The scriptures ofJohn 3:3-5 makes it quite clear that a person must be born again inorder to enter into the kingdom of God. And we find this same apostleJohn giving us a description of those who has been born of God in whathe states in I John 3:9 that says, "Whosoever is born of God doth notcommit sin, for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin, because heis born of God."
Nowthere are multiplied millions of people claimimng to be born again, butwe find them still living in sin, even though I John 3:9 clearlyreveals that those born of God do not and ffurther more cannot commitsin. The truth of the matter is that they have not been born againproven by the fact that sin is yet manifested in their life and theystill refer to themselves as sinners. A born again person is not asinner, because we all were born into this world possessing a sinfulnature that has caused us all to sin and come short of the glory of God.
Thetruth of how a person can be born again has been hidden from the mindof man for hundreds of years, but is now being revealed and whosoeverwill begin to obey the truth of it will become a born again son of Godand will have complete victory over the power and influence of sin. Thecommon belief on this subject that millions have accepted, is just amere belief on Christ accepting him as their own personal Lord andSaviour is all that is required in order to be born again. But thiscertainly is not the truth of the matter as Gods holy word teaches it.In order to understand this truth you must first realize you are athree-fold-being that consists of a body, a soul, and a spirit.
Eachsection of our total man is involved in the process of the new birth.The new birth starts with truly receiving Christ into your heart, whichis only one section of our total person. To receive Chtist is done bywhat Jesus said as recorded in Revelation 3:20 that says, "Behold. Istand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open thedoor, I will come into him, and will sup with him, and he with me." Tohear his voice means to hear his word, that is written in the Bible.The words we must hear and obey is what Peter tells us in Acts 2:38that says, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name ofJesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the giftof the Holy Ghost."
Obedienceto this truth will impart the Spirit into your heart and by faith yourheart will be purified from all the evil and wickedness that itcontains. The heart, which is the soul, is only one section of ourtotal being that has been cleansed from sin, but this purifying of theheart did not cleanse the sin that yet indwells both our body andspirit. Paul proves this in what he said to his Roman converts asstated in Romans 12:1-2 that says, "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 service.
ThenPaul went on in verse two telling them to be renewed in their minds,which is their spirit. How to do what Paul says in Romans 12:1-2 isrevealed in what he said in II Corinthians 7:1 that says, "Havingtherefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves fromall filthiness of the flesh (body) and spirit (mind) perfectingholiness in the fear of God." We do this by obeying and believing thetruth of Gods word as it is being revealed to us by revelation of theSpirit that we received by obedieence to what Peter said in Acts 2:38.
Soin order to be scripturally born again, we must first receive Christinto our heart by obedience to Acts 2:38 that purifies it by faith, andthen begin to walk in the many truths revealed in the teachings ofChrist contained in all scriptures of the NT covenant. Jesus summed upthe whole operation of the new birth and how its accocmplished in whathe said in Mark 1:15 that says, "Repent ye, and believe the gospel." Inother words it simply means to be willing to turn from sin and submitto Gods revealed word and believe and obey it. You will never knowChrist in the power of his resurrection until you begin to do this.