Evidence of The New Birth

Q: What does the Bible say about being born again?

According to John 3:1-7, Jesus teaches that one must be born again to see the kingdom of God. In John 3:1-7, Jesus explains to Nicodemus, a Pharisee, the necessity of being born again to enter the kingdom of God. The new birth, as communicated by our Lord, is not a physical re-birth but rather a spiritual transformation. Jesus emphasizes the distinction between the natural birth, which is of flesh, and the spiritual birth, which is of the Spirit, highlighting that without this spiritual rebirth, one cannot perceive the realities of God's Kingdom.

Q: How do we know the new birth is true?

The new birth is evidenced by belief in Christ and a changed heart, as described in John 1:12-13. The truth of the new birth is rooted in the transformative power of the Gospel. John 1:12-13 states that those who received Christ were given the power to become children of God, not through human will but through the divine will of God. This new birth results in a new heart and a new nature that desires to follow Christ. As believers, the evidence of our new birth is found in our faith in Christ and our desire to pursue holiness and righteousness, signifying that God has indeed worked within us.

Q: Why is being born again important for Christians?

Being born again is crucial because it signifies the work of the Holy Spirit and the entrance into the Kingdom of God. The significance of being born again lies in its foundational role in salvation and the Christian life. Jesus stresses in John 3:3 that unless one is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God. This spiritual rebirth is essential as it signifies the work of the Holy Spirit in regenerating the believer, granting them a new nature that is aligned with God's will. It establishes the believer’s identity as a child of God, providing assurance of eternal life and the transformative ability to live a life pleasing to Him. Thus, being born again is not merely an event; it signifies the beginning of a new life in Christ and a clear distinction between the old and new natures in the believer.

Q: What does the Gospel say about the assurance of salvation?

The Gospel assures salvation through faith in Christ as the only means to receive eternal life. The assurance of salvation is a central theme in the Gospel, particularly as it emphasizes that eternal life is granted by God's grace through faith in Christ. In John 10:27-28, Jesus comforts believers by stating that His sheep hear His voice, and He gives them eternal life, assuring they shall never perish. This assurance is rooted in the completed work of Christ, who paid the debt for sin and invites all who believe to rest in His finished work. Thus, the assurance of salvation rests not on human effort but entirely on faith in Christ’s righteousness, enabling believers to have confidence in their standing before God.

I'm going to ask you to take your Bibles and turn with me to the Gospel according to John. The Gospel according to John. John chapter 3. I was going over this passage of scripture, and as I was reading it, I was taken back with this thought. How foolish men are by nature, how foolish we are to think that we've known something or heard something so many times that it's not necessary to look at it again. And with that thought, I wrote out a few words that I just want to share with you from my heart. And this really, this, I'm going to look at John chapter 3, verses 1 to 7 is what I'm going to look at. And even this afternoon as I was going over again these notes over and over and over, I thought, how wonderful to be reminded of the marvelous grace of God. How gracious the Lord has been to his people. The scripture says in John chapter 3 verses 1-7, there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.

Now, I hesitate to even interrupt the reading of the scripture right here, but I just want to say something that just went across my mind. Here's a picture of all of us that grew up in religion. Now, I would say most of us here grew up in religion, some kind of religion. You know, we went to church and, you know, whether it was sitting under the truth or under a lie, we had it in our hearts that we were religious, we were doing okay, you know, whether or not. Here was a man, he was a Pharisee, one that was taught the scriptures, one that I'm sure grew up hearing the scriptures read, a Pharisee. His name was Nicodemus. This man wasn't just a member. This man was a ruler of the Pharisees, of the Jews.

The same came to Jesus by night and said unto him, Rabbi, 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. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee. And oh, what a miracle of God's grace that God would speak. David had said, Lord, if you're silent to me, I don't have any hope.

