BORN AGAIN MYSTERY BY TAURAI MAKADHO

 

The article  is brought to you by Friends and Partners of Christ world Evangelical Movement.  It was written by Taurai Makardho. He is the Lead Pastor and Head Coordinator at Christ world Evangelical Movement. For views, comments, invitations, prayer requests and other related issues contact him on the following numbers: +2 6 3. 7 7 2. 1 9 0. 3 3 4, or +2 6 3. 7 8 2. 4 6 6. 7 3

 

Scriptural Reference: John 3 verses 3 to 16, John 1 verse 13, John 4 verse 24, Revelation 2 verse 17.

 

The phrase “born again" is only recorded in the third chapter of Apostle John's account of the gospel. Jesus used this term when he was talking with an outsider who was not part of his disciples. What is appalling about the whole issue is that the Lord did not tell his own to be born again. He only talked about the kingdom.

 

One thing we ought to take note of is that Jesus used parables and dark speeches when talking to the public and later explain them to his chosen. The issue of being born again was one of those dark sayings.

 

When Nicodemus asked how one could be born again, he told him that one had to be born of water and spirit. He went on to highlight that if one is not born of water and spirit, he cannot see the kingdom of God. This was yet another dark saying. Even those he chose did not comprehend his sayings until the coming of the Holy Spirit.

 

To be born of water and spirit is a great mystery. These two were stated as agents of rebirth. Let us slightly expound on the connotations of each of these agents of regeneration.

 

In the book of Leviticus, the children of Israel were given some classified laws of purification after committing some classified transgressions. The thing was if one was made unclean by means of any uncleanness according to the law of ordinances, he or she was supposed to wash his body in running water and be unclean until evening. In some instances, they were also required to wash their clothes to be considered pure. After these processes, one was considered renewed and worth re-engagement in the camp of God's people. Well, we will get deeper into this in our future discussions; God willing.

 

This was a copy of the real regeneration process which is accomplished by God's word. The word of God is the real water that gives new birth and everlasting purity. When we hear and perceive the gospel of salvation, we become new creatures in Christ and we automatically qualify for attainment of the age to come.

 

Once we become receptive to his word of life, His Holy Spirit takes over and gives us a seal of sonship. We become sons of God by virtue of being one with Christ in spirit such that when God sees us, he sees the image of His marvelous son, Jesus Christ.

 

To be born again means to be born the second time. This can only take place if one missed the first birth. The second birth concept has nothing to do with our natural birth in the flesh. This has all to do with the spirit-man. The first man Adam was a product of God's authorship. He lost eternity through disobedience. This means those who were born in Adam were born in spiritual death, hence the need to be born anew. Therefore to be born again means to be born of God for the second time.

 

Through Adam's transgressions, humanity was alienated from the Holy and eternal God and became candidates for eternal destruction. Because of his eternal love, the Lord God devised a method to reengage mankind. This is typically restoring man to original status, before the great fall. The whole restoration matrix revolves around the person of Jesus Christ. He is the only redemptive facility God made available to mankind. Reconciliation of mankind is only found in Christ Jesus.

 

Unfortunately many did not receive him. They are trying to devise their methods of getting back to God and this method is called religion. Religion is a way of defying God's way of reconciling mankind to himself. It is yet another act of disobedience. It is in fact arrogance. God does not need religion to restore humanity. He needs himself.

 

But as many as received him, he gave them the power to become children of God, not born of the will of the flesh but by the Spirit of God. We are products of God's word. When we heard the message of the Kingdom, we were persuaded and believed through faith. The reception of the gospel brought about conception in our inner beings and that which is produced is the child of God. We are not children of God in the flesh but the spirit. Our bodies are just vessels that house the recreated child of God.

 

Flesh and blood will not inherit the kingdom of God. This body of the flesh will come to nothing. It will gradually go back to the earth. But if we believed in the word of grace, we shall be clothed with a more glorious body depending on our works done in the flesh. The destiny of a recreated child of God is eternity but the end of all flesh is corruption.

