You must be Born Again

Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." John3:3

Entering the Kingdom (Being Born Again = salvation) is accomplished by the power of God - outside yourself. It is the work of God.

"For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land. "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. "Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. Ezekiel 36:24-27

Salvation is a cleansing that comes from God who sends the Holy Spirit to indwell your heart and give you new life. It produces a changed heart and mind that desires to obey and follow God. If that change has not taken place then there is no new life.

"He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." John 3:36


Christ is not something you can just add to your life.

Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. Colossians 3:1-5

Christ must take preeminence in your life. It means preferring obeying, serving, and loving God more than anything this world has to offer.

What is the standard of “good”?

It’s not being better than someone else. It’s not avoiding a certain severity of sin (I’m not as bad as they guy on death row). Most people have the wrong standard. They somehow think God is like them in judging what is good and bad. Since God is God its not what we think His standard is, but it is what He has declared the standard of “good” to be. By looking at God’s Law we can see the standard by which “good” is judged.

The Law is a tutor that brings us to Christ.

Have to ever come to an end of yourself? Realizing there is no way you can save yourself. You can never be “good enough”. Self righteousness and self justification must die. All you can do is cry out for mercy from God. By trusting in what Christ did and ceasing to trust in what you can do.

Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, Then righteousness would indeed have been based on law. But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. Galatians 3:21-25

For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." Galatians 5:13-14

Have you ever come to the point where you understand the utter wickedness of your own heart and the pure holiness of God? Do you understand that there is nothing you can do to save yourself? You can never be good enough. Do you understand that the only thing you deserve is judgment and Hell? Can you see honestly into your own heart and motivations? The love spoken of here comes only from God. It is not motivated for what you get out of it. It is not self-centered. It can only be accomplished by the empowerment of His Holy Spirit.

One last thought about the “called out ones”

Is your life characterized by righteousness that flows from the Spirit of God within? A life that is characterized by sin (lawlessness) will not come to a godly end.

Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you--unless indeed you fail the test? 2 Corinthians 13:5