Today in History

1540 German reformer Martin Luther remarked: ‘In the worst temptations nothing can help us but faith that God’s Son has put on flesh, is bone, sits at the right hand of the Father, and prays for us. There is no mightier comfort.’

1817 Mississippi River steamboat service begins

1850 Birth of Arthur H. Mann, English church organist. In addition to being an authority on Handel, Mann also composed a number of sacred hymn tunes, including ANGEL’S STORY, to which we sing today, “O Jesus, I Have Promised.”

1860 Republican convention (Chicago) selects Abraham Lincoln candidate

1866 Missouri Lutheran Synod founder C.F.W. Walther wrote in a letter: ‘God carries on His work through men with whom it sometimes seems as if one would go to the right and the other to the left and the third one would hold back, and yet the work progresses.’

1866 Congress authorizes nickel 5¢ piece (replaces silver half-dime)

1891 George A Hormel & Company introduce Spam

1927 Supreme Court ruled bootleggers must pay income tax

1939 Food stamps are 1st issued

1940 Nazis forbid non-professional auto workers

1944 1st of 180,000+ Hungarian Jews reach Auschwitz

1971 1st class postage now costs 8¢ (was 6¢)

1988 Surgeon General C Everett Koop reports nicotine as addictive as heroin

1988 US Supreme Court rules trash may be searched without a warrant

John 4:5-14

“Then He came to a city of Samaria, which is called  Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.  Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefor, bring wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.  Then a woman of Sararia came to draw water: Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” (For his disciples were gone away to the city to buy food.)  Then the woman of Samaria said to him, “How is it that you, being a Jew, would ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria, for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.”  Jesus answered and said to her, “If you know the gift of God, and who it is that says to you, Give me to drink; you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” This woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: where would you get that living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank form it himself, with his children, and his cattle?” Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again: But whoever drinks of the water that is I shall give him will never thirst; but the water that I will give hims will be him a well of water springing up to everlasting life.”

Today in History

1602 – Cape Cod was discovered by English navigator Bartholomew Gosnold.

1686 – Rev. Robert Ratcliffe arrived in Boston from England, with orders from King Charles II to establish the Anglican Church in Massachusetts.

1718 – James Puckle, a London lawyer, patented the world’s 1st machine gun.

1829 – Joseph Smith was ordained by John the Baptist according to Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormons or Church of the Latter Day Saints.

1940 – Nylon stockings went on sale for 1st time in the United States.

1943 – German Lutheran theologian and Nazi martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote in a letter from prison: “I read the Psalms every day, as I have done for years; I know them and love them more than any other book.”

1944 – 14,000 Jews of Munkacs, Hungary were deported to Auschwitz.

1960 – Taxes took an average of 25% of all earnings in US.

1988 – Soviets began withdrawing in Afghanistan.

John 3:14-18

“In the same manner that Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whoever believes in him will not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him will not perish, but have everlasting life.

God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him would be saved. He that believes on him is not condemned: but he that doesn’t believe is condemned already, because he has not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

What does it mean to believe on Him?

Faith or the act of believing can be defined as Faith – Evangelical, justifying, or saving faith, is the assent of the mind to the truth of divine revelation, on the authority of God’s testimony, accompanied with a cordial assent of the will or approbation of the heart; an entire confidence or trust in God’s character and declarations. In other words, that firm belief concerning God’s testimony, and of the truth of the gospel, which influences the will, and leads to a complete reliance on Christ for salvation. Webster’s 1828 Diction of the English Language

The essence of faith is a belief that is so confidently held that we are placing our entire life on what Jesus Christ has done for us, by His sinless life, His sacrificial death, and His victory over death by His resurrection from the grave.

All creeds of Christianity declare the need for genuine faith and state, “I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.” We affirm our belief or faith as we state any confession or creed.

The Bible declares, “But apart from faith it is impossible to please him: for he that is comes to God must believe that He is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6)

John makes the following statements about believing, or having genuine faith in God.

1. Faith in Him results in the circumventing of death and the reward of Eternal life.
2. Faith in Him results in pardon of judgment.