 

The relationship between God and our bodies is that of a master and a servant. That is the reason why the apostles of old identified themselves as servants of the Lord Jesus Christ. This would mean that the body is a servant to the child of God that dwells therein. Therefore the child of God inside the body should ensure the servant is put under subjection in all things. The recreated man inside will be crowned based on how he utilized his servant, the body.

 

The names we give each in the flesh belong to the men of the flesh, the servant. Revelation hints at that. The overcomers will be given new names only known to the bearers. This means that the names we give each other in this world may not be the very names the Children of God will be identified by at the end of the age.

 

I have heard of some church denominations which make it mandatory to change one's name once one is converted. They presume that the old name may hinder the believer from attaining salvation. This is not true. The message of the cross is loud and clear about the process of salvation. The Lord Jesus never asked us to change names to be saved.

 

There may be nothing bad about changing names. The problem arises when we try to make it compulsory for brethren. This may amount to trying to devise our gateway to salvation other than the one that is laid down. We need to follow the standard. Trying to modify church practices is quite dangerous. We may eventually find ourselves off the rail.

 

One of these practices is the sinner's Prayer. I have through experience realized that most sinner's prayer subscribers are products of emotional decisions. They sign up not because they are convicted by the gospel. They do that because there is a compelling emotional situation on the ground or they see some material benefit out of it.

 

A few years ago we attended a relative's funeral. The preacher there threatened the mourners that God was going to cast all unbelievers into the lake of fire. He added that the chances that their dead relative was groaning in the fire were very high because he was an unbeliever. He told the mourners that he himself had a glimpse of hell before he repented. He narrated how notorious it is, hence his repentance.

 

When he made a call for those who might want to sign up for Christ, almost every unbeliever hasted upfront to make a sinner's prayer. A few days along the line, almost every one of those folks was back in their former ways. They were just emotionally touched by the situation on the ground but there was no conviction.

 

There are some fellows who are easily held by emotions and they think they are under the influence of The Holy Spirit. They make a sinner's prayer at every crusade and everyone is supposed to believe they are now born again. Most decisions made out of emotions are likely to be unhealthy. There is always a need to be able to discern the distinction between emotions and the conviction of the Holy Spirit.

 

At one point we went as a group of preachers to the countryside. After delivering an amazing sermon one of the preachers called me to take the new converts through the sinner's prayer. As I walked up front, I heard a voice saying"what are you doing". When I got there I just mixed up a few words to make the issue more flexible.

 

Nowhere in the scripture do we see converts compelled to make a sinner's prayer. Those who believe through conviction just turned to the Lord and the ministers would direct them on how they would be established in Christ Jesus.

 

A believing heart comes from the Lord by election. It is not of he that runneth or he that willeth but of God that showeth mercy.

 

As much as many of us were born in denominations, none of us were born in the Church of the living God. You must be born again. Those born in church denominations are the most difficult to deal with. They presumably know everything about Him. There is nothing you can tell them about God they do not know.

 

Most pastors' kids believe they have an automatic entry into heaven because of their parents. This is not so. It is important to explain to them that they will have to weigh the gospel and see if they can believe it. Believing in the gospel is not based on human effort. It is according to the election of God.

 

The word of God tells us that narrow is the way that leads to eternal life and few shall walk on that road. This simply tells us that salvation is for a smaller proportion. The reason for preaching the gospel to the whole human race is to make it known to everyone. Those who believe will be saved. Those who do not believe will be condemned because they heard by they did not sign up for everlasting life.

 

Going to a church denomination does not qualify one for salvation. A denomination is just one of so many gateways through which many try to enter eternity. We are not going to be accepted based on our denominational affiliation but on our membership in the true Church of God. A denomination should be a subset of the church. This means it should function within the confines of the Church of the Living God.

