BORN AGAIN OF THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST

BORN AGAIN OF THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST

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 believers to glorify Christ (John 16:14); and to give them power to do God’s will on earth as it is done in heaven (John 14:15-17; Matthew 6:10).

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 WERE FILLED: 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 FILLED: Jews from every nation were gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate the Day of Pentecost. The disciples, being filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, used this occasion to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ 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.” There were about 3,000 who believed the gospel of Jesus Christ; then were baptized, and filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:5-41).

NON-JEWS WERE FILLED: 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, came to believe 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).

The Lord converted and filled a Pharisee name Saul/Paul with the Holy Spirit; then appointed Paul to be the apostle, to proclaim the gospel of salvation to the Gentile or non-Jews (Acts 9:1-17).

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 Holy Spirit convinces people to repent of their sins and believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord (John 3:16; John 16:8).

The Spirit helps believers to deny self and take up their cross and follow Jesus (Matthew 16:24).

The Spirit enables you to love the Lord with all your heart, soul and mind; and love others as you love yourself (Matthew 22:37-39). Furthermore, the Spirit inspires believers who recognize Jesus’ sacrificial death for their sins, to love others as the Lord has loved them. love the Lord by keeping his commandments
( John 14:15).

Knowing that he has given believers the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus tells believers, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15).

PREPARED BY CHRIST’S SPIRIT TO LIVE WITH GOD FOREVER

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 the Spirit of Christ 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).