We must however understand that is conditional.  It is based on the condition that we have a genuine faith or belief in Jesus Christ alone.  We cannot rest our spiritual life on our actions, however sincere they may be. Our text tells us that Christ is the one in view when the serpents invaded the camp of Israel.  “And the LORD sent poisonous snakes among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against you; intervene with the LORD, that He will take away the snakes from us.” And Moses prayed for the people. And the LORD said to Moses, “You make a poisonous serpent, and put it on a pole: and it will come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looks on it, will live.”  And Moses made a snake of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a snake bit any man, when he looked at the serpent of brass, he lived.” (Numbers 21:6-9) Their snake bite cures didn’t work, but faith in the simple command; “LOOK AND LIVE” did work.

How gracious God is that He has not given a convoluted or complex way to come to Him.  He has simply declared that we must place all of our life in His hands and that which He has done through Jesus Christ.

Do you believe?

If so, rejoice in knowing today that eternal life is yours.

Today in History

1607 – In Virginia, on the first Sunday after the arrival of the Jamestown Expedition, Anglican priest Robert Hunt, 39, held the first Anglican service in the New World. Named chaplain of the expedition to Jamestown, Hunt was also the first Anglican priest to come to America.

1932 – Death of John Hughes, 59, Welsh rail official and church worker. During his life, Hughes composed a number of hymns, including CWM RHONDDA, to which the Church today still sings “Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah.”

1941 – 3,600 Parisian Jews are arrested.
1942 – The US Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) was founded.

1948 – After nineteen centuries of enforced exile, the Jewish people regained their homeland when the State of Israel was formally proclaimed in Tel Aviv. On this same date, the U.S. became the first world nation to recognize the newly re-founded state of Israel.

1950 – American missionary and martyr Jim Elliot wrote in his journal: “To believe is to act as though a thing were so. Merely saying a thing is so is no proof of my believing it.”

1969 – Abortion & contraception were legalized in Canada.

1973 – The US Supreme Court approved equal rights for females in the military.

John 3:1-12

“There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: who came to Jesus by night, and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who follows God: for no man can do these miracles that you do, unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, Truly, I say to you, “Unless a man is born again, he cannot discern or understand the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is an old man? Can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, I say to you, “Except a man is born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Don’t wonder that I said to thee, “You must be born again.” The wind is blowing where it is determined, and you are hearing the sound of it, but can’t tell where it is coming from, and where it is going: in this same manner is one who is born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus answered said, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and don’t know these things? Truly, I say to you, “We speak what we know, and are a witness of what we have seen; and you don’t receive our testimony. If I have told you about earthly things, and you don’t believe, how will you believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?”

There are two themes that man must understand as he lives and dies in this world.  There is the natural world around us.  Men according to their diligence and abilities, studies and learns a varying degree of understanding about this world.  Some are gifted with abilities in science or math.  Others are talented perhaps in a trade or the mechanics of the world.  Still others may apply themselves to philosophies of various kinds.  But most of us manage to learn enough to get along in the course of life.  We are delighted when our babies begin to talk and move about. They also generally learn to eat other things beyond their early diets of milk.  A few men have a longing to continue learning throughout their lifetime and add to their knowledge daily in many different fields. They delight in even the smallest addition to all that they have accumulated.  Still others may come to the place that they are content with where they are in life and are satisfied that in the normal course of events they continue to do things because, “it’s the way I have always done it.”

Nicodemus came to Jesus because he wanted to know more about Him.  He had already understood that Jesus was a man sent by God because of the great things He did. But Nicodemus was only thinking in the realm of the physical world.  He was a Jewish teacher and yet understood all of his teaching from a strictly religious point of view.  Nicodemus did not understand that the spiritual theme of life was only known and practiced through the new birth. Jesus told Nicodemus three times that he had to be “born again” or literally born from above, in order to first understand or enter the rule and realm of God.

Today, many like Nicodemus want to know, “What can I do to understand and enter God’s kingdom?”

“Can I enter the kingdom of God if I do my very best?”  “Can I be baptized or join the church or say a certain prayer?” “Do I need to do some religious activity to enter God’s kingdom?”

