Msg #1524 Got A Spiritual Birth Day?
What The Bible Says
Good Samaritan’s Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice
Being born again involves a second birth. It is a spiritual birth, but Jesus parallels it to our physical birth because we can understand that. In a SBC I met a deacon who “never had a head-on collision with God, he just believed a little, and over the 20 years of involvement in Church, he eventually came to believe it all.” Jesus was clear, “Except ye be converted… ye cannot enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt18:3). Conversion is, “Repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21). And Jesus was emphatic, “I tell you, nay: but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3,5). I have known women who spent 20 hours in labor before a birth, but a birth, spiritual or physical, cannot take 20 years! A physical birth is relatively instantaneous and you have a birth DAY. Your spiritual birth day is even more instantaneous. Our “Conversion” initiates three instantaneous things, 1) Quickening, 2) Indwelling, and 3) Immersion into Christ (transliterated from Greek as baptized but here requiring NO water.) These three, accomplished in a soul bring about “Justification” (Gal 2:16, 3:24). The day before you get saved, you are headed for a well deserved eternal hell. Jesus calls it your second death. (Rev 2:11, 20:6,14, 21:8) The day after your spiritual birth you are headed for an undeserved eternal life, and there will never be a second death. In Haiti we worshiped with many who had no idea when they were born, just the same they knew they were. I don’t know the date for my spiritual birth, but I know the day. If you don’t have a spiritual birthday, if you never had a head-on collision with God, if repentance toward God is foreign to you, be afraid (Phil 2:12).
An Essay for week #24 Jun 14, 15
Msg in audio at www.GSBaptistChurch.com/audio/gs150614.mp3
In blog http://www.theology.gsbaptistchurch.com
In paperback at www.lulu.com/spotlight/GSBaptistChurch
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