You cannot enter into the kingdom of God That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of a spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again. Now our Lord is speaking to a man that's been raised in religion. He's heard The scriptures read, the Old Testament read. And the Lord makes a statement to this religious man that shook the very foundation of this ruler of the Pharisees. It just shook him. When the Lord told him, verily, verily, truly, truly, I'm going to tell you something, Nicodemus, that you can Rest your soul on, verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again. He cannot. He cannot. He cannot. You cannot.

I've seen these pamphlets and things, how to be born again. I get a lot of some rules and regulations and, you know, just, you know, they give it A, B, C, D, just step by step. You cannot enter the kingdom of heaven, except a man is born again, except he's born from above. Now, obviously, the Lord is relating to Nicodemus that there's a birth that all are related to. It's the first birth. We're all sitting here. We're born. We had to be born to be sitting here. But now, it took a miracle of God's grace for a man or woman to be born again.

And I thought to myself as I read this, I thought, what prevenient grace, grace before grace. how the Lord ordered all these things. Nicodemus came to the Lord by night. A lot of the writers said he may have been ashamed, he may have been, you know, I mean, the Lord had been reprimanded and all that by the religious crowd. And here's a Pharisee coming to the Lord at night and telling him You know, these marvelous things, what a miracle.

Now you just stop with me for just a second and just think, what a miracle of God's grace that any of us are sitting here tonight. Just think about the, humanly speaking, the possibilities of you being somewhere else, doing something else, getting, being a different profession, whatever. But how did you get here tonight? God's grace, God's mercy brought you here.

And Nicodemus, when the Lord told him, he's verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born from above, born again. You cannot see the kingdom of heaven. You can't see the kingdom of God. And Nicodemus, a man that sat under the scriptures. And you think, how? How is it that a man could sit under the scriptures as long as surely this Pharisee did? And this was never brought up to him? He never understood? He was never told this before? How? How, humanly speaking?

He's thinking just as a natural man. How can a man be born when he's old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born? Oh, how quickly the natural man attempts to explain away the spiritual with a corrupt answer. Tries to rest the scriptures. He doesn't, you know, We never expect, we never will be separated from our old man. He's there. He's in us all. There's two men, there's two natures in every believer. There's an old man and a new man. And here's Nicodemus, and he's wrestling with something.

The Lord told him, he said, no man can enter into the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of God, except he be born again. Born again? How can a man be born again? Man by nature will say, I don't see how there can be a new birth. That's physically impossible, naturally impossible. But with God, all things are possible. But obviously, we all know now that he's not talking about a physical birth, talking about a spiritual birth. But Nicodemus, he can't figure this out. I don't see.

But when the Lord told him he must be born again, born from above, that man, that new man that is imparted into an object of God's mercy, he knows, according to Scripture, that that new man, that the object of God's mercy has been observing himself, failing, falling, coming short of the glory of God.

And he reads it in the scripture and he says, that which is born of God sinneth not. It cannot sin. It cannot sin because it's born of God. 1 John 3, 9, Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin. For his seed, the Lord's seed, remaineth in him. Because he cannot sin because he's born of God.

You've heard me say this so many times. Do you see it in yourself? I don't. I don't. But thanks be unto God, it's not what I see, it's what God sees. Like the blood, when I see the blood. You mean that blood that was shed hundreds and hundreds of years ago? Yeah, that blood that was observed by the Lord from before the foundation of the world.

These things are too high for us. Here's a man being told of a new creation, a new Birth, born from above. These things are mysterious, these things. Men try to act as though they understand it, but I'm telling you, you that believe, we're all honest enough to know and say, these things are too wonderful. These things are too marvelous for us.

We read the scriptures and we look at these things and observe them, And we say, Lord, as you say it is, that's the way it is. Though I don't see it. That's why we walk by faith and not by sight. That's what the scripture says. Oh, I totally, because of a new heart, I agree with this new birth that Lord has declared it. But I do admit. It's still marvelous and becomes more and more marvelous the more I look at it. And I think to myself as I grow closer and closer to the day that I know I'm going to leave this world. I know I am. It's pointed out a man wants to die. I know I'm going to leave.

