but what does the word of God say what matters is God's attitude what he means by that term and its effect upon all of us because the truth is God wants all of us to be born again to be prepared to go to heaven so somebody's make says well what what difference does it make I'll say what difference it makes the Bible says it's appointed on the man wants to die and after this the judgment it makes a difference what you and I believe and God has given us this awesome passage of Scripture in a conversation between Jesus and the very outstanding Jewish Pharisee so I want us to read this passage of Scripture and then I want to be sure that when this message is over you know what it means to be born again how that can take place in your life and the importance of it for your whole eternity so if you will turn to the 3rd chapter of John and then let's start with the first verse the scripture says now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus a ruler of the Jews at a high office this man came to Jesus by night and said to him rabbi we know that you've come from God as a teacher for no one can do these signs that you have unless God is with him which says he'd been watching he's been listening in fact in the seventh chapter Nicodemus has found defending Jesus in a situation where his fellow rabbis and so forth were criticizing him and then of course he shows up at the garden tomb and so jesus said to him immediately truly truly i say to you unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God and Nicodemus said to him how can a man be born when he is old he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born Kenny jesus answered truly truly I say to you unless one is born of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God that which is one of the flesh is flesh that which is one of the Spirit is spirit do not be amazed that I said to you you must be born again then he gives them an illustration the wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it but do not know where it comes from and you don't know where it's headed so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit Nicodemus said to him how can these things be jesus answered and said to him are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things truly truly I say to you we speak of what we know and testify of what we've seen and you do not accept our testimony if I've told you earthly things and you do not believe how would you believe if I tell you of heavenly things no one who's ascended into heaven but he who has descended from heaven the Son of God now think about this Jewish leader slipping around in the evening probably does not want to be seen though maybe he was too busy one other - and asking Jesus about what he was talking about and so the process of doing so Nicodemus learn something and he immediately says to Jesus I know that your men come from God now he may have heard a few things Jesus said but he said I know that your men come from God because nobody could do what I've seen you doing unless God is with him now you would have thought Jesus would have said thank you very much or something like that but Jesus immediately answers and says truly truly I say to you unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God and so naturally Nicodemus responds by saying how can how can this be how can you be going twice how can you how can you be born a second time from your mother's womb and so he begins to answer it so I want us to think about the fact of what Jesus said except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God that if you intend to go to heaven you'd better be born again that's the only way you're going to get there and so Jesus sits for his time with him to explain to him what it means so I want to give you a simple definition of being born again being born again is the act of God by which he imparts eternal life to those who are dead in their trespasses and sins and when we accept him as our Savior that's when the change takes place all of us need to be born again when he talks about the kingdom of God he's referring to the sovereign rule of our God over all of creation so he answers some questions rather quickly and when he says I'm telling you unless you're born again you'll never see the kingdom of God you won't understand it and you won't see it so immediately he has Nicodemus mind and heart and if I were you I would listen very carefully because what Jesus said to Nicodemus he says to everyone who is willing and wise enough to listen because except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God he will not understand it nor will he enter into it very very important to understand the truth of this message and so when he said unless a man is born again he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven but the implication was that Nicodemus with all of your education all of your popularity all of their power you're not gonna be there unless there's a change in your life which had to be a humbling event for Nicodemus for this tenant preacher to tell him he wasn't your into heaven but think about it except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God he'll not enter into heaven which means that every single one of us need to understand what that means if we intend to go to heaven remember this you will not get there by your good works you will not get there by believing in some religious idea or believing in some religious person only through a new birth experience because you wouldn't be fit for heaven living in sin and die and go to a holy heaven which God has prepared for his children and I would say that to you it doesn't make any difference what you've done how many churches you've been to you may even be a pastor the only way you and I go into heaven is for the same way Nicodemus was going together and that is to be born again we understand the first birth but Jesus put it in a way that's unmistakably clear he could have said unless you do this that of the other and so we would have attempted to do this that it ever but he said born again there must be a transformation within your heart in your life that is so absolutely crystal clear that you will know without a shadow of a doubt that you've experienced this or not and so Jesus begins to explain it to him and he tells him he says all of your life all that you've done that has not equipped you to go to heaven so well what's the nature of this what is the nature what what is the whole idea about being born again what is this experience we said well you can't be born physically twice it is a spiritual experience and so Jesus begins to explain it he says it's a spiritual experience it's something the Spirit