If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Being in Christ means a new creation. This is what it means to be born again but more because we are meant to leave the old ways behind. Being a new person means we are no longer doing the same things or being tempted by the same things. This is difficult for some because we are living in the same world with the same circumstances. However the change is suppose to come from the inside, with the Holy Spirit.

You must be born again

John 3:7
You must be born again

As our Lord Yshua explained to Nicodemus, the only way to be part of the Kingdom of God is to be born again. This is a spiritual birth which means that we are willing to die to everything in life including our rights, virtues, religion and receive the new life. It is more than knowing Jesus, we must see Him truly as the sovereign Lord who is in control of everything. It also brings us to a new life of not sinning because we obey God in this. It does not mean we cannot sin but that we receive power and willing to stop sinning.

Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

John 3:3
Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Nicodemus the Pharisee came to Jesus, perplexed by His teachings which seemed very true. And Jesus was explaining about being born again in order to see the Kingdom of God. This could be a simple verse if we assume it means born again to enter the Kingdom of God. However it is interesting that Jesus used the word "see" the Kingdom of God.

Can it be that Jesus mean born again is only the beginning of the journey? So at the beginning, the born again believer can see it, but he needs to maintain his faith throughout his life? If so, this would be consistent of Paul's analogy of running the good race and also needing to finish the race. This is something to be cautious about so we need to ensure we do not fall away from the faith.

Derek Prince - Teaching on receiving the Baptism of the Holy Spirit

Derek Prince shared about the Baptism of the Holy Spirit in which the evidence is the speaking of tongues. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THa58YZgbOI

This Baptism of the Holy Spirit is a separate event to being Born Again. While the disciples needed to tarry for about 50 days at Pentecost to receive this, after Pentecost we can be baptised in the Holy Spirit as soon as we are born again. However this is not automatic - we have to ask for it.

Derek Prince shares the 4 steps:

- We have to be thirsty for this Baptism of Fire which is the Holy Spirit and desire the gifts that come with it.

- We have to ask Jesus for it because only He can Baptise with Fire. Also when we ask Jesus for this, He will in no way turn away those who ask this Good thing.

- We have to open ourselves and breathe in the Spirit of God.

- We have to allow the words - utterance of the Spirit to come out through our mouths.

Love one another fervently with a pure heart

Peter writes to the various believers which were scattered throughout the Mediterranean. He reminds them to rejoice despite any trials, and that genuine faith is worth much more than gold. Peter was glad that they believed and loved Jesus even though they have not seen Him. He reminds them that the end result of their faith would be their eternal salvation.

The prophets have been waiting for this period of grace and the work of the Holy Spirit. This is now manifested in the believers. Peter encourages the believers to continue in their life in obedience and live a holy life. He reminds the believers that God the Father has chosen them before He created the universe and that Jesus Christ has redeemed them as the Father raised Him from the dead. He tells the believers that they have been born again by the Spirit as evident in their sincere love for one another.




1 Peter 1
Greeting to the Elect Pilgrims

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ:

Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

A Heavenly Inheritance

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 8 whom having not seen[a] you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.

10 Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, 11 searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 12 To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us[b] they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.

Living Before God Our Father

13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”[c]

17 And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 20 He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you 21 who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

The Enduring Word

22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit[d] in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, 23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever,[e] 24 because

“All flesh is as grass,
And all the glory of man[f] as the flower of the grass.
The grass withers,
And its flower falls away,
25 But the word of the Lord endures forever.”[g]
Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.

He who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him

Nicodemus was one of the Pharisees who genuinely sought to understand Jesus and God through Him. Jesus well known response is to tell him to be born again. Jesus explained about being born again from the Spirit and that we require faith to understand the heavenly things. It is also through these discussions that we get the famous John 3:16 verse "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

Some time after John the Baptist had baptised Jesus, John was still continuing his ministry. John continues to point the way to Jesus, declaring He is God's Son. John also stated that it is necessary to believe in Jesus to have everlasting life, otherwise God's wrath is still on those who don't believe.




John 3
The New Birth

1 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”

3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”

5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

9 Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?”

10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? 11 Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.[a] 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but[b] have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”



John the Baptist Exalts Christ

22 After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them and baptized. 23 Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized. 24 For John had not yet been thrown into prison.

25 Then there arose a dispute between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified—behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!”

27 John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before Him.’ 29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease. 31 He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32 And what He has seen and heard, that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony. 33 He who has received His testimony has certified that God is true. 34 For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure. 35 The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. 36 He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”