The big question is: "HAVE YOU BEEN BORN AGAIN?" Not, "Have you joined a church?" or, "Are you trying to do your best?" or "Have you got religion?" but "Are you twice-born?" "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:33Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (John 3:3)).
The First Essential
Life begins with a birth. Physical life begins with a birth; spiritual life likewise begins with a birth. We become members of the human family by birth; we become members of the family of God by birth by being "BORN AGAIN." There is no way to get into the human family except by birth. There is no way to get into God's family except by new birth. Education will not do it. Reformation will not do it. Joining a church will not do it. Making up your mind to "do better" will not do it. Trying to do your best will not do it. "Turning over a new leaf" will not do it. What is needed is not a new "leaf," but a new "life." "Ye must be born again.”
A New Nature
By physical birth we become partakers of the human nature. By being born again we become "partakers of the Divine nature" (2 Peter 1:1414Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath showed me. (2 Peter 1:14)). A Christian is the product of a Divine "begetting." The second birth is not an improvement of the old nature; it is the imparting of a new nature—entirely new. The old nature is unimproved and un-improvable in God's sight; it is hopelessly corrupt and incapable of ever being made fit for His presence. The new birth requires a creative act of the Holy Spirit. "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature" (2 Cor. 5:1717Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)).
"Christ in You”
At the second birth the life of the Lord Jesus Christ begins in us. "Christ liveth in me" (Gal. 2:2020I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)). "Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you?" (2 Cor. 13:55Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? (2 Corinthians 13:5)); "Christ in you" (Col. 1:2727To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: (Colossians 1:27)); "I in you" (John 15:44Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. (John 15:4)). The unanimous testimony of the Word of God is that when one is born again the Lord Jesus Christ comes in and becomes the life of that one. "Christ—our life" (Col. 3:44When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:4)).
Christianity is Christ
Not "Trying"—But "Trusting”
"Trying to follow Christ" is not Christianity. Christianity is not imitation of Christ, it is the indwelling of Christ. Christianity is not trying to do anything, it is trusting Christ Who has done it all! He has finished the work and there is nothing left to do—simply receive and trust Him Who said, "It is finished!" He shed His precious blood on the cross and the work is all done once and forever! Cease trying and begin trusting!
How May I Be "Born Again"?
Simply "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31)). "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God" (1 John 5:11Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. (1 John 5:1)). "As many as received Him, to them gave He the right to become children of God, even to them that believe on His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:12-1312But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12‑13)).
You are born again, you become a Christian, by trusting a Person—receiving the Person of Christ. The very moment you do this the Lord Jesus Christ comes in, and life, His life, begins in you.
What Is Meant By "Believe"?
To "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ" means more than believing the historic facts concerning Him. Intellectual belief about Christ is not sufficient. "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble" (James 2:1919Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. (James 2:19))—but they are not saved! The belief that accompanies salvation must be "with the heart"—"For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness" (Rom. 10:1010For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:10)).
To thus believe upon and receive Christ means to rely on Him alone. It is not "Christ and the church" or "Christ and baptism," or "Christ and my faith." It is not "Christ and"—anything else! It is trusting Christ alone. It is to depend on Him, definitely and deliberately to receive Him. It means to trust Christ alone, so utterly and completely that if He should fail—there is nothing left!
How May I Know that I Am "Born Again"?
This is an important question. We know that we are born again on the testimony of God's Word. God says, "He that heareth my Word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life" (John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24)). Have you thus believed on the Lord Jesus Christ? If so, then you are saved, you are "born again," you have "passed from death unto life" —God says so! Take God at His Word, and go on your way rejoicing!