Born Again Experience

Apostolic Christian Fellowship

We preach the Apostles' doctrine. We point you to the writings of real Apostles. God's word is pure. It is precious. God's word also contains written detailed instructions about how we are to conduct ourselves in situations which arise in our lives, but how can we follow those instructions if they are missing? Why do I say missing, because many people preach a Gospel which does not include Acts 2:38. Others may preach about Acts 2:38, but they do not actually practice it.

Hebrews 12:14
Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

Still others think holiness doesn't matter, but the Bible (God's word) teaches it.

Titus 1:12 - 14
One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies. This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.

Still others preach myths, from the pulpit, and proudly say that their myth or man made commandment is in the Bible when it is NOT at all. Just like the early CHURCH which the Apostle Paul was talking about in his letter to Titus, needed correction, so does the CHURCH today need correction so that the saints will be sound in the faith.

Likewise many people think they are saved and are not. They have instead believed a commandment of men instead of the commandments of GOD. Want to know more? Keep reading below. Eternal life is worth having. Eternal life is worth obtaining. The Born again experience is a life changing experience.

Deuteronomy 6:4 & 5
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

Matthew 28:19
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

http://www.loveforthetruth.org/mp3/WhatMustIDo-CD.mp3
(audio may take a few moments to load)

Mark 12:29 & 30
And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

Mark 16:16 - 18
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

Want to know more? Right click on this link below and open this link in a new window or tab, then continue to scroll down on this web-site and read our FREE Bible study on this web-page.

http://youtu.be/D9zAlGO3_Rw

Acts 2:38
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to our free Bible study message entitled: “The Born Again Experience”. Our first audio link is from loveforthetruth.org. Our Bible study goes down to near the bottom, where you will find our phone number and e-mail address. We have local Acts 2:38 preaching: Apostolic Christian church fellowships located in Ontario, Canada and NY state which are affliated with us.

Thankyou for reading our FREE Bible study. For more information please feel free to contact us. We would be very happy to talk with you.

The Born Again Experience

by: Pastor Everett Hasper
(see the audio version at bottom of the page)

Hello:

I would like to welcome you to this message entitled: “The Born Again Experience”.  This message is available in audio format, plus we have also posted a written message which you can read online or print off on your printer for study at your convience. Some of the audio links will take a few moments to load so please be patient. You may even need to right click and hit open depending on what internet browser you are using. The audio links provided here come from 3 different web-sites. So again thankyou for being patient with our audio messages which we have posted on this web-site.

As you get ready to read this message out-loud, may I make a suggestion?

Many times people go to the Bible seeking scriptures that will support an Idea or belief or tradition they have. They often will ignore scriptures that do not lend that support and sometimes actually have a fear of receiving revelation since they might then feel compelled to believe and act on that truth which then puts them out of their comfort zone.

I would like to suggest that we go to the Bible today as a hungry child desiring to hear what God has to say and trust Him in receiving and applying what we hear in this message.

We read in Luke 12:32 (that) “...it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

So having said all that let us pray... Lord Jesus we ask you to help us understand your Word, may the very Spirit of Truth speak to us. Bless us as we seek to know you better and lead us in the paths of righteousness for your Name’s sake. In Jesus’ Name Amen.

Have you ever wondered: What it really means to be “Born Again”? In almost 30 yrs of ministry I have heard the term “Born Again” used so many times -- I’ve got to say that many times I’ve heard people say they are “Born Again” yet they really have not been Born Again according to The Bible. Once I taught a Bible Study to an extended family attended by children as young as 7 yrs old to the Grandmother in her 70’s. Once I gave them all slips of paper & asked if each would write down what it means to be Born Again and hand them in. Well, do you know that each on of them said something different? Some were only slightly different most were completely different – and none of them said what The Bible says!

Well then, how does one become a child of God? How does one become a member of God’s Kingdom? How does The Bible teach us to be properly Born Again?

Let us begin our discussion by noting that there are three scriptural reasons why we must be born again:

· Romans 3:23
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

· Isaiah 64:6
But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

· Romans 8:5 - 8
For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

Now let’s hear what Jesus said about the Born Again Experience:

John 3:1 - 7
There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 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.

John 3:5
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.

