Grace be to you all and peace from God our Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ who redeemed us with His own precious blood. For the reason that many strange doctrines abound these days concerning salvation (the new birth), we deem it necessary to write to you all according to the Holy Scriptures concerning this experience believing that our Lord Jesus Christ who sent us will also by His Spirit illuminate your minds and hearts with revelation knowledge from this Word, that you may all walk worthy of Him the Lord unto all pleasing.
It is written in John 3:3: ?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. 4Nicodemus 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? 5Jesus 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. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit?
According to the Scriptures quoted above, every man that has a hope of entering the kingdom of heaven must be born again. This means to be born of water and of the Spirit (John 3:5). This is by the Word of God and the Holy Spirit. This we have written to you in times past. The Greek word for born again is gennethe anothen. It literally means to be begotten from above. This means that there must be a transformation from God and a renewal in righteousness and true holiness to be saved (2 Corinth 5:17-21, Eph 4:22-24, Col 1:13-14, 20, 2:12-17, 3:1-16). In Rom 6:1-11, Apostle Paul taught that when one is converted i.e. becomes born again, he is baptized into Christ (Rom 6:3). He taught that at conversion to Christ, the old man is crucified and the body of sin destroyed (Rom 6:6) so that one that is now born again does not serve sin by practicing and committing sin (John 8:34, 1 John 3:9, 5:18). This old man is the spirit and nature of Satan that now work in the children of disobedience (John 8:44, 2 Corinth 4:4). One who still has the old man in him will walk according to the course of this world and according to the prince of the power of the air which is Satan himself. He belongs to Satan. This is clearly written in Eph 2:2 and 4:22-24.
When one becomes born again i.e. converted to Christ, this old man must pass away with all outward sin and transgression of the law (2 Corinth 5:17, 1 John 3:4, Rom 4:15, James 1:13-15). This means that the one born again must now quit sinning by wholly submitting to God and His written Word and live unto Him. This is called being dead to sin. To die to sin is to have nothing to do with it and be totally separated from it. To live unto God is to be wholly given up to and to have intimate connection with Him. Therefore when one becomes born again, his old man is crucified with Christ which means that he has no further dealings with this old man who is now completely separated from him. At this time, a new man is created in him. This new man is the Spirit and nature of God. It is a nature from above. This is plainly written in Eph 4:24, 2 Peter 1:4, and Rom 8:9, 14-16. This new nature must manifest righteousness and true holiness, for the born again believer now has the earnest of the Holy Spirit. He must now be sore afraid to commit any form of sin because of the fear of the Lord. This is the ultimate proof of the new creature, the new man. One that does not manifest holiness and righteousness after claiming to be born again is still under the control of the old man. Such must be converted and healed before they can enter the kingdom of God.
Today, many in the body of Christ do not understand the new birth. Some volunteer to give their life to Christ and profess Him with their mouth as they have been told and go back into sin afterwards. This is because they have not truly believed in Him in their hearts though they profess Him as Lord. These are not yet converted and their fruit of practicing sin proves this to be so. If you are such, you must repent today. Not tomorrow, for soon the LORD my GOD shall appear. Therefore repent that you may not be counted with the ungodly and tried in the days to come. Even Nicodemus, a highly learned man and of the class of the Pharisees did not understand the new birth at first. He made the same mistake many have made and are still making today by thinking the new birth experience in human terms. He tried to compare the new birth with the old birth. He tried to compare it with the normal human conception. This is the very thing our LORD Jesus Christ did not want men to do (John 3:4, 12). The truth is that the old birth or human conception is a fresh coming into existence while the new birth is a begetting from above which is literally an adoption into a new family, the family of God. One that is born again has the same body he had when he was unconverted. The change that takes place at conversion is in the spirit and soul. Not the body, therefore the body of believers and unbelievers are the same in nature. This is why we are commanded as believers to keep our body under and bring it to subjection by walking in the Spirit because our body is not yet redeemed. It shall be redeemed at the rapture when the Lord shall appear for its redemption.
Therefore by these words which we have written line upon line as above, the following takes place at the new birth:
A Moral and spiritual change, not a physical one (Gal 4:29; John 3:1-8)
A change of heart, will, motives, desires, life, and conduct, not organism (2 Corinth 5:17-18).
A change of masters not of constitutional makeup of body, soul, or spirit (Rom 6:11-23; 8:1-4)
An adoption of one from the satanic family into the family of God (Rom 8:14-16; Gal 4:5; Eph 1:5)
Not a coming into existence of the body, soul, or spirit, as in the natural birth, but a consecration of them to serve God and holiness instead of Satan and sin (Rom 6:16-22; 8:1-13; Col 3:5-10; Gal 5:16-26)
Though it is a begetting, yet it is not a begetting by the Holy Spirit in the same sense Jesus became and is the only begotten son of God (John 1:14, 18; 3:16), but a renewal in righteousness and true holiness of one who is already in existence (Eph 4:23-24; Col 3:10; Ps 51:10)
A change of nature, but not the coming into existence of that nature (Rom 3:24-25; 2 Corinth 5:17; Titus 3:5). This nature pre-existed in God.
