Open your Bibles, if you would,
to 2 Corinthians chapter 5, the portion that Matt read, will
contain our texts for today. And we'll read verses 11 to 21,
which is all about reconciliation with God, in and through the
Lord Jesus Christ. And it brings forth that God's
people are new creatures in Christ. Now, this time of year we often
gather together with family members. Nowhere is the grace of God,
the electing grace of God, more on display than when you're with
your family members. It's evident. And it's very humbling. As you gather together with your
brothers and sisters, nephews and nieces, brothers-in-laws
and sisters-in-laws, great-grandkids, grandkids, you
gather together with them. Nowhere is the grace, the electing
grace of God more on display. As you look at your family members,
some of us were the only ones who the Lord saved in that family.
Some of us, there's more. But there's always some who The
Lord's passed by and you aren't saved. And they still see us on the outside, don't they? They
still see us and think, well, there's no change. But little do they know that
there's been a great inward change. The great inward change. They
still see us as ourselves. They see us as the people they
grew up with or the way we've always been. Because again, our outward appearances
don't change when the Lord saves us. Our outward appearances don't
change when the Lord saves us. Now we may be more joyful, right?
And that's inside, isn't it? It bubbles up inside us. My! But we're new creatures in Christ.
The believer in Christ is a new creature in Christ. And we quickly
learn the truth of how we are new creatures in Christ. When
we're with our natural family, although we love them to pieces,
don't we? But it's not the same as being with our spiritual family. It's not the same. It's not the
same. When we were dead in trespasses
and sins, and when we did not know that we were God's people,
we had no idea, did we? When we were dead in trespasses
and sins, we had no idea that we were God's people. And neither
did our family members. We desired the things of the
flesh, right? We did, every one of us. We desired
the things of the flesh. And sin meant nothing to us unless
we got caught. Or unless we were remorseful
for something we'd done. But that soon passed. That soon
passed. The scripture proclaims that
in our natural state, we drank sin like we drink water. Down
the hatch it goes. And that's how we were. That
was our natural state. And people who knew us before
the Lord saved us, that's what they see when they see us. They
think, oh, they're just the same person. Because there's been
no outward change, has there, at all. No outward change. But something changed. Something
changed. I ask you, did something change? Something changed. And it was
nothing we did. It was nothing we did, beloved.
It was all by the power of the Holy Spirit of God. We're born
again by the power of the Holy Spirit of God. and all things
became new, didn't they? I love that song, I Was a Wandering
Sheep. Every time I sing that, that's
me. Is it you? That's me. I was a
wandering sheep. I didn't have any care for God
or the things of God. He sought me out. Now, now I
love him. Did I write that change? Not
at all. No. Did you want that change in you?
No. God the Holy Spirit did that.
And think of this, that was by the power and by the will of
God that that came to pass. By the power and the will of
God. So now, now all things are new. We don't desire the things
of the world like we used to. We don't. We don't desire the
things of the flesh like we used to. It's lost its appeal, hasn't
it? We're new creatures in Christ. Now, I ask you this. Is there not a civil war within
you now? Is there not a battle within you that wasn't there
before? As the flesh battles with your new nature? You're born again of the Holy
Spirit of God? We've been reconciled to God, beloved. We who are born
again, we've been reconciled to God. We have peace with God. And where do we have peace with
God? In Christ and nowhere else. In Christ and nowhere else. Outside
of Christ, no peace with God. In Christ, peace with God. It's
wonderful. With that in mind, let's now
read verses 11 to 21 here. Knowing, therefore, the terror
of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest unto
God, and I trust also are made manifest in your conscience.