So we see there are 2 elements to the Born Again Experience – Water & Spirit:

We find the Apostle Peter proclaiming the Born Again Experience during the first sermon of the New Testament Church:

·
Acts 2:38 & 39
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

I used to teach a Bible study to an extended family. The youngest member was about seven years old up to the grandmother who was in her seventies. One night I gave them all a slip of paper and asked them write down what it means to be born again and then hand the papers into me. Well, when they passed them in, I found each one to be different and none of them were what the Bible says is the born again experience.

You see there are many different ideas of what the born again experience is. Some say just "believing in Jesus", or calling on the name of Jesus or confessing that "Jesus is Lord" or “accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord” is the Born Again Experience.

Well, that’s several different ways & NONE of them are the true BORN AGAIN EXPERIENCE that the Bible teaches, and we know there is ONLY one. There is only one plan of salvation.

Listen to this: (Eph 4:5) 1 Lord, 1 Faith 1 Baptism. There is only one God and he is the LORD. There is only one Lord, one faith, and one baptism. The Bible - God's word - makes it clear.

So how do we know which one is right? We can do that in part by seeing why each of these popular – unscriptural ideas about the BORN AGAIN EXPERIENCE is NOT the BORN AGAIN EXPERIENCE. We all need to be "BORN AGAIN" the Bible way (hearing sound doctrine), and none of us wants to find ourselves believing fables (unscriptural ideas and unbiblical teachings promoted by cult groups and so-called "churches" or other groups which come knocking on your door with their fancy literature or so-called FREE gifts or programmes to entice you to come to their "church" or event or so you will read their magazines and literature).

The truth needs no fancy introduction, nor does it need any fancy literature either. The truth does not need some special speaker to present it either.

http://youtu.be/HXi4yr4xh9s

As you are aware, we did not knock on your door or try to bribe you, nor did we deliver you any fancy literature either - just a simple flyer or 2 was delivered with the word of God (the scriptures) written on it and 2 web-site URL's where you could read and hear about the BORN AGAIN EXPERIENCE, and listen to audio and video messages too, and find out what the Apostle's doctrine really is, and why we are different. There is only one Gospel of Jesus Christ and it includes Acts 2:38.

You see there are many different ideas of what the born again experience is. Some say just "believing in Jesus", or calling on the name of Jesus or confessing that "Jesus is Lord" or “accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord” is the Born Again Experience.Well, that’s several different ways & NONE of them are the true BORN AGAIN EXPERIENCE that the Bible teaches, and we know there is ONLY one.

Listen to this: (Eph 4:5) ONE LORD, one faith, and one baptism.

So how do we know which one is right? We can do that in part by seeing why each of these popular – unscriptural ideas about the BORN AGAIN EXPERIENCE is NOT the BORN AGAIN EXPERIENCE. So with that now said. Let us continue with the Bible study.

The scripture says that there is only one LORD, one faith, and one baptism. There is only ONE - Born Again Experience. So they can NOT be all right. The Bible makes that very clear. So, how do we know which one is right? Here is an audio message (below) about the importance of sound doctrine and why you and I both need it. Sound doctrine is essential as fables abound these days and the Bible says that there is only ONE LORD, one faith, and one baptism (Ephesians 4:5). The Bible says we must do the will of God to enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus said the following:
Matthew 7:21
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

So not only is sound doctrine really important, but essential since we must do the will of God to enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Let’s keep in mind John 3:5.
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.

The BORN AGAIN EXPERIENCE must include WATER & SPIRIT.

Why being "born again" is not just believing:

· John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Please notice what else the Bible says about believing:

· James 2: l9
Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

The devils believe in Jesus, are they born again – will they see the Kingdom of Heaven? No!

Also remember John 3:5.
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.

Where’s the water & spirit here?

Being "Born Again" is not Just Confession:

· Romans 10:9
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Please note the example of the Ethiopian Eunuch. He confessed Christ but it was followed by his baptism and was a requirement for his baptism.

·
Acts 8:29 - 38
Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.

Being "Born Again" is not Just Calling on Jesus:

· Romans 10:13
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

But Jesus also said:

· Matthew 7:21
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

If we take Rom 10:13 out of context it causes what would seem to be a grave contradiction – what is the proper understanding of these verses?

Have you ever heard someone shout the name of Jesus Christ in a moment of anger? Did that save them?

Where or how do we properly call on the Name of the Lord in salvation?

Let’s hear what said in Acts 22:16.
And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

The time and place given by the scriptures to call on the name of Jesus Christ in regarding to salvation is in baptism to wash away our sins.

