I. The Need To Be Born Again

A. Christ’s words to Nicodemus

1. John 3:3

2. Nicodemus does not understand — John 3:4

3. Christ makes the difference between the flesh and the Spirit — John 3:5, 6, 7

B. The Loss of a Spiritual nature

1. God made mankind to be able to communicate with Him.

2. God is Spirit. John 4:24

3. When God created man He gave him a Spiritual as well as a fleshly nature.

a. Indications of a Spiritual nature.

b. Genesis 1:27

4. Eating of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil would bring about death — Genesis 2:17

5. The Spiritual nature of man died that day — Romans 7:24.

II. How To Be Born Again

A. John 3:3

B. By the word of God.

1. Having been born again through the Word of God, which lives and abides forever — 1 Peter 1:23.

2. Have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises — 2 Peter 1:4

3. "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My Word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life." — John 5:24.

C. By Belief. Acts 16:30, 31

D. By Faith.

1. Luke 7:37-50

2. Did not say your faith WILL save you, but your faith HAS saved you.

E. By Accepting Christ. 1 John 5:11-13

III. The Two Natures

A. The new nature

1. New person in Christ Jesus.

a. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." — 2 Corinthians 5:17.

b. That you put off, concerning your former conduct — Ephesians 4:22-24.

2. New nature cannot sin

a. Whoever has been born of God does not sin — 1 John 3:9

b. We know that whoever is born of God does not sin — 1 John 5:18.

3. The new nature is only babe — Hebrews 5:13

B. The Old Nature

1. Born with the old nature or old man of sin — Romans 7:14.

2. Old nature is full grown — Ephesians 4:22.

3. The sinful nature will hold dominion over us. Romans 7:17, 18.

IV. Growth and Death of the Two Natures — Romans 6:6

A. How the new nature grows.

1. Food — Scripture - 1 Peter 2:2; Psalm 119:11, 105

2. Breath — Prayer is the breath of the soul.

3. Exercise — Romans 10:9, 10.

4. By beholding we become changed.

a. 2 Corinthians 3:18.

b. Story of the dog who had her legs cut off.

B. The struggle between the two natures.

1. The old man does not like the baby — Galatians 4:29.

2. The two natures war against each other — Galatians 5:16, 17.

3. Do not concentrate on your sins.

a. 2 Corinthians 4:16.

b. Story of the man who said he could make gold.

C. It is a fight of faith.

1. Not by humans strength — Romans 8:10.

2. Reach out and take hold by faith.

a. "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses" — 1 Timothy 6:12.

b. "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith" — 1 John 5:4.

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