The answer is nothing.  We can only recognize our helpless sinful life and cry out to God for His mercy to save us from the judgment we deserve. Do you understand spiritual things?  Your need and mine is not for more learning, it is for God to give us faith to believe and trust Him alone. “For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourself, it is a gift of God.” (Ephesians 2:8)

Most men are religious but like Nicodemus they have knowledge but do not understand spiritual things and most don’t know that there is a difference between the physical and spiritual worlds. They look to their education and all that they have learned in this world but don’t cry out to God for the faith to believe all that He has revealed to men about the spiritual things of eternity. Nicodemus could see the signs of God’s presence in Jesus but was not looking for God to give him faith to believe all that Jesus both taught and demonstrated in His ministry. He thought he knew all that was needed because of his religion. Most people in this world depend on their religion but don’t understand spiritual things. The new birth or “being born again” is a spiritual event that is rightly defined as regeneration. Re – generation is being born a second time as a spiritual being. It is God’s act alone whereby He brings about spiritual life in one who is dead in trespasses and sin. Regeneration must always precede conversion. Apart from that act by God’s grace we all remain spiritually dead in our trespasses and sin. “And you has he made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past you lived according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now working in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our lives in times past in the desires of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as all others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, has made us alive together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)” (Ephesians 2:1-5)

The spiritual question we face today is not “Are we smart enough to understand?” It question we face as did Nicodemus, “Are you spiritually born again?”

Today in History

1607 – English colonists with John Smith, land near the James River in Virginia.

1839 – The birth of William P. Mackey, a Scottish physician who later in life became a Presbyterian pastor. Mackey wrote several hymns during his life, including “Revive Us Again.”

1925 – In Tallahassee, Florida, the State legislature passed a bill requiring daily Bible readings in all public schools.

1940 Prime Minister Winston Churchill of England said, “I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears & sweat.”

1943 – German occupiers confiscated all radios.

John 2:18- 23

“Then the Jews and said to him, “What miracle will you show us, seeing that you are doing these things?”

Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” Then the Jews said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple, and you will raise it up in three days? But he was speaking of the temple of his body. Therefore when he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this to them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said. Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover, in the feast day, many believed on his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.”

“Prove it!” seems to be the cry of our society today.  We are a nation of skeptics that look for proof of the reality of all that we see.  From the start of the ministry of Jesus Christ he demonstrated the response to this cry and his life was an answer to the cry, “Prove it.”

What did he have to prove?  He had to prove that death cannot hold those that place their faith in His ability to overcome death the greatest enemy to face mankind.  He proved it in every act of healing, restoration and creation that He performed while on earth.  The miracles of Christ where not done to gather public acceptance or sensationalism but rather to show to those that do believe in His power over death. The defeat of death could only come through the resurrection.  Webster, in his 1828 dictionary defines the resurrection as “raising again; chiefly, the revival of the dead of the human race, or their return from the grave, particularly at the general judgment. By the resurrection of Christ we have assurance of the future resurrection of men.”

Death marks the end of mankind because of the sentence imposed on Adam as a result of his sin.  How can we then live without the dread of this terrible truth?  The hope of life is not in the accumulations of this world but by the guarantee of life beyond death.  Paul puts it this way. “But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not risen; And if Christ has not risen, then our preaching amounts to nothing and your faith is devoid of truth and  without effect, empty, imaginary, and unfounded. We are even discovered to be misrepresenting God, for we testified of Him that He raised Christ, Whom He did not raise in case it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is mere delusion, and you are still under the control and penalty of your sins; and further, those who have died in spiritual fellowship and union with Christ are lost! If we who are abiding in Christ have hope only in this life and that is all, then we are of all people most miserable and to be pitied. But the fact is that Christ, the Messiah has been raised from the dead, and He became the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.” (1 Corinthian 15:13-20)

In the press of day to day living we are often caught up in the stress of life without thought about what happens after death.  Some have supposed that everything ends with the grave. Others have made their own thoughts satisfy, what is to them, the unknown.  BUT to the Christian life does not end at the grave.  It is but the entrance to eternal life because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

Paul wrote, “O death, where is your sting? O Hell, where is your victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks are to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:55-57)

I know that my redeemer lives

He lives to bless me with His love,
And still He pleads for me above;
He lives to raise me from the grave,
And me eternally to save,
And me eternally to save.