A change of favor, a new standing before God (Rom 5:1-2; Eph 2:1-9; Titus 2:11-14; 2 Peter 3:18; 1 John 3:8-10)
A change of character, state, and service (Gal 5:22-23; 1 Corinth 13; Rom 3:24-31; 5:1-11; 2 Tim 2:21; Titus 2:11-14)
There is no comparison between the natural and the spiritual birth as to choice in the matter, conception, embryo, process, and actual birth. The very moment one is grown enough to recognize he is a sinner and when he repents and believes the gospel, a moral and spiritual change takes place (Mk 1:15; 2 Corinth 5:17-18; Rom 1:16; 10:9-10; Eph 2:8-9; 1 John 1:9). The very moment he decides to sin again he has a moral fall, incurs the penalty of the broken law again and comes under the sentence of death again (James 1:13-15; 5:19-20; Rom 6:11-23; 8:1-13; John 8:34; 2 Peter 2:19-22; Heb 6:4-9; 10:26-29; Gal 5:4, 19-21; 1 Corinth 6:9-11; 1 John 3:8-10; Ezek 18:4; etc.). Therefore, If man sin, he must be forgiven and restored or pay the death penalty as in Gal 6:7-8 and in the above scriptures. This is why all men must be very quick to repent of sin when sin is accidentally committed.
Also, according to the word of God, a man can be ?born again? more than once. Can a man be lost and found more than once? Can a man be saved from drowning more than once? Can a man be saved from any other kind of death more than once? If so, why is it then that a man cannot be reconverted? Assuredly, a man can and must be reconverted when he falls away into sin. The Scriptures plainly teach this. This again cast out the claim of many that profess that once saved is always saved lacking knowledge of the word of God and refusing to hearken to the truth. According to the Scriptures, men can be reconverted when they fall away. Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself taught this doctrine. We have listed below a number of proofs showing that men can and must be reconverted when they fall into sin
All men had eternal life in Adam until he sinned. If he had not sinned all men would have lived forever (Gen 2:17; Rom 5:12-21). The new birth of John 3:1-8 is really a re-birth or a restoration to original life by cancellation of death penalty (Isa 59:2; Mt 1:21; John 3:16; Eph2:1-9). If this can thus happen once, it can happen again and again if necessary.
The gospel teaches forgiveness more than once - even 490 times (Mt 18:21-22). Would God command to do this if He would not do it Himself? When a believer commits sin and repent, is he not forgiven or else would suffer death?
If any man (Christian) sins he has an advocate with the Father (1 John 2:1-2). What is this advocate for if not to restore backsliders to God by reconverting them?
If we confess our sins He is faithful? and just to forgive us (1 John 1:9)
Apostle Peter was once converted. He confessed Jesus as the Son of God and the Christ, which brings the new birth (1 John 5:1; Mt 16:16). He even had power to preach and heal and had the Spirit in him (Mt 10:1-20). Our Lord Jesus Christ predicted his backsliding and re-conversion (Luke 22:31-34), proving that a converted man can and must be re-converted if he falls into sin as apostle Peter did denying the Lord in Mt 26:69-75
James taught a re-conversion after one falls into sin and incurs the death penalty again (James 5:19-20)
Apostle Paul taught that God is able to graft Jews into Christ again. This means a re-conversion (Rom 11:18-24)
Apostle Paul taught that men who have erred from the truth, and who have even overthrown the faith of others, can come to repentance again (2 Tim 2:17-26)
Apostle Paul taught a rebirth again of backsliders ( Gal 4:19), those who had fallen from grace (Gal 1:6-8; 3:1-5; 4:19; 5:4)
Apostle Paul taught us to restore a sinning brother (Gal 6:1). How could this be if it is impossible or unnecessary?
In Heb 6:1 Apostle Paul taught the laying again of the foundation of repentance if necessary. Only apostates cannot be renewed to repentance (Heb 6:4-9; 10:26-29). The reason is that they have thrown away all faith in the only sacrifice that can renew them. Backsliders who still have faith in Christ can be renewed regardless of how low in sin they are
Our Lord Jesus taught a re-conversion in the Book of Revelation in His last message to the churches (Rev 2:4-5, 16, 21-26; 3:3, 15, 16)
David was renewed again after he committed sin (Ps 51:1-14)
God taught Israel time and again that He would restore them again if they would meet conditions (Isa 1:16-18; Jer 3:13-15; 4:1-4; 18:1-10; Hos 6:1-3; 10:12-13; 2 Chr 7:14
All these Scriptures prove beyond doubt that God can and will reject the ungodly and those who do not obey the gospel of Christ. This is God?s terms for salvation. Man must believe in Christ by faith, confess His name, and accept Him into His heart to be saved. And afterwards, he must diligently learn the gospel of Christ and obey it to the full by the help of the Holy Spirit. This is by constant study of the Word of God, prayer, and communion with the Holy Spirit. This is how one must overcome in Christ in all things. Therefore, we beseech you all to re-examine yourself and ensure that you abide in the Lord Jesus Christ by keeping His commandments and guarding your hearts with all diligence for shortly He shall appear. And if there be any among you that has fallen into sin, let him repent today and turn away from his sins and the Lord will accept him, rejoicing with the holy angels on his behalf. For it is His will that none should perish but that all should come to repentance. Therefore repent all of you that hold the truth in unrighteousness and be saved today. The Master is at the door. Peace be to you all.