2 Corinthians 5.11. For we command not ourselves
again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf,
that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance
and not in heart." See, we glory in God in heart,
don't we? Not in appearance, in heart. There's been an inward
change. We don't have to put errors on
as believers. We've got nothing to boast in
but Christ. He's the one we boast in. For whether we be beside
ourselves, it is to God, or whether we be sober, it is for your cause. For the love of Christ constraineth
us. Look at that. The love of Christ
constrains us from sin, beloved. Now we hate sin. Because we thus
judge that if one died for all, then we're all dead. And that
He died for all that which shall live not henceforth unto themselves. We don't live unto ourselves
anymore. Now we live unto Christ for His
glory. For His glory. Everything we
do is for the glory of God, isn't it? We do it for His glory. But unto Him which died for them
and rose again. Whitherfore, henceforth know
we no man after the flesh, yea, though we have known Christ after
the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. Therefore,
here's our text for today, this one verse, therefore if any man
be in Christ, if any man or woman be in Christ, that's mankind,
if any man or woman be in Christ, look at that, that's beautiful.
He's a new creature. Old things are passed away, behold,
all things are become new. Those two words in Christ are
so sweet to the believer. There's no sweeter words than
in Christ. In Christ. In Christ. And all things are
of God who has reconciled us, look at this, to Himself. God's
reconciled us to Himself. We were far off. We were dead
in trespasses and sins. We had no hope. And look what
God's done. He's reconciled us to Himself
by Jesus Christ. That's why it's so important
to be in Christ. And hath given unto us the ministry
of reconciliation. The Gospel proclaimed is the
ministry of reconciliation. Be ye reconciled to God. The
only way we can be reconciled to God, because we fell in Adam,
is in and through the Lord Jesus Christ, the second Adam. To wit, that God was in Christ,
reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses
unto them, and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors
for Christ, as though God did besiege you. We pray you in Christ's
name, be reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin
for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness
of God in him. Now one may ask, is conversion
necessary? What does it mean to be born
again? Is it necessary? Turn, if you would, to John chapter
3. John chapter 3. Is it necessary? Is conversion
necessary? John chapter 3. We'll let the
Master speak. John chapter 3. The words of
the Master, the word of God incarnate, the Lord Jesus Christ, who came
to this earth to save His people from their sins. John chapter
3, verses 1 to 8. There was a man of the Pharisees
named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. The same came to Jesus
by night and said unto him, Rabbi, speaking to Christ, we know that
thou art a teacher come from God, for no man can do these
miracles that thou doest except God be with him. Jesus answered
him and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except
a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God or born
from above. Born from above. We know that
that's by the power of the Holy Spirit of God. So Christ made
it really clear right here that Holy Spirit conversion is necessary. Is necessary. It's very clear.
You must be born again. You must be. Nicodemus saith
unto 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? Now, this is
an honest answer from a natural man. How can I be... Am I going to go in my mother's
womb again a second time? It's an honest answer from a
natural man. From a natural man's perspective. He does not understand
what Christ is saying to him. Jesus answered, Verily, verily,
I say unto thee, Except the man be born of water and of the Spirit,
he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of
the flesh is flesh. So when we're born into this
world, we're born dead in trespasses and sin. We're born of the flesh. And that which is born of the
spirit, the spirit. Marvel not that I say unto you,
ye must be born again. Must. Notice that little hinge
word, must. Ye must be born again. Look at
this, the wind bloweth where it listeth. The wind blows where
it goeth once, doesn't it? We feel it, but it goes wherever
it wants. It goes wherever it wants. And
thou hearest the sound thereof, but cannotst tell whence it cometh.
