BORN AGAIN OF THE SPIRIT
Jesus said, except a person is born again of the Holy Spirit they cannot enter the kingdom of heaven (John 3:3,5). And he promised the Holy Spirit would come to live within his born-again people (John 14:15-17); to glorify Christ (John 16:13-14); and to give power to those he dwells in to do God’s will (Acts 1:8).
BORN AGAIN OF THE HOLY SPIRIT?
A Pharisee named Nicodemus secretly came to Jesus by night and said, we know you are a teacher from God. For no one could do the miraculous things you are doing if God were not with him. Jesus responded, “no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
Nicodemus asked, how can a person be born again? Jesus answered, for someone to enter the kingdom of God they must be “born of water and the Spirit.” For, “flesh gives birth to flesh, but Spirit gives birth to spirit.” (John 3:1-7). The Bible associates water and Spirit baptism with repenting and believing Jesus Christ for salvation from sin (John 3:16; Acts 2:38).
FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT AS PROMISED
DISCIPLES OF JESUS: According to Jesus’ promise, the Holy Spirit first came into the world to fill, indwell and empower men and women, on the Holy Day of Pentecost. The Spirit came like a sudden violent wind from heaven, and appeared to the gathered disciple as “tongues of fire.” And “all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” (Acts 1:8; Acts 2:1-4).
JEWS FROM EVERY NATIONS were gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate the Day of Pentecost. Being filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, the disciples used this occasion to proclaim the gospel to the large gathering. The Holy Spirit convinced the crowd that: “God has made this Jesus, whom you crucifies, both Lord and Messiah.” They asked, “what must we do?” Peter answered: “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of you sins. And you will receive the Holy Spirit.” Those who believed the gospel of Jesus Christ crucified and resurrected , and were baptized, were about three thousand. (Acts 2:5-41).
NON-JEWS: The Spirit persuaded Peter in a vision to go preach the gospel to a man named Cornelius, who was not a Jew. While Peter was telling Cornelius and those with him the good news about salvation through Jesus Christ, “the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word.” Peter was amazed when he heard the Gentiles “speaking in tongues and extoling God.” (Tongues are a sign for unbelievers or doubters, 1 Corinthians 14:22). Peter, a doubting Jew, believed Gentiles “have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” And he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. (Acts 10:1-48).
RECOGNIZING WORKS OF THE INDWELLING SPIRIT
Jesus said: you will know those who are born again of the Spirit “by their fruits.” For “Just as you can identify a tree by the fruit it yields, so you can recognize the spirit of a person by what they do. The essential fruit produced by the Holy Spirit is “love” ( Matthew 7:20; Galatians 5:22).
- The Spirit enables you to love the Lord with all your heart, soul and mind; and love others as you love yourself (Matthew 22:37).
- Repent of your sins and believe in Jesus Christ and be saved (John 3:16; Acts 2:38)
- Love the Lord by keeping his commandments ( John 14:15).
- Deny yourself and take up your cross and follow Jesus (Matthew 16:24).
- Love one another as Christ has sacrificially loved you (John 13:34-35).
THE SPIRIT PREPARES US FOR HEAVEN
The Holy Spirit works with us in being born again to accept Jesus as our Savior. (John 3:5; 16). He conforms us to the likeness of God’s only begotten Son (Romans 8:29). And when he lives in us, he will raise us as he raised our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ, to live with God forever in heaven (Romans 8:11).