Chapter 3

THE NEW BIRTH

Before beginning this chapter, please read from your Bible, John 3:1-22. These Scripture verses are some of the most beautiful, yet most controversial verses in the Bible. In order to understand the meaning of salvation through Jesus Christ, you must understand these verses.

Nicodemus was a high, ranking ruler in Israel . It is evident that even though he had wealth and power, something was missing in his life. All his education couldn’t bring him the answers he needed. There remained an emptiness in his soul that drove him to Jesus that night. Knowing his need, Jesus tells him in John 3:3, Ye must be born again. This brought the man great confusion. He could not understand what Jesus was saying. Jesus then went on to explain it to him.

When you asked Jesus to come into your heart, you were born again. This chapter is written to help you understand what took place when Jesus came into your life. Again Jesus uses a picture to explain something for our understanding. We know that when a baby is born, its life is just starting. How many people have said that they wish they could start over again and not make the mistakes they had made? Because of the pain of their sinful past, they envy the newborn baby that has no past. To be born again, is to start over with a clean slate. When you asked Jesus to come into your heart, he forgave all your sin and made you as clean as a newborn baby. You are in essence, freed from all your past record before God and are seen by Him as pure and holy. Let’s look to the scripture and let it explain what I mean.

1. As we read in the past chapters, sin brings condemnation and judgment. What is the good news for you found in Romans 8:1?

2. What does II Corinthians 5:17 say has happened to your past and your sin?

3. According to Colossians 3:3, what does the Apostle Paul say about you?

4. Paul states in II Corinthians 5:21, that Christ became sin for us, what does he say that we become as a result?

5. In your understanding, what does the word "righteousness" mean?

6. Since Jesus became sin for you and died in your place, you in essence died, that is, your past died and is forever buried. . A dead person cannot be tried for something they did in the past life. All debts are cancelled because of the death, as a dead person cannot pay a debt. Your debt of sin was paid for by Christ’s death. Paul states in Galatians 2:20, that you were crucified with Christ. What two things now take place as the result?

7. When you asked Jesus to come and live in your heart, how can He do so according to Romans 8:11?

8. When you were born again, God became your Heavenly father, and you became His child. The process is called being born again. According to Romans 8:15 , what is the process called that makes you his child?

9. Since Christ is the heir of God, what does that make you? Romans 8:17

10. When a child is adopted, they receive a new name. When you were adopted into God’s family, you also received a new name. That name is Christian which means, Christ in you. What now do you have according to Colossians 1:27?

11. Since Christ now lives in you, what does Paul say in Philippians 4:13, we can do?

12. When Christ came into your heart, you were born again. In that new birth, your old life with all its failures died and is no longer on the records of heaven. Does Satan have the right to go back and accuse you of things done in the past?

13. What now do you do if you sin again? I John 1:9.

14. In summing this up, who does the Bible say you are?