And whither it goeth, so is every one that is born of the Spirit
of God. No outward change, but all with
a change inward. What a change inward. Let's go
back to our text there in 2 Corinthians 5, verse 17. So with that in
mind, with what the words of the Master there, bringing the
absolute necessity of conversion, the absolute necessity that you
must be born again. You must be. With that in mind,
let's read 2 Corinthians 5, verse 17. Therefore, if any man be in Christ,
he is a new creature. Old things are passed away. Behold,
all things are become new. And all through the scriptures,
beloved, men are divided into two classes with a very sharp
line of distinction. Sheep lost and sheep found, guests
refusing, and guests feasting, virgins, wise virgins and foolish
virgins, sheep and goats, men dead in trespasses and sin and
men alive to God in Christ, men in darkness and men in light,
children of God and children of wrath, believers who are not
condemned Those who are condemned already being outside of Christ. The distinguishing grace of God
is all through the Scriptures. And again, when we gather with
our family members and friends, the distinguishing grace of God
is extremely evident. And we do not look down on them,
do we? No, because we were right there. And we still would be
but for the grace of God in Christ. The only one who has made us
to differ. Is Christ. That's the only one. And we know that, don't we? We've
been taught that. That it's only the grace and
mercy of God. It's only because of the grace
and mercy of God that we are saved. And therefore we praise
His name, don't we? We praise His name. My, oh my. Remember our text in Galatians
a couple of weeks ago when it says, But when the fullness of
time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman made
under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that
we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons,
that key there, because ye are sons, Because you are sons, God
has set forth His Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying,
Abba, Father. God's done that. If you're a
born-again believer sitting in the pews right now, and me standing
here today, the only reason that we are born-again believers is
because we've been sons of God from eternity, and we had no
clue at all, did we? When we find out that, it brings
us load, doesn't it? But oh, do we want to praise
our great God for having mercy on us? Absolutely. And then we
keep praying for those around us, don't we? Don't ever stop
praying for your family members and your friends until they breathe
their last breath. Just keep praying. Just keep lifting. We
have no idea who God's people are. He knows, but we have no
clue. That's why we preach the gospel
to all. And you let God do the saving. I love what Spurgeon
said, God could save you in your seat without you moving a muscle.
Because it's a heart work, isn't it? And we know that as believers. Because outwardly, we haven't
changed. Well, we grow older, right? But we're still the same person
that everyone knew outside. But oh, inside, it's so different. We're new creatures in Christ.
My. And when the word one is born
again of the Holy Spirit of God, the word of God speaks of an
inward change, an inward change. Turn, if you would, to John,
chapter one, John, chapter one, an inward change. An inward change
occurs. It's it's spoken of as a birth.
It's spoken of as a birth. And it comes, beloved, it comes
to pass by the power of God. And by the power of God alone. That's why we seek to give Him
all the glory. And we seek to give Him all the
praise. Because He's the only one worthy of it all, beloved.
He's the only one worthy of it. Look at this in John 1, verses
12 and 13. But as many as received Him,
to them gave He power to become the sons of God. Look at that. Even to them that believe on
His name, which were born not of blood, so it's not by a lineage. Someone born Jewish doesn't mean
they're going to be saved, right? Just as someone being born as
American doesn't mean they're gonna be saved. No, it's not
of lineage, it's not of blood. Nor the will of the flesh. We
can't will ourselves to be saved, even though false preachers tell
people that all the time. And we will never know the damage
that that's done this side of eternity, beloved. We'll never
know. My, nor the will of flesh, nor
the will of man, but of God. Man's will is bound to your nature. If you have a dead nature, all
you seek is sin. And I don't say that condescendingly,
because I was there. And I still, every single day,
so for you who believe, every single day struggle with the
flesh. Oh my. But our hope's in Christ, isn't
it? Our hope's in Him. He saved us. From how many of
our sins? Just a couple? No, praise be
to God. Praise His mighty name. He saved
us from all our sins. All of them. All of them. Oh,
it's wonderful. This is the wonderful news of
reconciliation. It's a full pardon. There's nothing
left behind. Wonderful news to sinners. The
question is, are you a sinner? Are you a sinner? Listen to 1
John 5.1, it says, Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ
is born of God. Well, I'll tell you, there was
a time when I didn't believe He was the Christ of God. Is
it so for you? I like to ask people, don't tell
me about a profession years ago, what do you believe in right
now? Tell me what you believe right now, right this second.