Samuel Medley 1738- 1799

Christ lives and you and I live as well when my faith and trust is in Him.

Do you trust Him alone today?

Today in History

1310 – Fifty-four Knights Templars were burned at the stake as heretics in France. Established during the Crusades to protect pilgrims traveling to the Holy Land, this military order came into increasing conflict with Rome until Clement V officially dissolved it in 1312 at the Council of Vienna.
1891 – The Presbytery of New York voted to put the Rev. Dr. Charles A. Briggs, the new professor of biblical theology at Union Theological Seminary, on trial for heresy.
1907 – Birth of Sidney N. Correll, founder and first General Director (1946-1971) of United World Mission, Inc. This evangelical missions organization is involved worldwide in evangelism, church planting and Christian education.

John 2:1-11

“On the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: And both Jesus and his disciples were invited to the marriage. And when they were short of wine, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, why do you tell me?” “My time hasn’t come yet.” His mother said to the servants, “Whatever he says to you, do it.” And there were set there six stone water jars, according to the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing about 9 gallons each. Jesus said to them “Fill the water pots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. And he said to them, “Draw out now, and carry it to the table master of the feast.” And they carried it. When the table master tasted the water that was made wine, and didn’t know where it came from: (but the servants who drew the water knew the table master of the feast spoke to the bridegroom, and said, “Every man at the beginning of the feast puts out the good wine; and when men are drunk, then that which is less: but you have kept the good wine until now.” This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.”

Turning water into wine seems an unusual miracle to begin a ministry filled with manifestations of the power of God in the life of Jesus Christ. Jesus had told His new disciples, “You will see greater or more astounding things, than simply knowing you where you are before I found you.”  (John 1:50) It had amazed Nathaniel that Jesus had “known” him before meeting him. In other words, “Nathaniel, you haven’t seen anything yet.”  We should understand that no matter what we think we know about the grace and mercy of God in our lives, “We haven’t begun to see and understand the power of God.” His power is beyond our imaginations. “Now unto him that has the power and ability to do exceedingly more than all that we can ask or understand, according to the power that is at work in us, to him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21)

John Gill, in his commentary on the Gospel of John, suggests that the lack enough wine could have been for one or two reasons. First, it may have been that the groom was too poor to provide enough wine for all of the guests. Or, perhaps, it was that more quests attended the wedding than were planned on.  In either case, the wine ran out before the end of the feast.  Jesus and his disciples, as invited guests, were on hand for the occasion.  When the supply of wine failed, Jesus’ mother suggested He do something.  She promptly told the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.”

The miracle of the water turned to wine was a private demonstration between Jesus, Mary, his disciples, and the servants who filled the jugs and served the wine. The table master of the feast didn’t know where the best of the wine came from, or how it was possible the host would have wine better than was first served. It was not a public miracle for all to see, but one that demonstrated His power to create and to strengthen the faith of a few.  Was it real wine? There is no reason to think otherwise.  Only those that confuse the getting “drunk” with wine, with the actual drinking of wine would argue as such.

What does the miracle teach us about our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ?   It teaches us that our Lord is interested and involved in every aspect of our lives.  It also teaches us that He has the power and the will to supply all that we need and His power and ability far exceeds our ability to understand.

Possibly the greatest lesson for us to learn is that the miracles of life that are the greatest are not those that are done outwardly before other men but quietly far from view of others around us.  Miracles are never to be construed as a means to bring men to a saving faith in Christ. “While ye have light, have faith in the light, that you may be the children of light. These things Jesus said, and then left them, and hid himself from them. But although he had done so many miracles before them, they didn’t have faith in Him:” (John 12:36-37) Miracles are signs to authenticate the ministry of Jesus and His disciples.

