 Hello and welcome to the website of Midtown Ministries. I want to take this opportunity, with your permission, to give you some very valuable information about your spiritual life.
You might remember the Bible story about Nicodemus who secretly visited Jesus during the night. Nicodemus was a spiritual leader of the Jewish people, a member of the ruling Sanhedrin and a Pharisee. When Nicodemus met Jesus, he said, "Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him." (John 3:2)
Most people who call themselves Christians, today, could make that statement. However, Mormons, Muslims, Jehovah's witnesses, Bahais and people of many other faiths could say the same thing. In fact, Jesus met two men in the country of the Gergesenes who were possessed by devils. "...they cried out, saying, "What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God?" (Matthew 8:29) Even the devils believed!
Jesus was not impressed by Nicodemus' confession. He replied, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." This was an incredible statement, and Nicodemus did not understand it. Many Christians and pastors in the modern church are still confused by it. The chances are also very good that you do not understand it either.
You were probably told that you had to believe in Jesus as the Son of God, receive Him as your Savior, say a sinner's prayer and you would be saved. This method of evangelism has seen hordes of people walking the aisles of churches but very few people who actually live as servants of the Lord Jesus. Some church leaders have estimated that as many as 80% of church members have not truly been saved. What is wrong?
The problem is that our preachers have placed the burden of salvation upon the works of the lost person. You must believe, you must receive Him, you must say a sinner's prayer. This is salvation by works and not by grace. If you could save yourself, you would not need a savior.
On the other hand, Jesus said that you must be born again. Let me ask you, "What did you have to do to be born the first time?" You made no decisions; you did not receive your parents; you did not pray to be born. God did it all. In fact He told Jeremiah, "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations." (Jeremiah 1:5) God has a plan for each of us before we are born, then He personally takes the initiative to form us in the womb, in His image, for his purposes and for His glory.
The problem is that sin has separated us from God. Romans 3:23 says that we have all sinned and fallen short of His glory. So, we need to be born again or be condemned to an eternity in hell when we are judged by Him. "Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is  flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit." (John 3:5-8)
In other words, the Spirit of God must work on you and change your nature from a sinful one to a righteous one. He must give you an understanding of God's word and a desire to serve Him. The Apostle Paul wrote, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God..." (2 Corinthians 5;17-18)
Have you been born again or did you only make a decision that you would receive Jesus as your Savior? How can you know? Ask yourself this, "Am I radically different from the way I was before or is my life basically the same?" Look at your life right now. Are all things of God, by God and for God? If you can answer, "Yes!" you have probably been born again and you know that you are in Christ.
But, what if you have not been born again? What can you do? If that concerns you, the chances are that the Holy Spirit is already working in your heart. Jesus said, "Seek and ye shall find." Pray about it and begin a diligent search to find God. Be ready to surrender everything, your life, your money, your family, your time to Jesus. When God gives you new life, you will know it beyond a shadow of a doubt. |