Are you a needy sinner? Do you see yourself as a needy
sinner? Are you trusting Christ? Because He that believeth, He
that believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God and
everyone that loveth Him, that begot Him that begot loveth him
that is also begotten to him. So not only do we love God who
begot us, but we love those who God begat, those who are born
again by the Holy Spirit of God. That's what that scripture is
saying in 1 John 5.1. And the new birth is often spoke
of in the scriptures as a quickening. Turn, if you would, to Ephesians
1. It's often spoken of as a quickening, Ephesians 1. And again, this is a constant
theme, this is a constant nail that we preachers hit. It is
all by the will and power of God. Because we saw in John that
it's not by the will of flesh, and it's not by the will of man. So we can conclude logically
that it's by the will of God. Right? That's what the scripture
declares. And we as believers, there's
a time when we didn't believe the scriptures. Now it's by the
will of God. That's what it says. We don't argue with the Word
of God, do we? We just bow down to it. We just bow down to what
it says. Look at this, Ephesians 1, verses
17 and 18. That the God Our Lord Jesus Christ the father
of glory may give unto you the spirit of wisdom so God gives
us the spirit He sends the spirit Christ said I'll send a comforter
to you didn't he? That's the Holy Spirit of God
see they're all in unity Father Son the Holy Spirit, they're
all in unity the three are one May give you the spirit of wisdom
and revelation and the knowledge of him look at that Do we know
Christ before we're born again? Well, we may have read the Bible,
but in our mind we may have thought who God was, but we didn't really.
Did we love Him? No. No. We may have had a head knowledge,
but there was no change in the heart. And then, Brother Tim and I often
speak about this, where the Lord reveals Himself to you. If the
Lord doesn't reveal Himself to you, you'll never know Him. I
didn't know Him before the Lord revealed Himself to me. I had
no clue. I had a God cooked up in my imagination that was so
far from the Bible, it wasn't funny. Oh, but when He reveals Himself
to you, oh my. Oh my. Look what happens. The eyes of
your understanding being enlightened. That's what happens when he reveals
himself to us, that you may know the hope of his calling, all
the hope of his calling. Who's our hope in Christ? Christ,
the hope of his calling is him who calls us and what the riches
of the glory of his inheritance in the saints and what is exceeding
greatness of his power to us were who believe, who believe
according to the working of his mighty power. It's all by God's
power. We're quickened. We're born again by the Holy
Spirit of God. Look one chapter over there in
Ephesians 2. We know that we're born dead
in trespasses and sins. That's what the scripture says
very clearly. Look at verse 1, and you have
to quicken who were dead in trespasses and sins. But look at verse 10.
This is marvelous. I love this. For we are his workmanship. You know, if you're a believer,
you're his workmanship. Created in who? Oh, there's those
two little, that in Christ. In Christ, oh, so very important,
beloved. Created in Christ Jesus unto
good works, which God hath before ordained, that we should walk
in them. Marvelous. It's all God's work. It's all
God's work. He done it all. And then we understand
what's the exceeding greatness of His power to us, don't we?
Just like Ephesians 1.19 says, we understand that. Who believe
according to the working of His mighty power. And we believe
on Christ, don't we? We trust Him, we never used to.
But oh, He's revealed, He's been revealed to us. Just like our
study in the life of Joseph. Remember, Joseph's brother didn't
have any clue who he was. And he reveals himself to him.
Oh, my. That's such a picture of how
God reveals Christ to us, beloved. So clear. It's one of the clearest
pictures in the scriptures. And how are we in our natural
state? Well, we're like Lazarus. Remember Lazarus? He's dead.
He's been dead three days. Right? Lazarus, come forth. And he comes flying. Well, he
didn't come flying, but he He was walking, he came out of that
command, didn't he? And think of this, think of this,
here's something to think about. When they unwrapped Lazarus,
he was still Lazarus, right? But he was alive. He was alive. He was dead a few seconds before
that. Now he's alive. No outward change, still Lazarus. Now he's got breath. Now he's
got life. When he never had it before. He was dead for three
days in the tomb. Wonderful. What a clear picture.
What a clear picture. Turn to Ephesians chapter 4.
We had you there in Ephesians 2. Look a couple chapters over
there. And this scripture brings forth that we're new creatures
in Christ again. There's been a great inward change
in us, and it's wrought by the Holy Spirit of God, beloved.
