How To Get Born Again (part two)
(…continued from the first part…)
After agreeing with the above truths, you will then confess that, “I accept Jesus as my Lord and Saviour!” The word ‘confession’ is the same homologeō proving contextually that it is of Jesus and not about your sins. I hear many ministers warning those who answer the altar, “Confess all your sins!” The salient question is, “How many wrongdoings?” Can he, the minister remember all his sins? Who can? Which sins do they make an inference to? Sins of the past, present or future? What is needed is faith and true faith.
Another reason why many churches insist on teaching confession of sins before getting born again is predicated on 1John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” It will be an exegetical anomaly to use this scripture for a soteriological ministration. John says, ‘If we,’ which does not exclude him, the apostle of Jesus. This Book is called ‘The general epistle,’ meant for all believing Christians. Christians are the true born again -people of God. The opening verse of the second chapter reads, “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:” for as an apostle, he is a father figure, spiritually to the nascent Church.
Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Faith is the only facilitative instrumentality responsible for any transaction with God. Faith is the modulative element that fine tunes the intent of the heart, bringing it into a certain alignment, which eventuates in the harmonization with God’s aim and that of the wielder of faith.
Concerning the Jewish race their faithlessness got them wandering in the vicious circle of unbelief. Hebrews 3:19 “So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.” Over a million of Israelites perished, unable to enter into the promised rest.
God will not ask you to do the impossible. As regarding our sins at the altar of regeneration, the answer is in Colossians 2:13-14, (13) “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14) Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.” Verse 13, in answer to: how many? It says, “having forgiven you all trespasses” meaning not one, twenty or a million but all trespasses. The time of the forgiving act? It is in the aorist. Before Christ came to die for our sins God had already knew that I will one day come to Him for salvation and He counted me among those to be redeemed! Ephesians 1:4, “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:” your salvation is secured in Him, Jesus. To know more about the security of the believer, read my post, “WHY GO ARMINIANISTIC SOTERIOLOGY?”
Mere mouthing the sinners’ prayer does not bring one into the spiritual regeneration process. Many have got it wrong by thinking that mere ritualistic recitation of the sinners’ prayer had got them born again. It must necessitate faith in the finished work of the cross. You must see yourself as a sinner. Psalm 51:5 “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.” The word “shapen,” chuwl (khool) (or chiyl {kheel}) means: ‘1. (properly) to twist or whirl (in a circular or spiral manner), i.e. (specifically) to dance, to writhe in pain (especially of parturition) or fear 2. (figuratively) to wait, to pervert.’ ‘Iniquity’ is `avon (aw-vone’) (or oavown (2 Kings 7): perversity, i.e. (moral) evil.’ Chet’ (khate) is the Hebrew word for ‘sin’ meaning: ‘a crime or its penalty.’ This is what the earthly natural birth of everyone portends. Every conceived person is a potential criminal, before the law of the Creator.
If you pray the prayer truthfully and most especially, in faith, from your heart the Holy Spirit has made your spirit realm His abode, making you a carrier of God. Ponderous! Four things you need to lubricate your spiritual life. 1) Pray always (1Thessslonians 5:17). 2) Read the Bible (Joshua 1:8). 3) Attend Church services regularly (Hebrews 10:25) & 4) Get others born again by telling them about Jesus (Mark 16:15). Pray in Jesus’ name: God wants to hear you, the object of His love; in Jesus’s name: the only Mediator between God and man. The more you read the Bible the closer to God you are. Going to church is not only an obedient act, it recharges your spiritual life. Telling others about Jesus is the great commission for all Christians.
Get born again by saying this sinners’ prayer: “Dear heavenly Father, I come to You now in the name of Jesus Christ. I believe in my heart that Jesus is the Son of God. I believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sin. I believe that You raised Him from the dead. I confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord and I receive Him now as my Lord and my Saviour. I give God all the glory. Amen!” (…to be continued…)
Read the first part here
Click to read the 3rd part
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