In John 3:3, Jesus talks about being "born again." This truth must be seriously studied. Let's talk about why this experience is so necessary for everyone. "Jesus said, 'I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the kingdom of God." John 3:3 (NLT)
But how can we experience being born again? We know that we are helpless and hopeless without Christ's grace. We cannot do it on our own.Ellen G. White said that “In ourselves we are incapable of doing any good thing…” DA 98.
Without Jesus' help, we are hopeless. We can't change ourselves on our own. But with the Holy Spirit’s supernatural help, working in us, we have the supernatural power to change in our hearts and minds. “Without the grace of Christ, the sinner is in a hopeless condition; nothing can be done for him; but through divine grace, supernatural power is imparted to the man, and works in mind and heart and character.” 1SM 366
Surely, we can't change ourselves without God's help. Only through His mighty power can we become new and changed persons. So the only way is to open the door of our hearts daily. Letting the Holy Spirit control us. “Listen! I stand at the door and knock; if any hear my voice and open the door, I will come into their house and eat with them, and they will eat with me.” Revelation 3:20.
Let us remember this truth, "To be controlled by human nature results in death; to be controlled by the Spirit results in life and peace. 7 And so people become enemies of God when they are controlled by their human nature; for they do not obey God's law, and in fact they cannot obey it." Romans 8:6,7
So, what is the condition? We must give our whole hearts to God to experience the new birth.
In Manuscript 148, 1897, Ellen G. White said, “The new birth is a rare experience in this age of the world. This is the reason why there are so many perplexities in the churches. Many, so many, who assume the name of Christ are unsanctified and unholy. They have been baptized, but they were buried alive. Self did not die, and therefore they did not rise to newness of life in Christ” Manuscript 148, 1897
Sadly, not many of us today experience being born again. This causes a lot of problems in churches. Many people who say they follow Jesus are not really changed. They've been baptized, but they're still the same inside. They didn't let go of self to become new person in Jesus. This tells us that just going through church’s rituals like baptism isn't enough. We need to let go of our old self and let Jesus make us new.
Think about your own life. Have you ever felt like you've been born again, like Jesus talked about? Have you fully given your heart to God and let Him change you inside? Think about areas where you still try to control things instead of letting God lead. Being born again isn't just something nice to have in our faith. It's crucial for being part of God's kingdom. Without it, we're lost. We cannot go to heaven. Let's listen to Jesus' words and let Him make us new from the inside out.
And may this be your prayer today; “Dear God, I know I need to be born again. I can't change myself. I need Your help to become new. Please help me give my whole heart to You so that You can make me into the person You want me to be. Amen.”
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