It's nothing we can do. Ephesians 4, 24 and 25. And that you put on the new man,
which after God has created in righteousness and true holiness,
the new man there. New man, inward man, born again. Wherefore putting away lions,
speak every man truth with his neighbor, for we are members
one of another. We're members of the body of Christ, beloved. We're fitly framed in the temple
of God, mortared together by the blood of Christ. That's what
that's speaking of, members one of the other. Turn if you would
to Colossians chapter one. Colossians chapter 1. I know
I have us turning a lot, but this is important here. Colossians
chapter 1. Colossians chapter 1. The new birth spoken of is a translation.
Colossians chapter 1, verses 12 to 14. And again, Paul's writing to
born-again, blood-washed believers. giving thanks unto the Father
which hath made us meet. That word in the Greek, meet,
there is qualified. We've been qualified to be partakers
of the inheritance of the saints in light. Who hath delivered
us from the power of darkness and has translated us into the
kingdom of his dear Son. We were in the power of darkness,
beloved. We didn't even know it. We were drinking sin-like water.
He had no clue. We've been translated, beloved.
Translated. And has translated us into the
kingdom of who? His dear Son, in Christ. In Christ. In whom
we have redemption, there it is. There it is, through His
blood, even the forgiveness of sins. Redemption. He redeemed our eternal souls. Purchased us with His own precious
blood. That means He gave His life for
us. Because the life of the flesh is in the blood, the scripture
says. He shed His blood for us. It's remission for our sins.
The sinless, perfect, spotless Lamb of God did that. If you're
a believer, for you. For me, it's amazing. That was
the whole reason he came to this world, to save us from our sins. Being born again is also spoken
of as passing from death to life. In 1 John 3.14, the scripture
says, we know that we have passed from death, that means spiritual
deadness, unto life, spiritual life, being born again. Because
we love the brethren, Wow. He that loveth not his brother
abideth in death. Very clear words. See, because
the love of God is now shed abroad in our hearts, so not only do
we love God, but we also love the brethren. We love those who
are born again by the Holy Spirit of God. Turn, if you would, to Ezekiel.
Ezekiel. Chapter 36. So very clearly in scripture
we see that there's a change, there's a change that's wrought
by God within the believer. Peter writes this, and James,
I'll read James first, I'll read, James says this. Of his own will
begot he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind
of first fruits of his creatures. God did this. And then in 1 Peter
it says, being born again, not a corruptible seed, which is
our parents, our mom and dad, our dad, corruptible seed, but
of incorruptible by the word of God, which liveth and abideth
forever. Look at this in Ezekiel. These
words in Ezekiel are marvelous. These scriptures are marvelous.
Ezekiel 36, verses 24 to 27. And remember, this is all done
by God and this is all done by God's power. And this is done by the will
of God. And we had no clue when we were
born into this earth, when we were growing up to the time the
Lord saved us, we had no clue. That we were a child of God.
But God knew, didn't he? God knew. And it's amazing how
He draws you to where you're going to hear the Gospel preached
and proclaimed. It's amazing. I look back now,
and think of this too, everywhere that your parents, your grandparents,
your great-grandparents, all that, all that, they moved to
all the places they moved to, so that you would be at the exact
place that God appointed for you to hear the Gospel preached.
Isn't that amazing? It's true. It's amazing. Oh, it's incredible. All that
was orchestrated by God. And he's still working in our
lives, isn't he? He didn't stop, does he? He didn't
say, well, now you're saved. You're on your own. He didn't
say that, did he? No. He says, I'll never leave
you nor forsake you. And in the Greek, that's in a
triple negative. Never, not ever, never. He's still with us. Lord is my shepherd. I shall
not want. Oh, He's a wonderful Savior.
Look at these words, though. Look at these words. This is
spoken by Jehovah, the self-existent One. These are spoken by Elohim,
the Mighty One, the Mighty One. Ezekiel 36, verse 24 to 27, For
I will take you from among the heathen. Praise God. He separates us. And gather you
out of all countries, The body of Christ, this is, I love this,
the body of Christ is of every tribe, kindred, tongue and nation
in the world. We have peace with God in Christ.