of God does in a person's life think about this many of you who were saved have been saved the Holy Spirit first of all convicted you of your sin the Holy Spirit began to help you understand that God loved you in spite of your sin the Holy Spirit began to help you understand that your good works what you were trying to do wasn't sufficient wasn't adequate to make you fit for heaven and finally the Holy Spirit brought you to the place of showing you helping you understand what it meant to confess your sin to repent of your sin and trust the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and what he was saying is this it is a definite experience and people say well I think I'm saved I think I'm okay but what makes you think you are well and they tell me all the things they don't do oh they'll tell me some of the things they do and I like to think you better this way when I think about when I was saved in a Pentecostal Holiness Church on my knees at the altar at the age of 12 weeping now I've been doing the church for years but on this Sunday morning the Spirit of God wouldn't let me sit in my pew any longer I got out I was scared to death I went to the altar fell on my knees and began to weep and ask God to save me it's a definite experience it is an experience in which week we are convicted by the Holy Spirit that's one of his primary jobs can victus of our sin and show us that the lord jesus christ death at Calvary paid our sin debt in full made it possible for us to ask for forgiveness repent of our sin turn away from it and be accepted by the Lord Jesus Christ you say well that's simple enough well it is simple enough if you willing and he says give us eternal life which means we'll never Parrish so maybe you've been going to church for years maybe all of your life maybes you look at your life you think well never have done anything really bad from your perspective and so you look at all the good things about your life I don't question that Nicodemus had a long list of good things he'd been doing and Jesus said to him except a man be born again something radical has to take place in your life if it doesn't play take place in your life you're not going to heaven you say well when you were 12 years old was that radical it was radical for me and what was radical was I suddenly realized I needed to be I needed my sins forgiven and if I doubted without Christ I felt that I would be lost at 12 whatever the issue was God spoke to my heart and showed me I needed to have a change in my life that would radically change me that hadn't changed there's only one way that'll make you fit for heaven that is confession and repentance of sins surrendering your life to the Lord Jesus Christ and he says when we do that we'll never perish so when I look at Nicodemus and see what an awesome guy he was and think about people today who could give you the same kind of look at their life on the outside everything looks right God knows the inside the truth is all of us have sinned against God over and over and over and over again and so what we do is we look at our sin and look at what we've done and what we've done religiously about it the Lord Jesus Christ then the world of God comes along and when we face ourselves against the Word of God things change the truth is we all need forgiveness we all need to repent we all need to surrender our life to God and if you intend to go to heaven so ask yourself the question today just the way you are that you think God would accept you into heaven just the way you are you saw I'm not planning on going yet well you may not plan on it but something may happen you may have to the question is this would you watch this carefully would you be ready on what basis do you believe that you're ready I can read your mind you started thinking about all the good things you've done all the money you've given all the people you may have helped all the kind of life you've lived and you've never been in jail and you've never done all of these things but that's not the basis of acceptance into heaven it's not what we've done it wasn't what Nicodemus had done he says unless you're born again unless there is a spiritual experience whereby you accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior because you hate the Holy Spirit is convicted you of your sin and made you realize you're not ready to meet the Lord we are either ready or not ready the only thing that makes us ready is our relationship to Jesus Christ nowhere in the Bible is to talk about our good works not by works of righteousness which we've done but according to His mercy he saves us and so he says the Nicodemus except a man be born again he can ever see the kingdom of God so what are the results for example in a person's life when they say yes I'm asking you Lord I want to be born again I'm trusting you as my savior I'm asking you to forgive me of my sin I award this radical change in my life so first of all there that means there's a change in my relationship watch this your relationship to God before you're born again is your enemy of the faith because you're living a different kind of life you're not for God you you can't either got to be for him or against him if you're living in sin you know against the kingdom of God against God well I will never be against God by your thoughts maybe you think that but the truth is if you're not on his side whose side are you on there is no neutral road I'm either walking down his road I'm walking on the road of the world and we look around today and see exactly what happens to a nation when so many people have turned away from Jesus away from the church and what's happening it's affecting everything about us so it's a definite relationship secondly there's a change in our position before we're separated from God separated from Christ but when you are born again that separation is over that is you're a part of the kingdom of God your name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life you're a child of God not for a season of time but forever you don't lose your salvation you may cloud it up with sin but one thing for certain you sin against God after you're saved the Holy Spirit living inside of you the convicted of sins shows the truth make us miserable and all to get us back to God so there's a change in your position with Christ now you're any Christ somebody says what does that mean it means I've been saved I've been born again I've surrendered my life to Christ now Christ is living his life in and through me through the Holy Spirit and I am living each day for him I'm in Christ to change the relationship change in my position then there's a change in attitude you can't be saved and then