The true miracles of great power are those things that God does within us, unseen by the world. “And many other signs (miracles) truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that you might believe (have full and complete confidence) that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you might have life through his name. (John 20:30-31)

 “Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creation: old things are have perished; behold, all things are become new. And all of these things are of God, who has reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and has given us the service of reconciliation; That is that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their sin to them; and has placed on us the words of reconciliation. Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God is calling you through us: we pray for you on behalf of Christ, that you are reconciled to God. For He has made him who knew no sin to be sin for us; that we might through Him have God’s righteousness.” (2 Corinthians 5:17-21)

Trust Him today for every need in your life!!

John 1:43-46

“The day following Jesus went to Galilee, and found Philip, and said to him, “Follow me.” Philip was of from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael, and said to him, “We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Nathanael said to him, “Can anyone that is good come from Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

What a challenge is given not only to Phillip and the other disciples, but to each one of us that would claim to be followers of Jesus Christ. What does the call of Christ to “Follow me” really mean to us?  Matthew Henry comments on this passage, “See the nature of true Christianity; it is following Christ, devoting ourselves to his words and conduct, attending his actions, and treading in his steps.”  The call to follow Jesus Christ is not an option but the reality of Christian living.  It is a difficult call to many who want to enjoy the “comforts” of this world while hoping for the blessings of the world to come. John Gill rightly states, “to follow me is to leave thy friends, thy calling, and business, and become a disciple of mine: and such power went along with these words, that he at once left all, and followed Christ; as the other disciples, Peter, and Andrew, James, and John, and Matthew did.”

What is it that you and I have left to follow Christ? Or, are we following Christ at all in our daily lives? There are several things that we are reminded about when we follow Christ.

To follow Christ is to leave the affairs of this life to those who have no time for the love of God. “Jesus said to him, “Follow me; and let the [spiritually] dead bury their dead.” (Matthew 8:22)  The “would be” disciple was concerned about “taking care of” his father until death. Does this mean we are not to be concerned about the needs of our loved ones? No, but regardless of our responsibilities in this world, we cannot be deterred from serving and following Christ. He must be first in order to properly “take care of” those we love and are responsible for.

To follow Christ is to bear the burdens, rebukes and all consequences of being hated by those who are of this world. “Jesus said to his disciples, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24) We are blessed by the persecution and hatred of those that donot follow Christ. “Those who are hunted and chased for being righteous are made extremely happy: they already have the kingdom of heaven. You are extremely happy, when men revile you, and hunt you, and say all kinds of evil lies about you, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding happy: for your reward in heaven is great: in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:10-12)

To follow Christ is to give all of the blessing to others rather than keep them for ourselves. The rich young religious man came seeking eternal life but yet was concerned about his “physical” things of this world. Many so-called Christians cling tightly to their goods and work hard to accumulate and gather more, and neglect to serve Christ with the blessing that God has given them. “When Jesus heard these things, “he said to him, “Yet you lack one thing: sell all that you have, and distribute it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven: and then come, follow me.” (Luke 18:22) “Both riches and honor come from you, and you are reigning over all; and in your hand is power and might; and in your hand it is the power to make some great, and to give strength to all.” (1 Chronicles 29:12)

To follow Christ is to become a fisher of men. God has not necessarily called us to become the captain of a great boat or industry, but to be the bait that is wiggling on the end of the hook. Our lives are to be the example to draw men to Christ. It is the example of what God has done in our lives that draws men to God rather than our position in this world before other men. “Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19)

Following Christ should be the aim of every believer. It is the “PROOF” that certifies the authenticity of the believers claims of God’s grace and mercy in their lives. To follow Christ is to realize the blessing of God’s glory resting on us and to respond to God by honoring Him on a daily basis. “He that loves his life on earth will lose it; and he that hates this life in the world will keep life for eternity. If any man is serving me, let him follow me; and that where I am, he will be my servant: if any man is serving me, my father will honor him.” (John 12:25-26)

Most children desire to live just like their Daddy.  The father is the example and sets the tenor of life for his children. As children attempt to walk in their father’s footsteps, so must we walk in the steps of Christ.

Who are you following each day that God gives you in this world?

Today in History

1813 – Birth of Jane Borthwick, Scottish writer. Together with her sister Sarah, Jane translated many foreign hymns into English, including “My Jesus, As Thou Wilt” and “Be Still, My Soul.”