Isn't that amazing? He takes us out of the nations. Oh my. And gather you out of
all countries and we'll bring you into your own land. Then
will I sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be clean. We
are we are washed in the precious blood of Christ. Beloved were
made clean before God. And you shall be clean from all
your filthiness, all our sinfulness, from all your idols. Will I cleanse
you? A new heart also will I give
you. And a new spirit will I put within you. And I will take away
the stony heart out of your flesh. And I will give you a heart of
flesh. And I will put my spirit within
you and cause you to walk in my statutes. And ye shall keep
my judgments and do them. Take note of these words. Who's
doing all the work? God says, I will. This is what
I'm going to do. We're just receivers of mercy.
We're just receivers of grace. Now, do we trust Christ? Yeah,
we run to him after we've been granted faith to believe on him.
But this is a work of God. And this is done not just by
the power of God, but by the will of God. Oh, it's marvelous. Let's go back to our text here
and in 2 Corinthians 517. Therefore, if any man be in Christ,
he is a new creature. Old things are passed away, behold,
all things are become new. Again, therefore if any man,
or we know that's man, any man or woman be in Christ, he or
she is a new creature. Old things are passed away, behold,
all things are become new. And note, note the text proclaims,
note what the text proclaims about the Christian's position.
What's our position? After we're born again, what's
our position? In Christ. in Christ. I got this little
outline from a commentator. I thought this was wonderful.
I'm going to share it with you. There are three stages of the soul.
The first stage of the believer is without Christ. So we're born
into this world, dead in trespasses and sins. It's a miserable and
unhappy condition. And it's difficult. Now, it's
difficult to be without money in this world. It's miserable
to be without health. But to be without Christ, That's
the greatest lack. That's the greatest lack of all. The second state for the believer
is that which our text proclaims in Christ. In Christ, which is
a state of grace. The state of grace. The third
state of the believer's soul is to be with Christ. With Christ. It doesn't end right here, beloved.
We're in Christ. but one day we're gonna be with
Christ, with Christ. That's a state of glory, the
gentleman went on to say. But we're gonna consider the
second state of the believer's soul, which is in Christ, a state
of grace, state of grace in Christ. Now all of us, all of humanity,
we were in the first Adam, weren't we? We were in the first Adam. Adam was our federal head. And
when Adam fell, all of humanity fell. Dead in trespasses and
sins. And so then all who are in Christ
are restored. Restored. Think upon this, Noah's
ark was a type of Christ. All who were within that ark
were safe, weren't they? Every one of them. Not a drop
of God's wrath fell upon them. But all who were outside of that
ark, the full wrath of God fell upon them. The full wrath of
God fell upon them. And they perished. Christ is the ark of God, beloved. Provided by God against the day
of judgment. And we who are in him, are absolutely
safe from the wrath of God. He has saved us from our sins. He has not only saved us from
our sins, he saved us from the wrath and judgment of God. Never
forget that, because that fell upon him in our place. That which was deserving us,
fell upon the Savior. Is it any wonder we love Him
so much? Is it any wonder why we sing praises to His name when we consider what He's done
for us? And marvel at this, for God's
elect, Christ is the eternal city of refuge. He's the eternal
city of refuge, beloved. He's our only one refuge, isn't
He? He's a refuge for our souls. And we offended God, didn't we?
We offended God, but we flee for our lives and we enter into
the place where vengeance cannot find us. Because it's been satisfied in
Him. And we find refuge in Christ,
don't we? In Christ. Peter describes us as being in
Christ. We are living stones in the temple
of God. Some of the old Roman walls and
buildings, they say that it's hard to tell which is the stronger,
the cement or the stone. For their cement held the stones
together. And they become like their one
mass rock now. Well, we know what holds us together,
isn't it? It's the blood of Christ. And we're weak, but He is strong. And we have been so fitted in
to the temple. Remember, we're living stones.
