That Which Is Born of the Spirit Is spirit
It is impossible to be a Christian without the mighty working of the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ made it plain, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit . . .” The church world is full of people that are religious but they have never been Born Again. If you join a church without the Born Again experience by the Spirit, you might as well join the local Kiwanis Club or some other club or fellowship. The Book of Romans is called the Roman’s Road. It is believed to be the true path of salvation and it is. Read these two verses carefully, “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his” “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” (Romans 8:9,14). When a person is Born Again, they are a new creature. The Spirit of God reaches in you affecting you from head to toe. Unclean habits disappear and bad language will be gone. The power of God – by the blood – makes you a new person. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (II Corinthians 5:17). I claim your miracle right now as we put this sermon on internet.
(Send for a FREE sermon and our prophecy publication to help you grow in the Lord. Email me at jrc@pawcreek.org.)
Jim
Dear Pastor Chambers,
Thank you for this challenge. There is much of what I call “decisionism” that is not life changing at all. It is superficial and reflects little if any change in lifestyle. However Justification is an instantaneous event but sanctification is a lifelong process of growth. So if one is not experiencing spiritual growth, i.e. old things are not passing away and all things are not becoming new, they should honestly look at their lives and determine in light of Scripture if they are truly saved.
This is a timely and extremely important warning to the church.
Thanks.
Jim
Ed Wood
Hello Pastor Joseph.
Unless I am misreading, it sounds as if once we are “born again,” all the negative parts of our personalities disappear as if a switch was flipped.
Thing is, I came to believe in the reality of God at the age of six, always believed in him since then, though there was plenty of backsliding along the way. My 51+ year journey from then to now has taken me through alcoholism, some marijuana use from time to time concurrent with the drinking, and cigarette smoking. In 1978 I gave up alcohol and “grass.” In 1993 I gave up cigarettes. In these cases I am positive it was due to divine intervention.
Thing is, I still have numerous character flaws so, truth be told, a lot of the “old man” is still here. I have always read the 2 Corinthians passage you quoted with the view that it is something that will not reach fruition until the passing of the flesh body and the reception of the glorified imperishable one all believers living or dead will receive at the Rapture.
I believe the Bible is the Word of God and that Jesus is exactly whom the Bible says he is. I believe that we are saved by faith in Jesus and him alone and that upon belief in him the Holy Spirit comes to live in us – and this is what I always thought the “born again” experience really is.
Am I right or wrong?
Brother Ed,
You are a dear reader of our materials. I need to answer and I want to be careful. The Scripture in II Cor 5:17 is the exact results of being “Born Again”. It happens the moment your are truly saved. There is a great effort to teach a soft Gospel today that allows people to keep on sinning. I do not buy into that. When a person dies that is the exact condition in which they will meet God. There is absolutely no cleansing of sin after one is died. We must guit giving people an excuse to keep on living in sin. Lets look at the Romans Road. “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin.” Romans 6: 1-7
I Love You my Brother
Pastor Chambers
Jean Hynes
Unless a person has a “heart change,” he can go into the water a dry sinner and come up
a wet sinner! I have seen it happen in my own family.
Thank you for your heartfelt message. Time is short. Today is the day of salvation!
Dave
Dear Brother Chambers, Paul in his teachings brings out the full meaning of what is means to be “born again”. Romans chapter six, Paul makes it clear, “death to sin” Galatians chapter two verse twenty, “death to self”. These are two great teachings which I have seldom if ever heard taught in church today. We die to ourselves, and in Christ Jesus we live unto Him, all that we are, all that we believe “outside of Him”, our total way of life must die. Jesus is the example that we walk in His footsteps “one Peter two verse twenty one”. The old live ceases to be, the new life in Christ Jesus “at the new birth (born again) begins to unfold. Jesus then becomes the center of our lives. It is true, the world and all that it stands for slowly but surley dies to us. The people of the world are our only concern, get them saved and “Born Again”.
Sandra
Ed, Comment back to you.
I am in much the same shoes. Became a born again believer at 9, felt the holy ghost enter my body. However there have been many faults and stumbles along the way. Still struggles every day. We are not going to be perfect until we are actually “redeemed” at the rapture. As long as we live in this world, then we will still sin. IT is impossible not to. I think many people put too much emphasis on being perfect once you are born again. The fact that we have the holy spirit in us, will guide us along if we listen and try and stay close to God. But if we fall away, doesn’t mean we are not saved anymore. If there is nothing you can do to save yourself, then there is nothing you can do to unsave yourself. Blessings to you!
Dear Sandra
Let me repeat what I added to Brother Woods postscript.
Brother Chambers
Brother Ed,
You are a dear reader of our materials. I need to answer and I want to be careful. The Scripture in II Cor 5:17 is the exact results of being “Born Again”. It happens the moment your are truly saved. There is a great effort to teach a soft Gospel today that allows people to keep on sinning. I do not buy into that. When a person dies that is the exact condition in which they will meet God. There is absolutely no cleansing of sin after one is died. We must guit giving people an excuse to keep on living in sin. Lets look at the Romans Road. “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin.” Romans 6: 1-7
Sandra
Wonderful messages and comments. I just hope that we don’t “confuse” the lost into thinking that if they get saved, (i.e. surrender to Jesus as Lord, ask him to be your Lord and have true faith in that he is the only Salvation), that if they sin they will become unsaved. That is my only concern here. If any Chritian claims to have never sinned again once receiving the holy spirit, he is living in a dream world. Wanting to sin, trying to sin, living for sin is not something most born again Christians would want to do, but we ALL fail. No one can live a sin free life on this planet. Although we try hard. Love the stories Pastor Chambers. Good work! Keep reeling in the lost sheep.
Good point Sandra,
Here is the answer from the Holy Spirit by the Word of God!
“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” (I John 2: 1-2)
Pastor Chambers
kim segar
The Romans is such a good teacher. Let us not forget tho Paul wrote much of the bible, he too had trouble with sin. G-d cannot look upon sin. He said to His deciples when they asked what must we do to be saved. Jesus answered..JUST BELIEVE….Jesus won at the cross for all of us for sin, ONCE and for all. In Cor it is written that G-d doesn’t measure sin..sin is sin. if we break one command, we are guilty of all sin. UNLESS anyone thinks that satan can take what the Father has given our L-rd, then believe what you will. Even Paul said, I find myself doing and saying what I hate, and said I am the chief sinner !…in JOHN Jesus Himself said, NO ONE CAN TAKE WHAT THE FATHER HAS GIVEN TO ME cannot take anyone out of MY hand. I think Satans big lie is to make those who believe G-d died on the cross is not a promise of Salvatio..HOw sad so many are made to believe against G-d and what HE SAID. Once saved always said, and yes always let the L-rd know you are sorry and HE is faithful to forgive. Let scripture speak for ITSSELF, He is coming for believer’s and our rewards will be given in heaven according to our works, G-d bless..IF you believe in the cross YOU ARE SAVED FOREVEr..after all G-d says those who say they have no sin are liars..