Lesson 6   

#6 THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING BORN AGAIN (God's plan for getting to
Heaven)

Man is a three part being ... I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be
preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord (I Thes. 5:23).
Man was originally made in God's image ... "God said, Let us make man in
our image, after our likeness[.]"   "So God created man in his own image,"
(Gen. 1:26-27).   Man was originally a three part being like God (Trinity).
God warned Adam & Eve not to eat of the tree.   God said, The tree of the
knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest
thereof thou shalt surely die (Gen. 2:17).

Man disobeyed & died spiritually due to his sin ... (Afterwards Adam & Eve's
children and everyone else were born as sinners, spiritually dead and no longer in
God's image).   "Wherefore, as by one man [Adam] sin entered into the world, and
death by sin; and so [spiritual] death passed upon all men," (Rom. 5:12)
That is why Jesus said ... "Except a man be born again [spiritually], he cannot see
the kingdom of God [Heaven]" John 3:3.   We are born a two part being (just body &
soul) spiritually dead.   Illus.: In the same way we have all had a place and time when
we were born physically, we must have a time when we are born again spiritually.

We are not automatically Christians /Born Again /Converted /Saved.
Jesus said, Except ye be converted... ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven
(Matt. 18:3).
No one has "always been a Christian."   John 1:12 But as many as received him
[Christ], to them gave he power to become the sons [children] of God.
There is a "before and after."   Illus.: body building pictures.   The Bible is full of
examples of conversions (Zacchaeus, Matthew, Nicodemus, Pentecost converts,
Paul, prison guard, Cornelius, Rabbi Crispus, etc).
2 Cor. 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.   (Pivotal point of life).

The first step is to recognize our sinfulness ... Illus.: The Pharisee and tax
collector, Lu. 18:10)... Romans 3:10 says, As it is written, There is none righteous,
no, not one... Isaiah 64:6, But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our
righteousnesses are as filthy rags... Most people fail to see themselves as serious
sinners.   They feel they are a "good person."   They are comparing themselves to
others, instead of God's standard; the 10 Commandments.   Let us see how you rate
compared to the 10 Commandments.

#1 "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:3).   No one can claim they
have never put anything ahead of God (money, career, own self centered goals,
pleasure, sports, entertainment, sin, vice, a relationship with another, etc).   [man or woman]

#2 "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image [of God]," (Exodus 20:4)
Many have been guilty of inventing a god of their own imagination and liking... a
god who ‘suits them.’   People want a "god that overlooks sin and takes everyone to
heaven."   They have improvised and dreamed up a god of their own image.

#3 "Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD
will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain" (Exodus 20:7).   Re-read that
carefully.   God is keeping record of every time you have used His name as a curse
word and you will answer for it one day.

#4 "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy" (Exodus 20:8).   Have you always
honored the Lord's Day or been faithful in church attendance?   (Heb. 10:25)

#5 "Honour thy father and thy mother:" (Exodus 20:12).   Have you ever disrespected
or disobeyed your parents?   Have you ever argued with them or dishonored them?

#6 "Thou shalt not kill" (Exodus 20:13).   Although most people have never
committed murder, they are guilty of "murder of the heart."   Jesus clarifies this
commandment in Matthew 5:21-2; Whosoever shall kill, shall be in danger of the
judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother ... shall be
in danger of hell fire.   Have you ever been mad or bitter at someone?

#7 "Thou shalt not commit adultery" (Exodus 20:14).   While many have never
committed adultery, Jesus said, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you,
That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with
her already in his heart (Matt. 5:27-28).   Have you ever lusted after the opposite sex?
This is adultery of the heart according to Jesus.

#8 "Thou shalt not steal" (Exodus 20:15).   Who could claim they have never taken
anything that does not belong to them? ...something small or even the boss's time?

#9 "Thou shalt not bear false witness" (Exodus 20:16)   No one could honestly claim
they have never told a lie!   [man or woman, boy or girl]

#10 "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, ..." (Exodus 20:17).  
Have you ever desired anything you
did not have or did not need?   Have you ever been discontented or ungrateful?

Most people are guilty of breaking all 10 commandments!   Many places in the Bible
reveal that liars, adulterers, thieves, the covetous, etc will spend eternity in Hell!
(Rev. 21:8; I Cor. 6:9-10; Gal. 5:19-21).   How could you ever expect to get to Heaven
by "living a good life?"

Romans 3:10 "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:"
Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;"
Sin has a penalty ... Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death [Hell.]"

We cannot possibly get to Heaven by keeping the law, (10 Commandments)
The law was given by God to show us how much we need forgiveness by accepting
the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for our sins.   The Bible says, "the law was our
schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith" (Galatians
3:24).   We are condemned on our own, and need a Saviour!   Once we recognize this,
we are ‘qualified’ to be saved.   Jesus said, "the Son of man is come to seek and to
save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10).   We must see ourselves as lost.   This is the
key to being born again!

We must be willing to repent of whatever God condemns.   Jesus said, "Except ye
repent, ye shall all likewise perish" (Luke 13:3).   Peter said, "Repent ye therefore, and
be converted, that your sins may be blotted out," (Acts 3:19).   To repent means to
change your mind about your sin, and be willing to obey God (by following His
Word, the Bible).   Paul said, "We...preach unto you that ye should turn [repent] from
these vanities unto the living God," (Acts 14:15).   I Thess. 1:9 says, "ye turned to God
from idols to serve the living and true God;"   That includes turning from any false
religion that does not follow the Bible.

True conversion to Christ requires a willingness to take a stand for Him.
Salvation is simple, but it is not shallow.   It will cost you something to follow Christ.
It may be free, but it cost Christ His life.   When you really mean business and want
to be saved, you are deciding to walk the ‘narrow road.’   Jesus warned that your
friends and family may not understand.   He said, "a man's foes shall be they of his
own household" (Matt. 10:36).   He also said, "whosoever doth not bear his cross, and
come after me, cannot be my disciple.   [W]hosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all
that he hath, he cannot be my disciple" (Luke 14:27, 33).   We find a young ruler in
Luke 18 who was not willing to repent and make Christ the Lord of his life.   He
never got saved.   Jesus warns us that, "No man, having put his hand to the plough,
and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:62).
*Before the final lesson, please consider whether you are willing to turn from sin and
submit to God by trusting Him, and giving Him control of your whole life.

Go to Lesson #7