Stones made ready. We've been so fitted in the place
where we belong and mortared in by the blood of Christ that
we're one with that whole wall. in Christ, in Christ, and only
because of Christ, only because of Christ. He cements us together,
which again is a picture of the eternal love of God, the eternal
love of God. It binds the saints to Christ,
doesn't it? The eternal love of God. Now
take note of the believer's character also, they're a new creature
in Christ. Look at this in the scripture. Therefore, if any
man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed
away, behold, all things are become new. Now this phrase here
suggests a radical change. A man may undergo many changes,
but they may be far from being a new creation. Ahab may humble himself, but
he's Ahab still. Esau wept tears, but he was still
Esau, dead in trespasses and sins. And there can be great moral
changes within one's life, but it doesn't make one a new creation.
It doesn't make one a new creature. A drunkard may become sober,
a drug addict may become clean, yet they're still dead in trespasses
and sins. The scripture says this, can
the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopards his spot? Then
may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil. What's being brought forth in
that verse there in Jeremiah 13, 23, is that no matter what
a man tries to do, they cannot change their heart. If a leopard's spots could be
removed, they'd still be a leopard, wouldn't they? Still a leopard. Sin in us is the spots of the
leopard. They're not by accident, they're
by nature. They're by nature. No medicine can cure them. Can
cure us of our sin. No water can wash our sins off. Because they're not in the skin.
They're in the flesh, the bones, the nature. in our innermost parts. That's
how we're born. Dead in trespasses and sins.
So then we can conclude that a man cannot change their natural
state by anything we do. We're graveyard dead. We're graveyard
dead. Spiritually dead in our natural
state with no way to regenerate ourselves. Not by a decision,
not by walking an aisle, not by praying a prayer. Listen to this comment on a new
creation by Spurgeon. He says this, a new creation
is a root and branch change, not an alteration of the walls
only, but of the foundation. Inward. Inward. Not a new figuring
of the visible tapestry, which is our outward appearance, but
a renewal of the fabric itself. We become new creatures in Christ. Outwardly there's no change,
but inwardly, oh my, we're new creatures in Christ and it's
all by the power and by the will of God. Now for some it comes
quickly, doesn't it? For some it's a gradual. But
we're all born again by the Holy Spirit of God. All born again. We saw the necessity
of that in our first scriptures that we looked at in John chapter
3. Ye must be born again. Turn, if you would, to Genesis
chapter one. Genesis chapter one, oh my. I
got way ahead of myself then. Men and women who are saved by
Christ were granted faith to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,
all by the regenerating power of God the Holy Spirit. And in
Christ, the believer finds himself pardoned of all their sins. Everyone, there's not one that's
not pardoned. Everyone, it's amazing. Truly
amazing. And then they have the love of
God shed abroad in their hearts. And they now love Christ. And
they love his gospel. They love his word. They love
his people. And they hate sin. And we hate
sin more in ourselves than anywhere else. Oh my. Why? Well, because there's been
a great change wrought. by the will and power of God.
And it's a divine work, beloved. It's a divine work. Regeneration
is God's sole work. Salvation is God's sole work. And if someone objects to the
wonderful doctrine that regeneration is all of God, the man cannot
do it. Here's a good place to take him,
right here. At first creation in Genesis,
who helped God? Let's look at these words here.
In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. Who
helped God? Well, no one did, did they? No
one did. No one helped God. In the beginning,
God created the heaven and the earth. God did it. God did it. And the earth was
without form and void and darkness was what? Upon the face of the
deep. That's a good picture of our
natural state. Darkness. Darkness. And what happened? God moved upon the face of the
waters and God said, let there be light and what? There was
light. What a picture of regeneration,
beloved. So clear. Our great God needs
no help. In the second birth of his people.
He doesn't need no help, none at all. You cannot help him.