· 1st Peter 3:21
The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

Many say that we just “Accept Jesus as our savior” However, an honest and thorough study of the scriptures, will find that there is no scripture anywhere in the Bible which instructs one to simply "accept the Lord" as their personal savior.

Again remember, John 3:5 …Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

Where’s the water & Spirit here?

Now, there’s only one scripture that has anything even close to the idea of accepting Jesus as Savior (alone) and it is often mis-used is: John 1:12. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name”

When Jesus said to them He gave power – that word power as used here denotes ability. (example) If we welcome Jesus – receive Him & His teaching then we are to BECOME … Also we have previously noted in the case of the Ethiopian Eunuch what believing in the name of Jesus includes – Baptism!

So, we see that believing in, confessing and calling on Jesus and even accepting and receiving Him as the Lord of our life are all part of our faith but they are not how one is Born Again. These are NOT The Born Again Experience

These things are like ingredients in a cake: Flour, Sugar, and Flavoring. If I invite you to my home to enjoy some cake and give you a bowl of flour, what will you think? My wife Carolyn makes the best chocolate cake with a special creamy frosting. Now I know some her ingredients include: Flour, Sugar, Baking Soda, Salt, Cocoa, and Oil and some other ingredients along with some love that really tops it off.

If I invited you to my home for some of my chocolate cake and some milk, coffee, tea or whatever you like to drink and I gave you a bowl of flour – what would you think? Is that the cake you were expecting? How about a bowl of oil or a plate of salt?

You see, all the ingredients are very important to the cake but are not the cake by themselves.

Repentance, believing in, confessing and calling on Jesus and even accepting and receiving Him as the Lord of our life are all “ingredients” of our salvation but are not the whole thing.

So, just how does the Bible describe "Born Again"

· John 3:5
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.·

We see that there are two parts or elements that comprise the Born Again Experience: Water and Spirit.

This is also what was proclaimed by the Apostle Peter on the Day of Pentecost – the founding of the New Testament church as he delivers the 1^st sermon of the New Testament Church: Acts 2:14 - 40.

In verse 41 we see that "then they that gladly received his word were baptized". What word did they receive? Read on and you will see and read for yourself what was proclaimed by the Apostle Peter on the day of Pentecost.

· 14 ¶ But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
25 For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:
26 Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:
27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
28 Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.
29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool.
36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
37 ¶ Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.

41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

The first element of being born again is being born of the water.

This is immersion baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness (remission) of our sins. Contrary to popular denominational teaching, the New Testament teaches that water baptism is an essential element to man's salvation.

1st Peter 3:21
The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

Acts 22:16
And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

Baptism which is the birth of the water is marked by some defining characteristics

First: Baptism is by immersion or dunking/plunging one COMPLETELY BENEATH the water. This is EXACTLY the meaning of the Greek word from which “baptism is translated

· Romans 6:3 – 5 says:
“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

Second: Those being baptized must be old enough to Believe on the LORD Jesus Christ and to have the understanding that they have sinned requiring them to repent

· Mark 16:16
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

·
Acts 2:38
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

· http://www.loveforthetruth.org/mp3/Repentance-CD.mp3

Many teach the baptism of infants however; since the scriptures require that one must both believe and repent before they are baptized an infant can do neither therefore baptism of infants is not scriptural nor could it possibly fulfill the Born Again Experience

Third: Baptism MUST be performed using the Name of Jesus Christ spoken over the person being baptized

· Acts 4:12
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

· Colossians 3:17
And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

· Luke 24:47
And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Matthew 28:19 says:
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost”

Note some things the Bible says about the NAME of the Father Son, & Holy Ghost:

· Jesus prays to the Father and says in John 17:26:
And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them. The NAME of the father that was declared is Jesus.

· We know the NAME of the Son is Jesus as the angel told Joseph to not hesitate in taking Mary for wife “…she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” - Matthew 1:21.

The NAME of the Holy Ghost is revealed in John 14:26:
“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

So when one is baptized in Jesus name according to the words of Peter in Acts 2:38 “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins…” they are in COMPLETE agreement with the words of Jesus in Matthew 28:19 to baptize in the NAME of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost

Consider also: 1st John 2:23 which says:
“Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.”

Now it is plain that every baptism we see performed by the Apostles and disciples of Jesus Christ was performed in the Name of Jesus Christ:

· Acts 2:38
“Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins…”

· Acts 8:12
But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

· Acts 10:48
And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.

