Thursday, November 5, 2015

Ye Must Be Born Again

"Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven."  John 3:5.  Jesus always speaks the words of truth.  If we would have a relationship with Him and have the hope of eternal life, we must follow His teaching.  His teaching in this passage concerns the matter of rebirth.  The birth involves the water and the Spirit.  Jesus teaches us that unless one is born of the water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven.  The kingdom of heaven is the church now and the future eternal abiding with God and Christ in heaven.  To hold the prospect of that blessing requires the birth of water and the Spirit.  The water is baptism or immersion.  In this act of obedience, one is united with Christ and enjoys the forgiveness of sins.  The old man of sin dies and the new man of holiness is born.  When one is baptized into Christ, he is sealed with the Holy Spirit of God.  The seal or gift of the Spirit is the assurance of our salvation.  The new birth is an obedient act that opens for us a new life in Christ.

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