THE SECOND BIRTH

THE SECOND BIRTH

Introduction:

In the Garden of Eden Adam sold out to Satan and thus fell. Man lost the nature of God and received that of the devil. God cursed man and man was separated from his God i.e. died to God.

Since Then, every man was conceived and born in sin (Ps.51 Vs 5). The Lord Jesus Christ says that for man to be reconciled to God he must be born again (John 3 Vs 1-6). And those who are not born again will die again, a refusal of the second birth is an acceptance of the second death (Rev.2 Vs 11; 20 Vs 6). May the precious Lord strengthen you to make a right choice.

1. Categories of Man

There are three types of man: the natural man, the carnal man and the spiritual man.

1. a) The Natural Man

–           Read the following passages and deduce the state and the characteristics of a natural man. Ps.51 Vs 5, Rom.8 Vs 8, 1 Vs 18,19

–           Are there any good things about this man?

The natural man is not a sinner because he commits sin but rather, he sins because he is a sinner. His nature is sin and no matter how religious, moral or good can never please God.

1. b) The Carnal Man

–           Deduce the state and characteristics of a carnal man from these passages: I Cor.3 Vs 1-4; Rom.8 Vs 5-8,16,17; II Tim.3 Vs 5-8; 4 Vs 2-4.

–           State the differences between a natural man and a carnal man?

–           Can a natural man be carnal?

–           Can a carnal man be natural?

Carnality is a degree of aberration from spirituality. A natural man is ignorant of his awful end (Acts 17 Vs 30) but a carnal man is sinful but not ignorant. He only denies God of His rightful place in his life. He is worse than a natural man and is more irritating to God.

1. c) The Spiritual Man

–           Read the following passages and describe the spiritual man: John 1 Vs 12-13; II Cor.5 Vs 17; I Cor.6 Vs 16,17; Rom.12 Vs 1,2; John 3 Vs 16, Gal.3 Vs 13; John 3 Vs 3; II Cor.5 Vs 21; II Peter 1 Vs 4.

–           How does this second birth affects a man’s spirit, soul and body?

The second birth is a spiritual metamorphosis that translates a man from a natural sinful nature to a supernatural holy nature making him entirely new specie. It is the greatest miracle and the greatest act of forgiveness that can be.

2. The Fall-outs of sin

–           Sin has attracted two categories of curses on man namely:

1. a) The curse of the fall (Gen.3 Vs 16-19)
2. b) The curse of the law (Deut.28 Vs 15-68; Gal.3 Vs 13)

These curses have brought afflictions to man in five areas: Sickness (and diseases), Poverty, Fear, Restlessness and Death (SPFRD) i.e. Disobedience to God (sin) = SPFRD.

3. Benefits of the second birth

–           The second birth brings restoration to the spirit, soul and body of man what sin has taken away; i.e. it annuls the SPFRD and replaces them with: Holiness, divine health and healing, prosperity, love, peace with God and eternal (abundant) life (Acts 3 Vs 19). It makes you an heir of God (Rom.8 Vs 17)

–           Holiness, love, eternal life, and peace are free gifts from God, however, divine health and prosperity are based on principles.

1. a) Principles of Divine Health

–           Note that sickness is to the body whatever sin is to the spirit of man.

–           Read the following passages and discuss the principles of divine health (Ps 103 Vs 5; Rom.6 Vs 11; Mk.11 Vs 23,24; Prov.3 Vs 7,8; Isa.53 Vs 5; I Peter 2 Vs 24)

1. b) Principles of prosperity (Deut.28 Vs 1-14; Ecc.5 Vs 13)

–           Giving (Prov.3 Vs 9-10; Luke 6 Vs 38; Ecc.11 Vs 1; Prov. 11 Vs 24-28; 19 Vs 17).

–           Tithe (money, in kind, time) (Mal.3 Vs 8-12; Heb.7 Vs 5-10; II Chr.31 Vs 5).

–           Sowing (I Thes.4 Vs 11; II Thes.3 Vs 10; Gal.6 Vs 7-10; II Cor.9 Vs 6-12)

–           Offering (Mal.3 Vs 4,8; I Cor.16 Vs 1,2,3)

State the differences between all these?

4. Who and how to be born again?

–           Read John 6 Vs 35-38; Rom.10 Vs 8-13.

5. Assurance of the second birth

–           Holy Spirit’s baptism and witness (Rom.8 Vs 16,17; Eph.1 Vs 13,14)

–           Integrity and infallibility of the word (John 10 Vs 35; Isa.55 Vs 10,11; Mat.24 Vs 35)

–           The fruits you bear (Luke 3 Vs 8, Mat.7 Vs 16,20)

–           Are you born again? If yes how are you sure, if not then why? Read Num.32 Vs 23

Conclusion:

Nobody is too big, too wealthy, too educated, too beautiful, too poor, too low, too dull or too wise to be born again. It is the greatest equalizer and the best thing that can happen to you. Without it, you can never see God but that is what Christ came to die and rose up from the dead to obtain for you.