1828 – Pioneer U.S. Baptist missionary George Dana Boardman, 27, first arrived in Tavoy, Burma, where he afterward established an extensive educational work among the Karen people.

1909 In Pentecostal history, the first group outbreak of the charismatic gift of tongues occurred in Los Angeles under the leadership of black evangelist William J. Seymour, 38. It marked the beginning of the three-year-long “Azusa Street Revival.”

John 1:10-13

“He was in the world, and the world came into existence by him, but the world did not recognize Him. He came to his own, and his own would not associate with Him. But as many as laid hold of him, to them gave He the liberty and power to become the sons of God, even to those that have their confidence in his name: Who are born, not of blood, or of the inclination [will] of the flesh, or of the inclination [will] of man, but of God.”

First what is a miracle? “A Miracle - is an event or effect contrary to the established constitution and course of things, or a deviation from the known laws of nature; a supernatural event. Miracles can be brought about only by the power of God.” So, a “miracle” of regeneration must start with an event apart from or beyond the established or natural course of events common to men. Regeneration is such an event.

Knowing the difference between what men today call being born again and what is truly the act of regeneration is the key to understanding true conversion. Regeneration does not occur because we have done anything to bring it about. Paul reminded the Ephesian Church that the spiritual condition of all men is that we all were “dead” in our sin. “And you has He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins;” (Ephesians 2:1) There is never a response from those who are dead. We cannot cry out to God or be moved to seek Him until God by grace gives us life. Today the wrongful emphasis is on first our action and then God’s response. No man seeks for God when they are dead in their sin. “As it is written, “There are none who are righteous, no, not one: There are none that understand, there are none that are seeking God. They are all turned aside, they have altogether become unusable to God; there is none that are able to do good, no, not one.” (Romans 3:10-12) How then can a spiritually dead man, who is not capable of understanding or doing good, seek or even call out to Him for salvation while they are spiritually dead? Simply put, regeneration means to restore spiritual life. It is God’s act, by which He brings about spiritual life in one who is dead in trespasses and sin. Regeneration must always precede conversion. The object of regeneration is to bring the life of the believer into perfect harmony with the righteousness of God.

The need for spiritual life comes from the death that all of mankind suffered with the sin of Adam. Paul stated this fact in 1 Corinthians chapter 15, verses 21 and 22. “For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ will all be made alive.” God had told Adam, that in the day that they would eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he would die. Many argue that Adam lived 930 years.  Surely God didn’t do as He said. But God did bring that judgment of death. Man died spiritually.  He no longer had spiritual life with spiritual fellowship with God as he had at the time of his creation by God.

John also relates in chapter 3 of his gospel account the encounter of Jesus with a religious leader of the Jews named Nicodemus. “Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Truly, I’m telling you, “Except a man is regenerated [born-again], he cannot understand or perceive the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?” Jesus answered, Truly, I’m telling you, “Except a man is born of water [physically alive] and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh [physical birth]; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Don’t be amazed that I tell you; you must be regenerated [born again]. The wind blows where ever it desires, and you hear the sound of it, but you can’t tell where it is coming from and where it is going: so is everyone that is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:3-8)

To be born again is not anything that we are able to do for ourselves. It is an act of God’s grace alone.

Notice John records for us that we are not born of blood of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God. The Amplified Bible translates these verses correctly when it states, “But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the authority (power, privilege, right) to become the children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name. Who owe their birth neither to bloods nor to the will of the flesh [that of physical impulse] nor to the will of man [that of a natural father], but to God. [They are born of God!] “AMP

Our regeneration is a miracle from God alone. We have no more to do with our spiritual birth than we had to do with our physical birth. None of us choose our parents, the place or time of our birth, the color of our skin, our hair, our eyes or any other characteristics the make us who we are.  Regeneration is totally an act of grace and mercy by God alone.  We as sinners are able to understand the fact that we are not able to go into the presence of a holy and righteous God, but nothing we can do can produce the miracle needed to change that fact.

What then, are we lost without hope?  NO!  When God regenerates us we can call out to God to have mercy on us as sinners and forgive our sin.  He alone can forgive and grant to us by His grace, spiritual or eternal life, the true miracle of regeneration.