· Acts 19:5
When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

· Romans 6:4
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism…

So The first element of being born again is being born of the water by being baptized by immersion in The Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.

The second element of being born again is being born of the Spirit. Being born of the Spirit is described in the scriptures as receiving the Holy Ghost. The first indication that you have been filled with the Spirit of God is that you speak in other tongues as God's Spirit gives the inspiration.

· Isaiah 28:11
For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.

· Mark 16:17
And these signs shall follow them that believe; … they shall speak with new tongues;

· Acts 2:4
"And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."

· Acts 10:45 - 47
And all the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out upon the Gentiles also. For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered, "Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we {did,} can he?" (NAS)

How did the Jews who came with Peter know that these people had received the Holy Ghost? “For they heard them speak with tongues”

Here’s another angle on why speaking in unknown tongues is the sign of the Holy Spirit in filling or baptism:

· John 7:37 - 39
In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

On the day of Pentecost the followers of Jesus (including His mother) received the Holy Ghost and something flowed out of them - "And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." Acts 2:4. THIS is the living water The Lord spoke of!

To understand this even more let’s look at one of the types or symbolisms of water by comparing 2 scriptures from Revelation:

· Revelation 17:1
And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:

· Revelation 17:15
And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

SO, one of the symbolisms of water is tongues – or languages – Jesus said the Holy Ghost would be “rivers of living water”. When the Jesus followers were filled with the Holy Ghost we do NOT see LITERAL water flowing from them – but rather we see the speaking in other languages unknown to those speaking them!

Some people confuse the “Gift” of the Holy Ghost spoke of in Acts 2:38 with the one of Gifts of the Spirit that is speaking in tongues as found in 1st Corinthians 12:10. They will say “Oh, I’ve received the Holy Spirit but I don’t have the gift of tongues” But the Gift of the Holy Ghost comes WITH tongues – as the initial evidence that one has received it.

To ease this confusion please note that there are 2 different Greek words being used for the English “gift”. In Acts 2:38 the word gift comes from the Greek word: do-reh-a which “gift” as in a gift or present that is given to someone while in 1 Cor 12 where the gifts of the Spirit are discussed; that word gift is: char-is-mah which is spiritual endowment or miraculous faculty.

So, we are talking about 2 different words, 2 different things in Acts 2:38 the tongues come with the free gift of the Holy Ghost all are to receive while in 1st Corinthians chapter 12 the tongues are an ability which God gives to whom he pleases for particular purposes and at special times.

http://youtu.be/HXi4yr4xh9s

To further our understanding let’s consider faith. Hebrews 11:6 says: without faith it is impossible to please God –this is NOT the gift of faith we read about in 1 Cor 12:9. One faith is universal for all followers of Jesus Christ while the other faith is again “an ability which God gives to whom he pleases for particular purposes and at special times.”

Let us summarize what we have heard from the above audios, and studied about the Born Again Experience:

· Acts 2:38
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Jesus Christ CLEARLY stated in John 3:5 - 7
“…Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and 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. "Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'

Also, I’d like to ask: have you ever reached a point in your life where you thought, if only I could start over, I'd do things differently? Well I have good news for you - you can! Being Born Again as the Bible teaches gives one a clean & fresh start with their life and restores our innocence before God!

Have you truly been Born Again according to the requirement given by The Lord Jesus Christ in The Bible?

· 2nd Corinthians 6:2 (b) issues this challenge:
...behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

Thank you for reading. For more listen to this audio link: http://www.almcommunity.org/The%20Born-Again%20Experience.mp3

This message can be listened to on windows media player.

Here is a video message too for you:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i96TPLKgq8o

To experience being "Born Again" or for additional study material please contact:

607-661-5345

Email: thebae@gmail.com

It is my sincere desire that the very Spirit of Truth will continue to speak to you.

May God richly bless you.

Pastor Hasper

Real Christianity has the power to CHANGE YOUR LIFE!
Because REAL CHRISTIANS
have Jesus Christ the LORD - our great God and Saviour - in them!

Romans 8:9 - 11 :-
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. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

Sound doctrine is important and you need to be in a CHURCH fellowship which teaches sound doctrine - the Bible way. The phone number to contact our pastor is listed below. Thankyou and thankyou for visiting our web-site today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i96TPLKgq8o

http://www.sermonaudio.com/playpopup.asp?SID=6607171646

607-661-5345

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