But what comfort there is when when I behold the marvel of God's word to himself when he says I am the way, I'm the truth, I'm the life. And a believer says, Lord, you're the way, you're truth, and Lord, you're the life. Thank you for showing mercy. But as I read these scriptures again today, I began to muse upon these things. Are there any signs, are there any observations that God has given his people for assurance of what he said. His word is enough, but think about God's mercy that he would give us these assurances, these comforts.

And I jotted down seven of them. I just want to share them. I'll be very brief with this. I'm not going to, I mean, I looked at the seven things I jotted down today, and I thought, man, I could preach a message on each one of these, but I can't do that, you know.

Here's the first thing I know. Before any of the Lord's people are called out of darkness, they're going to have to be made first to see the darkness, the emptiness, the nothingness of themselves in Adam. Before the Lord comes to his people in regenerating grace, we all think that we're somebody. We think we are. Somebody said, well, now I don't. Now don't, don't, you've heard me say this, don't go there with me. This ain't my first rodeo. I know me and there's no difference.

We're going to be made. But what a miracle of God's grace that God would bring a man down, bring a woman down because we need it. Here's another thing I know before the Lord was pleased to call us out of darkness, call any of his people. We didn't care. We did not care. We were unconcerned about our spiritual state.

How many nights did you stay up all night before the Lord was pleased to call you out of darkness? How many nights did you wrestle all night with your state before God, worried, concerned, you know? I don't know the Lord. I don't know the Lord. Before the Lord came to you in mercy and revealed that to you. How many nights did you do that? I can tell you how many you did. None. None. It never bothered me and it never bothered you. Here's an evidence. The Lord has given me an understanding of my state before I was converted. And I agree with him. I agree with him. Oh, I would do it, and I didn't even... I just didn't want to get caught, that's all. That's the only thing I was worried about. I just don't want to get caught. Did it really bother me that I'd sinned against God? What did David say in Psalm 51? Against thee and thee only have I sinned. I've sinned against God. I've sinned against you.

And here's the next thing, second thing. It's not within the power of a mortal man to initiate the new birth. It's not within his power. Holding your place right there in John 3. Just turn back a page to John 1, verse 10-13. John 1, 10-13. He was in the world and the world was made by him and the world knew him not.

And you that believe, you say, that's so. He was in this world, ruling this world, doing all things after the counsel of his own will. And I didn't know it. I didn't know what he was doing. Everybody told me, or somebody told me in some class I took in school, that this was nature. This was nature doing all this. That's what I thought. He was in the world.

The world was made by Him, the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not, but as many as received Him. And I always preface this, I'm not, I add nothing. God forbid, I'd add anything. But this became, this is what I'm gonna say, this was made to be known. But as many as received Him, it was made to be known. that he gave him the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name, which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor the will of man, but of God. You know, only a believer will admit that. I'll tell you what an unbeliever will say. I became his son when I decided, when I by my free will, gave my heart to Jesus.

And I asked him to come in. Man, I heard one man years ago said, the Lord never asked the objects of his mercy. He never asked them for anything. He just came in and just kicked the door down. And I thought that's a crude way of saying it, but I get it. He just came in and by his power, he just brought me down.

And it wasn't by my will, it wasn't by my decision, my choosing. Here's the third thing, the only God revealed means of the new birth is the hearing of the gospel of God's free grace in the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the only means, this is the only means I sat, I was sitting under a man years ago that, and I was, I was leading, I was leading the singing. I don't, I don't, I can't read music at all.

I just, trying to do the best I could, so he's getting me to lead music. And he told me, he said, now listen, when we come to the, to the end of the service, I'm going to tell the organist, the piano player, to start playing real softly. And I want to set the mood, you know, he said. And by setting the mood, what we'll do is we'll set the mood for the calling out, and it'll work on the people's heart. I thought back on that. Well, at the time I heard it, I thought, well, you know, sounds, I guess it sounds reasonable. I don't know. I didn't know anything. But now I realize this.

