Becoming Born Again - What It Means - CONTINUED

BORN OF WATER AND OF THE SPIRIT
First let's focus on the water (the word of God). The word of God is the truth. It tells us the truth about every thing: about God, about ourselves, about the past, present, and future of man. The word of God is the seed of life - the God kind of life. It is the authentic mirror that gives us the true picture of ourselves as well as the map that shows us the way back to God.

It reveals to us our true condition and how to be free from the bondage of sin. In it is hidden the power (of God) that brings salvation (Romans 1:16). No one gets born again who ignores or disbelieves the word of God.

However, the word of God does not work in isolation and this is where the Spirit (of God) comes in. The word of God goes together with the Spirit of God in its working. Without the Spirit the word become  mere letters and we're told that '...the letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life' (2 Cor.3:6).
The Spirit activates the word to make it real to us and manifest its inherent power.

This is why those who depend on their mere human intellect to understand the Bible find it to be nothing more than another literature (or history) volume. They read it from Genesis to Revelation and even quote its verses but it has no impact on their lives. Yet this is the same word that transforms and revolutionizes lives. Millions in the world today testify to that. What makes the difference is the Spirit of God.

But before the Spirit works on an individual to produce the 'born again experience', that person must have opened his heart to the word of God. Believing the word of God wholeheartedly is the key. You are the one having the key to the door of your heart.
No wonder Jesus says: 'Behold I stand at the door and knock. If any man hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him...' (Rev. 3:20). The door He is talking about is your heart. He won't force His way in if you decide not to open. It is up to you

ILLUSTRATION
Let's consider the natural process of seed germination. Four things are essentially needed to produce a new plant life. These are:  a good seed, suitable soil, moisture and sunlight.
When a good seed is planted in a good soil with moisture and sunlight available, the seed readily germinates to give birth to a new plant life. In the case of being born again, the story is not different.

The soil refers to the heart of man, the word of God is the good seed (Lk 8:11) and the Spirit of God fulfils the role of moisture and sunlight (John 7:37-39). Whenever a man opens his heart and receives the good seed of God's word, the Spirit of God follows up the word and works on the individual.

The result is that a new life is produced in that individual.  He becomes born anew (born again). But this can never happen when a man shuts his heart to the word of God as there will be no opportunity for the life in the word to be revealed in him.
The Spirit of God does not hesitate but is always ready to reveal the truth of God’s word to any willing, believing and yielded heart. 

Click here to know HOW TO BE BORN AGAIN

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