Do You Know the Way to Heaven?Updated Mar. 16th 1999 by Harold SmithNONE of those things will even begin to get you to heaven. So how can you get to heaven?
Jesus said, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:5).
Follow this outline on the New Birth
1. New Birth is Necessary "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. ...Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. ...Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again" (John 3:3,5,7). "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
2. The Source of New Birth is the Will of God "Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:13). "Of His own will begat He us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures" (James 1:18). "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:3,4).
3. The Agents in New Birth A. Water, which is a symbol of the Word of God. "The washing of water by the Word" (Ephesians 5:26). The Word is the means working upon man's conscious intelliegence (Hebrews 4:12,13; 1 Peter 1:23). As water, the Word is first for drinking. "But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life" (John 4:14). (See also John 7:37,38; Revelation 22:17.) Secondly, the water of the Word is for cleansing. "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to Thy Word" (Psalm 119:9). (See also John 15:3; Ephesians 5:26.) B. The Spirit of God. He is the Living Power behind the scenes and, although His working is invisible, He is clearly seen by the effects of His working. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. ...The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit" (John 3:6,8). (See also Genesis 1:2,3; 2 Thessalonians 2:13.)
4. New Birth is Obtained by Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ"Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God" (1 John 5:1). "For by grace are ye saved through faith" (Ephesians 2:8). (See also Romans 10:9,10; Galatians 3:26.)
5. The Results of New Birth A. It gives eternal life. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).B. It makes the recipient a child of God. "But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name" (John 1:12).C. It delivers from practicing sin. "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God" (1 John 3:9). (See also Psalm 119:11.)D. It gives power to overcome the world. "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith" (1 John 5:4).All inquiries to: Harold Smith
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