The only revealed means of the new birth is the hearing of the gospel of God's grace in the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the only means. This is God's way. He will call them out, call them out. Paul, the apostle said in Romans 1 15 16, I'm not ashamed. I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. It is the power of God and salvation.

Well, is there any other way? No. This is the only way. And fourthly, is there any evidence, is there any evidence in scripture relating to God's people that they have been born from above. I want you to read this. Hold your place. Turn to Matthew 16. Matthew 16. What is the evidence? Matthew 16. Matthew 16. I'm going to read verses 13 to 17.

When Jesus came to the coast of Caesarea Philippi, He asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I, the Son of Man, am? They said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist, some say Elias, others Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father, which is in heaven.

Here is the evidence of the new birth. You believe that the Lord Jesus Christ came into this world, sent of the Father, according to God's everlasting covenant of grace, to be the substitute, the mediator, the savior of his people. Belief in Christ. I believe him. I believe him.

Do you believe that when we leave this world, do you believe that immediately, absent from this body, separated unto the Lord, present with the Lord, do you believe that? Do you believe that the only means of God calling out his people is hearing the gospel? Hearing the gospel. Is it imperative that men hear the gospel? Believe me when I tell you. I've heard people say, you don't have to believe the gospel.

I can get just as much out going hunting. I can get just as much, you know, I can meet with the Lord going out and hunting and just fellowship and you know, with God and praying, not according to scriptures. There is one way, the evidence here is the way.

Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. I believe him. I believe him. So I want to say, you mean you believe that when you take your last breath, that the only requirement, the only requirement that is needful for you to be found in glory with the Lord is that you believe God? Yes. What do you believe about God?

I believe that the Lord Jesus Christ bore my guilt. I believe Romans 521, He hath made him sin. You believe that? You believe that He made Himself, that God the Father made Him sin and that He judged Him on your behalf and paid the debt of everything. You believe that? Yes, I do. That we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. Yes, I do.

Let me ask you this, what else you got? What else do you have? You think your little profession, your little attendance, coming into the assembly, we need to come and hear. We need to hear. But you think that the merit of you coming here is gonna merit you being found in glory? No, I tell you what merits me being found in glory.

The Lord Jesus Christ bore my guilt. and he put away my debt before God's law in his own blood, and God was satisfied, and he counted it unto me. How do I know that I believe that? Because the Lord's given me a heart. Lord, I believe. Help mine unbelief, but I believe. I believe you.

Fifthly, the new birth is for a particular people And it is irresistible in his power to call out God's elect. John 6, 37, all, there's a good word, all. It marvels me when I think how the scripture reveals that all things are open before him. He sees, he knows, he orders all things.

You mean every single thought, every single action, every single word? I absolutely believe that. I don't believe it. I'll admit it as I should, but I believe it. All that the father giveth me, I know he's got an elect. I know he does. How do you know? He said, all that the father giveth me shall come to me. I know they're gonna come. And him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out. Psalm 110, three. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power. When you came in your heart, did you come because you wanted to or you didn't want to? Now you know that. You came because you wanted to. And here's how you come.

You come as a needy sinner. Lord, I admit, I don't deserve this. I know I don't. But Lord, I'm like that thief on the cross. Lord, when you enter into your kingdom, would you remember me? I cannot tell you how many times that scripture has come to my heart. Lord, I'm just asking. I'm asking. I'm just asking. Come unto me, all you weak and heavy laden. I will give you rest. Lord, I'm coming because I'm weak. What am I gonna do? What am I gonna do to merit? Come unto me, all you weak, heavy laden. I will give you rest. Here's number six. The new birth is instantaneous.

Someone says, can you tell me when you were converted? No. No. I said, well, I know when I was converted, June the 11th, you know, 1970, whatever. This, that, and the other. All I can tell you is that there was a time when I found myself needing him, you know.

Let me ask you something easier than that. When, at what point in time were you physically conceived by your parents? Give me a time. Well, my birth certificate says, no, I don't care what your birth certificate says. I want to know, you tell me. You tell me exactly when you were conceived. You tell me that. You know what you know? You were conceived. That's what you know. Because you're here. You're sitting here. Obviously, when were you conceived spiritually? when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb.