 

Any denomination that goes beyond the teachings of the gospel of Christ is a dangerous one. If we believe we were born of God by the gospel of everlasting life, then we ought to hold on to our heavenly father who chose us out of this world to His light. We became new creatures in Christ Jesus, created in him by the power of an endless life.

 

This does not mean that denominations are a useless bunch of organizations. It doesn't entail that. Denominations can be bad or good entities based on what they represent. They can be good organizations if they accurately present the gospel of eternal life. However, they can also be bad if they arm-twist the word of God to score financial points or fleshly stuff.

 

Selling Christ for cash is becoming a viable business of our generation. Some denominational leaders are stuffing in large sums of cash in every church service. They later invest the monies out of the country for the benefit of their family members. They have created their personal organization in the name of serving God.

 

I am not saying that Church organizations shouldn't collect cash in services. I am not saying that. The church needs money to cushion the preaching of the gospel. It becomes a challenge when we try to monetize the gospel. Christ is not merchandise that we can display in shops and sell for profit. He is the redeemer of lost souls.  We cannot score points with God by paying in cash. He purchased us by His precious blood. The art of giving for the sake of the gospel is an act of serving God. We render service to God to attain eternal rewards. Trying to give to God to get physical blessings from Him is an act of bribery. We cannot in any way try to bribe God and get away with it.

 

Giving for the sake of the gospel is good. This is a good service to God. However, there is a distinction between new and old testament giving. Old testament giving was somehow strict and legalistic. It was sacrificial. The new testament giving is liberal. You have to do it from the heart. The new testament giving comes from the heart while that of the old testament affects the heart. Nowadays we have tactically trained preachers who misinterpret scripture to psychologically and emotionally capture brethren into paying.

 

The sacrifices made in the old covenant were a pointer to the true sacrifice who is Christ Jesus. Jesus Christ is our sacrifice from God and for God. There are no other sacrifices we can ever make other than Christ. What we ought to do is to present our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God by reasonably serving God.

 

The regeneration of mankind is more transformational than transitional. Transformation is wide in scope. It goes beyond changes in position. It deals with the alterations of one's nature. However, this is not a once-off big event. Transformation of one's mind is gradual no matter how zealous one can be.

 

While transformation is a process, conviction is an event. When the gospel is truly presented, the heart of God's elected is convinced regarding eternal life and decides to sign up. So rebirth starts with conviction followed by signing up. The foundation of being born again is the full conviction that Jesus Christ is of God and in him is eternal life.

 

However, we shouldn't dumbly believe that whoever goes to a church organization is born again. Individuals go to church organizations for different reasons. Most of them were convinced by the preacher that if they come to Church, Christ will lavish them with the good stuff while on earth. They were deceived that Jesus will solve all their earthly problems. That is a lie.

 

It is impossible to live without challenges while on earth. As a matter of fact, everyone has challenges. This is how this world was designed. As long as we are on earth, we will come across obstacles. I am not rubbing off the fact that the Lord supplies for our needs. He is the sole supplier of the whole human race. However, building your foundation on his ability to meet our physical needs is quite misplaced.

 

This indicates that most people in church organizations are not born again. Not even their preachers. Nowadays we have more folks getting into ministry to earn a living. They have considered the ministry of the word a better paying job and it works for some of them. It is in fact a smart way of earning a living. Some folks found themselves in church organizations not because they are chasing Christ but because they running away from the demons.

 

Some church organizations have become complex business empires all in the name of serving God. Members are assigned ranks in church based on their financial contributions. To those who are destitute of the truth, the whole thing is becoming complex. I am not against financially supporting the work of God. We need money to get things workable but we must be able to draw the line.

 

My question to you is: Are you born again? What is your intention of going to a church denomination? Are you really seeking Christ and the everlasting life that is embodied in Him? Do you really know and understand what you should look for? If your motive is that of getting physical stuff, then know for sure you are driving down an extremely dangerous road.

 

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