“Ye must be born again.”

John 3:7

            All need to be born again because all are sinners; but our Lord Jesus declared to Nicodemus that he “must” be born again, as he evidently was (John 7:50; 19:39). The fact is there are multitudes scattered among the fallen sons and daughters of Adam who “must” be born again. They must be born again, because they are God’s elect, predestined to glory. Election and predestination guarantee that the chosen will enter into heaven; but election and predestination are not enough to give an entrance into the New Jerusalem. If you are chosen of God, you “must” be born again, because the purpose of God according to election demands it.

            God’s elect were all redeemed by the precious blood of Christ. By the shedding of his blood, our Savior put away our sins. — “With his own blood, he entered once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” — “Without shedding of blood is no remission.” And heavenly glory is the redemption purchase of the Son of God for his elect. Yet, blood atonement will not bring any into heaven without the new birth. Yes, every chosen, ransomed sinner shall be born again; and “ye must be born again.”

“Ye must be born again,” because you were born in spiritual death, dead in trespasses and in sins. Unless you are born again, you cannot understand anything spiritual. You “cannot see” the things of God, you “cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). The natural man is totally void of all spiritual understanding. You may be very logical, rational, reasonable and well-educated, but with regard to the things of God, the unregenerate man is as ignorant and foolish as any lunatic (Romans 8:5; 1 Corinthians 2:14). Until you are born again, you cannot even see the Door, let alone enter it.

“Ye must be born again,” because unless you are born again by almighty grace, you can never enter into the kingdom of God (John 3:5). You can reform your life without the new birth. You can quit cussing, smoking, drinking, running around and quit any outward vice without being born again. You can be baptized without the new birth. You can join a church, be zealous in religion, teach a Bible class, serve as a deacon or elder, you can even preach with great success without being born again. But unless you are born again, you can never enter into the kingdom of God. Unless you are born again, you will never be a part of the church and family of God, you will never have eternal life, you will never enter into the worship and fellowship of God’s saints, and you will never be admitted into the glory and bliss of God’s presence in heaven (Revelations 21:27). Only new creatures will enter the New Jerusalem. Only heaven-born citizens will possess the bliss of heaven.

“Ye must be born again,” because by nature you are a fallen, depraved, sinful child of human flesh; and “that which is born of the flesh is flesh” (John 3:6). All flesh is defiled, corrupt, sinful and condemned. If you would enter glory, you must have a new, holy nature created in you; Christ must be formed in you; you must be made a partaker of the divine nature, possessing that “holiness without which no man shall see the Lord.” — You must be raised from the dead in the new birth (Revelation 20:6; (Revelation 21:17). — “Ye must be born again!”

Don Fortner

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