Let’s read John 3:5-7, “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.” These words are spoken by the Lord Jesus to Nicodemus, the one who came to the Lord by night. The Lord had spoken to him concerning being born again in verse 3. This thought confused Nicodemus who said in verse 4, “How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?” The Lord addressed the absurdity of this question by replying that one who is born into this world is of the flesh. He is fleshly and worldly. Nothing can change that.

This shows the necessity of a new birth, being born again. We read in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” When we accept Christ as our savior, not only are we forgiven for all our sins, we become children of God. WE START ALL OVER AGAIN. Being saved is not the flesh being made better. No, it is becoming a brand new person in Christ. We have this important question from Job 14:4, “Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.” The flesh cannot become improved and be acceptable before God. THERE HAS TO BE A SPIRITUAL BIRTH. Titus 3:5-6 says, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour.” In our flesh, we cannot please or appease God.

Let’s consider the truth of Romans 8:8-10, “So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.” Are you still in the flesh or have you, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, been made brand new and are now “in the spirit”? The Lord did not make a suggestion to Nicodemus, He gave him a directive that must be obeyed. He said in John 3:7, “Ye must be born again.” Have you obeyed Christ and accepted Him as your savior, or are you still living in disobedience to Him?” (236.4)