No. The second birth, the new birth
to be born again comes to pass according to the sovereign will
of God and the grace of God, and then what happens? We flee
to Christ, don't we? We believe. We believe. We believe because we've been
given the gift of faith to believe upon Christ. And it is marvelous. And there is an inward change
that no one can see. And now we love to read His Word. We love to hear the gospel preached.
It's truly, truly wondrous. Wondrous. Look at our text again. Therefore, if any man be in Christ,
he is a new creature. Old things are passed away. Behold,
all things are become new. When we're born again by the
Holy Spirit of God, think of this. When we're born again by
the Holy Spirit of God, then enmity for God is is changed
to love for God. Enmity towards God is changed
for love to God. And that's brought so forth in
the book of Colossians where it says, For it pleased the Father
that in Him, being Christ, should all fullness dwell. And having
made peace through the blood of His cross by Him to reconcile
all things unto Himself, by Him I say whether they be things
in earth or things in heaven. And you, Paul's writing to born-again
blood-washed believers and you that were sometime alienated.
That was us in our natural state, beloved, alienated from God. And enemies in your mind by wicked
works, yet now hath he reconciled. He's done it. It's a work of
God. in the body of his flesh through
death to present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable
in his sight. Listen to those words again.
Christ presents his people who are born again by the Holy Spirit
of God, who are washed in the precious blood of Christ. He
will present us holy. We're sinners, but he can present
us holy. Holy. Colossians 1.22, holy and
unblameable. That's no fault. No fault, unblameable and unreprovable
in his sight. All the power of God, beloved.
Oh, the mercy of God. We are reconciled to our great
God in Christ. We see this in Paul's conversion,
don't we? We see this in Paul's conversion. One one minute he's
an enemy and an opponent of Christ. One second he's an enemy and
an opponent of Christ, and the next second after conversion
he's crying, who art thou Lord? Who art thou Lord? Oh my. And here are some changes which
occur when one is born again. We have a sense of sin, what
it really is. What it really is. We have a
sense of sin, what it really is. And we have a sense of who
we've sinned against, God. God, we've sinned against God.
And we own it as our own, don't we? We say it's mine. I've done
this, Lord. I've offended you. for the first time we see our
true sinfulness. And true conversion always brings
forth a humbling sense of the need of divine grace. God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
Isn't that what the publican cried out? Need. God, be merciful
to me. I need you, Lord. Please be merciful
to me. And then another change which
occurs is faith in Christ, which we know is a gift of God. It's
a gift of God. This faith that's given to us
by our great God looks to Christ alone, who again is the object
of the believer's faith. Our faith is only in Christ,
in Christ alone. Because only in Him do we have
the forgiveness of all our sins. All of them. He came to save us from our sins,
the sinless One. The Holy One died in our place.
In the place of chosen sinners, He redeemed us from our sins. He paid the ransom price for
our eternal souls. That which God demanded is totally
paid. And we just say praise His mighty
name. Praise His mighty name. And then there be a change in
the believer's principles, objects, desires, and life. I like this
quote by a born-again believer from the past, from the 1800s.
And examine if this is not so for you. He said, either the
world is altered or else I am. Either the world's altered or
else I am. My, oh my. What a change. What a change. Oh, the wondrous work of our
great God. of our great God. He, when he
works in us and we become new creatures in Christ, what a wondrous
work, which he runs. And all we can say is glory to
his heavenly father. We thank you for allowing us
again to gather together in your name, allowing us to look at
nice scriptures, know how humbling it is, how humbling it is, Lord,
knowing that we are only saved by thy grace and thy mercy. Lord,
we lift up unsafe loved ones to you. Oh Lord, we pray for
them. We pray if it's your will that
you'd move in their hearts and lives that you draw them to Christ,
Lord. Oh, show them their desperate need for thee, oh Lord, like
you've done for us. Oh Lord, we pray if it be thy will. Family
members and friends, people we work with, Lord. Oh, we pray
that you give us doors of utterance to speak to them if it's your
will. to tell them again the wondrous things that you've done
for us. We'll be quick to give you all
the glory and all the honor and all the praise. Lord, we love
you because you first loved us. In Jesus' name, amen.