➢ The new believer in Christ is pictured as a fully grown tree in the world that is miraculously born and transformed spiritually as a small shooting plant.
Scripture for reading: John 3:1 – 7
Anyone born again may be an adult, matured, or someone with some experience in life. This person may be fully grown in the natural but once the new birth takes effect he becomes a babe in the spirit as well as the things of God.
To be born again is different from our natural birth. The concept of being born again is a spiritual experience; the reason for it being the greatest miracle! We are born into a sinful world where we are further influenced by the people and things around us. We grow up in sin and live a sinful life throughout until the moment we surrender our sinful lives to God. No matter how grown and experienced we may be in the natural world, we become new to God and His family when we become born again.
Scripture for reading: Luke 15:8 -10
The angels in heaven rejoice because a new baby is born into God’s kingdom – The greatest miracle has happened in the life of a lost but precious soul. A spiritual transformation takes place where a condemned soul and corrupted spirit receives regeneration and salvation. A new dawn is here, a new beginning is set in motion and a new chapter is opened in the life of the new believer. A grown up miraculously becomes a baby; a fully grown tree suddenly becomes a small shooting plant!
➢ The spiritual transformation is caused by the Holy Spirit who gives birth to the new believer by confession and faith in God through Jesus Christ. The new believer at this moment is part of God’s family.
Scripture for reading: Romans 8:1, 2, 5 – 8; 2Corinthians 5:17
The Holy Spirit convicts sinners and draws them to the cross of Jesus where they are forgiven of their sins and regeneration takes place. The Holy Spirit was responsible for the miraculous virgin birth of Jesus Christ. He is also responsible for bringing the lost into God’s kingdom by a spiritual transformation process called new birth or being born again.
Scripture for reading: 1John 5:18 – 19; 1John 3:5, 6, 8, 9; Romans 10:10
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, so anyone who is born again by the Holy Spirit is truly born of God.The new birth experience happens by confession and faith in God through Jesus Christ. Anyone who repents and openly declares Jesus as Lord and Saviour, believing with the heart that God raised Him from dead is born again.
Once a person is born again, he/she becomes part of God’s family and kingdom on earth. As a new comer, new believer, and a baby Christian, it must be noted that the Holy Spirit lives in you. It is time at this moment to learn new things in your new family in order to grow stronger.
➢ As an undeveloped small shooting plant, the new believer must be nourished regularly with the following in order to grow strong and matured in the Lord; Prayer, Word, Obedience and Fellowship.
Spiritual nourishment is important in your walk with God. Just as you need food, water, and air to survive and grow strong so you need prayer, God’s word, obedience and fellowship regularly to be matured spiritually. Seedlings and underdeveloped plants need to be nursed and provided with required nourishment for growth.
➢ Lack of PRAYER, WORD, OBEDIENCE and FELLOWSHIP will cause the new believer to die spiritually.
When daily prayer, study of God’s written word, obedience to the Holy Spirit and regular fellowship with members of God’s family is neglected by the new believer, there is a high probability that spiritual death may be the consequence. As a new believer, you must not forget that the Holy Spirit dwells in you, and just as when you were not born again you lived a particular life style and indulged in some sinful activities; you cannot be idle but rather engage in spiritual activities which will enhance your new life style of godliness.
It must be remembered always that previously you were in the flesh and so you lived to gratify the lusts of the flesh but now you are in the spirit and must walk after the Holy Spirit. Formerly, you were dead spiritually because of sin but now that you are born again by God’s Spirit, you are alive in spiritually. Short of prayer, word, obedience and fellowship with God’s people will cause you to die spiritually thereby activating the desires of the flesh.
➢ Being yoked together with former things, past life styles, and entertaining unbelieving friends will cause the new believer to be choked to spiritual death and backslide.
The Bible reveals that anyone born again is a new creation. This means that all bad deeds done by the believer are washed away by the blood of Jesus – everything is new. As a result of this, we are not to go back to our former way of living. It is very clear that the friends we had before we became born again might sinners or unbelievers. Getting along with past friends who are not born again will negatively affect our new life in Christ. It is easier for us to backslide and walk away from the Lord if we entertain past friends and life styles.
➢ It must be noted that although the spirit of the new believer is born again, his emotions and human nature are not born again. The soul and the flesh will have to go through renewal through God’s word and being subjected to the Holy Spirit in order for maturity to occur.
Salvation is a process and progressive. Man is spirit, has a soul and lives in a body. When we are born again, our spirits receive life and transformation. The soul and body do not receive change. The soul of a man is made of his thoughts and emotions. It is expedient to at this time use God’s word and obedience to the Holy Spirit in renewing the mind to conform to the new life in Christ.
Maturity is not automatic – it needs work and constant effort. It is the same with a growing plant which needs watering, sunlight, and nutrients to be strong and matured.
If the new believer does not give to PRAYER, WORD, OBEDIENCE and FELLOWSHIP, the old evil nature will be strong, come alive, and take absolute control thereby killing the new nature of Christ. – Galatians 5:16 – 25
Stay in the liberty of Christ!