The New Birth

October 10, 2016

Devotions:

“But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able. And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.”  ‭Matthew‬ ‭20:22-23‬ ‭KJV‬‬

        Jesus is asking James and John these questions when their mother asked for a place of privilege. His answer about drinking the cup and being baptised as He was going to experience is referring to His death, burial and resserection.  He then said that they would but that He could not give them a place of privilege.  So here we see that water baptism is a picture of the reality of the new birth.  Through out the New Testament then when you see the word baptism, do not think water baptism unless it says water. This clears up a lot of isunderstanding about baptism. 

“Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.”  ‭Ezekiel‬ ‭36:25-27‬ ‭KJV‬‬

        Here Ezekiel prophesies about the same thing, the new birth as seen as being sprinkled with clean water and made clean.  This is what happened to you when you were born again, You were made clean from your filthiness.  You just have to be told that so you do not go around wallowing in the past filthiness. He gave us a new heart and a new spirit.  He took out our heart of stone that was unresponsive to Him and gave us a sensitive heart to His whispers.  He gave us His spirit that wants to do His will and walk in His ways. 

        This is the new birth. 

“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;”. ‭Titus‬ ‭3:5‬ ‭KJV‬‬