have no change in attitude something happens when you are born again yes what happens watch this the Holy Spirit of God who convicted you of your sin who showed you where you were who showed you what needed to be done and who gave you the wisdom to know how to pray and ask him to save you the Holy Spirit of God working in your life is doing what change your attitude now watch this when you saved the person of the Godhead the Holy Spirit he's on the inside of you living out the life of Christ convicting you have sin assuring you encouraging you helping you in every way possible the Bible says he sealed you there's a definite attitude when you are born again then one other thing of the Saints necessary there's a change in your destination listen the closer you get to your destination the more shoe you better be because listen what he says in the fifth chapter and the 24th verse of John he says for example to little I say to you he who hears my word like you're hearing this morning believes him who sent me that is believes God has eternal life and does not come in the judgment that has passed from death unto life think about this when you know that you're born again one thing you don't have to worry about you don't have to worry about getting lost and people can tell you well if you do this if you do that you're gonna be lost no remember this if this is why it's so important to you to mark verses mark verses you've been sealed by the Holy Spirit the spirit of promise sealed as a child of God that is think about how wonderful God is not only has he saved you not only have you been born again but God says now I want you to be sure the rest of your life I'm going to seal you with the third person of the Trinity God has sealed you with his presence within you so that you don't ever have to wonder about if you can be saved and be lost if you're living in sin and no conviction more than likely you've never been saved I'll tell you why the Holy Spirit is what he's he's the Holy Spirit he isn't Welling you he sealed use a child of God therefore when you sin against God he the Holy Spirit living within you is going to convict you you may live a long time with sin in your life and keep hearing this voice this little quietness but what about this what about that what about this in your life and after a while you may dill it down to a point but you'll never dull him down because he sealed you as a child of God you forever a child of God and the one thing you don't want to happen is to live your life and sin against them sinned against him sin against them and feel less and less and less conviction about it because you're becoming hardened in your heart the Spirit of God was placed in your heart to seal you to assure you and to give you wisdom and guidance and direction how to live the Christian life that's what it's all about if you know that you've never been born again if you just thank you heaven not sure whatever it might be settle that issue today right now it's nobody else's business it's you and God nobody else matters at this moment you and your eternal relationship with God is the only thing that matters and you're the only one who can determine what that will be you've heard the truth it's another praying I yield myself to you and a new fresh way Lord today and you want to be sure because watch this if you don't have the assurance that you've been born again you have no assurance about anything in life nothing so let's pray father we love your word thank you for making it simple and plain to us now we ask that your Holy Spirit who always works in times of confession and repentance being born again I pray right now that the Holy Spirit would convict every single person here who has never been born again convict them not of a bunch of sins but of that most important decision to ask you to not only forgive them of their sin but to change their eternal destiny to give them the gift of eternal life I pray that the prayer would be simple and that it would be sincere so sincere and so simple that it would never be forgotten and lord I pray for somebody here who's not sure as well as those who know for certain they've never been born again but as they prayed to believe in their heart that you will do exactly what you promised to do and that they can walk out of here with absolute certainty not because of what they've done but because of what they believe that you have brought about a new life so I pray father give them the grace to pray this prayer and whatever way they choose to do so Heavenly Father today I want to be sure about my relationship to you and some of you had prey I know that I have never been born again today I'm asking you in the confession of my sin in my repentant heart I'm asking you to bring about that new birth in my life to save me to give me the gift of a new birth I'm receiving the work of the Holy Spirit right now in my life sealing me as a child of God and enabling me to live the life that you've called me to live and I will trust you Lord daily to give me the strength to walk the path of righteousness to live a godly life and I know that it when I falter and fail you'll forgive me but you'll never cast me aside never throw me out for I am eternally secure in you and I pray this prayer in Jesus name now for somebody you know in your heart that you have been born again but you've really blown it you messed it up you sinned against God you keep on confessing the same old sin would you be willing to pray this prayer Father forgive me for my slothfulness spiritually forgive me for lying to you trying to impress you that I'm doing good and I know in my heart that I'm living a sinful life today I want to make a change in my life I'm asking the same Holy Spirit that saved me to enable me and I want to make a full surrender of my life afresh in a new today that I can live a godly life a holy life one that's pleasing and honorable to you and one that will bring you joy and one that will enable me to share this awesome message with others and I pray this in Jesus name Amen if you've been blessed by today's program please visit us at in touch dot o-r-g in touch leading people worldwide into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and strengthening the local church this program is sponsored by in touch ministries and is made possible by the grace of God and your faithful prayers and gifts

Channel: In Touch Ministries

Views: 120,997

Rating: 4.8768826 out of 5

Keywords: Charles F. Stanley, Charles Stanley, In Touch with Dr. Charles Stanley, In Touch Ministries, Preaching, Bible teaching, Dr. Stanley, Intouch ministries, intouch

Id: 2uTCNpM_8Ds

Length: 27min 2sec (1622 seconds)

Published: Fri May 18 2018