He saved me by His grace. I don't know, I can't tell you. There was a time when I was struggling with the truth. It was contrary to everything I'd ever believed in my life. This has got to be the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen, but the Lord, bless His holy name, who would not leave me to myself. me by his grace.

And I'm not, I'm not, I'm not worried. I'm not worried about when he called me. I'm thankful that he called me and gave me a heart to be here. Turn with me. I'm almost done. I only got one more after this. Turn with me to John 11. John 11. John 11. I'd like to read verses 39, 44. John 11.

Starting in verse 39, Lazarus has died. His sisters Mary and Martha have gone to tell the Lord. He whom thou lovest, he was sick and he died. They buried him. Been now quite a few days. And the Lord said, where is he? And they bring him to where the Lord is. I'll start in verse 39. Jesus said, take away the stone. And Martha's sister said, of him that was dead, saith unto the Lord, by this time he stinketh. He'd been dead four days.

Jesus saith unto her, saith I not unto thee, that if thou wouldest believe, thou wouldest see the glory of God. Then they took away the stone. from the place where the dead was laid, Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always, but because of the people which stand by, I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. And when he had thus spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

And he that was dead came forth bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. Then many of the Jews which came with Mary, seeing the things which Jesus did, believed on him. But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees and told them what things Jesus had done. Let me ask you this. Do you think that Lazarus was really concerned about when, exactly at what point in time the Lord called him to come forth? You know what Lazarus knew? The Lord called him. The Lord called him.

For a believer, this birth, this new birth is instantaneous. Now we grow in grace. I've heard people say we grow in holiness. They talk about being reformed and being more holy. We're not more holy. When the Lord calls us and imparts life, we're as holy as we will ever be because we're holy in Christ. So to say we become more holy, that is a slur upon the character of our Lord who called us. But when he said, Lazarus, come forth, life was imparted. That's the issue here. The Lord said, you loose him, let him go.

And lastly, this new birth is complete. Really, this is part of the sixth one. It's complete. And it's eternal. Colossians 2, 9 and 10, for in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.

When I consider this truth right here. Believing the Lord. Trusting the Lord. Before Him, in my new man, you're looking at a man, I'm looking at those who believe, as people that are holy in the Lord Jesus Christ. In themselves, Paul said, I see in me that there dwelleth no good thing I'll admit that. There's nothing good in my old man.

But in Christ, we are as holy as we will be in His very presence. Now, that's a marvelous truth. How do you know that, Marvin? For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and ye are complete in Him. There's only one thing that's holding us back from seeing Him face to face and being in His very presence. This body. This body. This is the only thing. In the moment, twinkling of an eye, this earthly, this mortal shall put on immortality. And we'll be in Him, in His presence, and see Him as He is. He said, concerning His life everlasting, this is eternal.

Listen to this, John 10, 27, 28. My sheep hear my voice. You that believe, have we not heard His voice tonight? This is the Lord's Word. This is the Lord speaking. My sheep hear my voice. I know them. And they follow me. You that believe, don't you want to follow him? I want to. I see this old man in me that doesn't want to. I know it's a struggle. I know it's a war. I know it's a battle. I know it. But there's a new man in every believer that wants to follow him. I want to. I want to. They followed me. And I give unto them eternal life. And listen to this, and they shall never perish, never. And neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. When I read John 3, the first seven verses, I thought, Lord, would you help me just to try to preach that? and would you bless it to your glory in the eternal.

Evidence of The New Birth

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about being born again?

How do we know the new birth is true?

Why is being born again important for Christians?

What does the Gospel say about the assurance of salvation?

Sermon Transcript

About Marvin Stalnaker

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Evidence of The New Birth

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about being born again?

How do we know the new birth is true?

Why is being born again important for Christians?

What does the Gospel say about the assurance of salvation?

Sermon Transcript

About Marvin Stalnaker

Comments

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