According to the Pastors and Priests, it’s something God does to you when you say a little prayer welcoming Him into your heart and “accept Christ as Lord” 

No that’s not what it is. They need it to be something quick and easy because you can’t preach with any authority about something they’ve never been through and none that I’ve met have been through it. I had one tell me he was born again at eleven years old. I expect that changed his life dramatically. 

The phrase “born again” comes from John 3. Here Christ is speaking with a man called Nicodemus, who is a Pharisee and a ruler of the jews, here’s the whole thing: 

3 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2 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. 3 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. 4 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? 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. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 

Nicodemus was a most holy man, a member of the Jewish Sanhedrin. Only those with the greatest knowledge of Scripture and the law were made members. They made the laws of the entire Jewish nation, Sanhedrin means Supreme Court. Being in the position he was in, Nicodemus would have kept all of the “works of the law”. He would have done everything that God instructed the Jews to do and more, since by this time the Jews had added hundreds more laws to the original  Commandments. 

The Priests and Pastors will say that Jesus is telling Nicodemus about a spiritual process that God carries out, that has nothing to do with the person it happens to. God does everything, always. If you try to do anything yourself, you are adding to what Christ did on the cross and are trying to earn your salvation. This is a sin, apparently. Is it though?  

In Philippians 2:12 Paul says work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 

The Priests and Pastors will twist and turn to try to find a way for that to mean something else, it’s probably symbolic or euphemistic. 

It means what it says. Jesus says to Nicodemus: You MUST be born again. Now if I were to tell you that you MUST be in church next Sunday morning, would it mean that I would be in church on Sunday morning for you? You must is an instruction, there is no other meaning to the phrase you must. 

If all that is required is for you to believe in Christ, why did Christ not tell Nicodemus to believe in Him. Why did He not simply say; Accept me as your Lord, I am the way, the truth and the life, believe in me and you shall have everlasting life?  

When Adam was in the Garden of Eden, just after he had eaten the fruit, God was calling out to him: 

Genesis 3:9 And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? 

10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. 

Something happened to Adam the moment he disobeyed God. Have you ever done something really wrong and been caught? Have you ever felt that shame? The shame we feel when everyone knows what we’ve done. Most of us felt it when we were children; perhaps we got caught stealing something, perhaps it was something else. That’s what Adam felt. Adam hid from God. God did not hide from Adam; Adam hid from God. 

We are all hiding from God and even though He is with us always, waiting for us to turn to Him, our sin keeps us from Him. 

No one has ever seen God the Father, except the Son. Jesus is God in the flesh, it was Jesus who Adam hid from in the Garden. The Father is the creator of all things, and his spirit gives us life. The Father is holy and pure and when Adam sinned, the Spirit left him, and he was separated from God. To understand this properly you will need to study the Epistles of Paul very closely, but I will say what I can. 

Adam became body, soul and spirit. While the Spirit of God was in him, the body had no power over him. The life of the body is in the blood (Leviticus 17:11-14), the Spirit of God is eternal. Without the Spirit of God, we live in the flesh and that’s why we die.  

Romans 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 

Now we get to the part where the Pastors and Priests tie themselves in knots: 

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 

Paul says: “We walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7) 

This is what they use to say we are under grace, not the law, but they take everything out of context. They have all achieved the no condemnation and walking after the Spirit simply by saying a little prayer and declaring out loud that Christ is their Lord. That’s not how it works I’m afraid and you need to ignore most of the Bible for this to be the case. 

None of them walks by faith, not one. All of them have prepared for every eventuality, every Pastor and Priest has their 401k, all of them are insured against every and any evil that might befall them. They live their lives looking after the wants and needs of the body, which they claim not to be in, walking as they do by faith and after the Spirit. 

Matthew 6:25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. 

By doing everything for themselves, they deny that God has any control in this world. They pray to a distant angry God, who hates evil and will destroy those who sin. They obey His rules from fear, they follow Him hoping for His protection and a restful, carefree, eternal life. They want what He can give them. 

They are irritable, petty people, who claim not to be under the law but who have endless rules that they and others must follow if they want their place in Heaven. You must do this; you mustn’t do that. You must be Baptised; you mustn’t listen to Pop music. They are the most confused people in this sad little world. Iwas listening to a Pastor preaching last night, he said that a fireman who runs into a building to save lives and put out the fire is not doing good. He really said that. He was quoting Isaiah: 

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

Again, they love to take things out of context, the very next line says: And there is none that calleth upon thy name. This does NOT mean that we are incapable of doing good. This was Isaiah talking to God about the behaviour of his people at a specific time in history, when men abandoned God and did what was right in their own eyes, but don’t let that stop you; Firemen are evil, what are they thinking? 

The message he was preaching is that we are incapable of doing good and we should not try to do good because this is adding to what Christ achieved on the cross. When we try to do good, we are apparently trying to earn way into heaven, and this is a slap in the face to Christ. These people are lost, this is not the Word of God. 

The well-known preachers have all written books, crowds flock to hear them and they spout nonsense to them and wonder why people have no interest in Christianity. I can’t speak with people about the Bible without them rolling their eyes and sighing, because they all know what the Bible says, and they have no interest in it. It’s because of these clowns and their “interpretations”. 

When you have a “Pastor” telling people that everything they do is evil, that their righteousness is filthy and counts for nothing, that trying to do good is an abomination to God, how are they going to act? They say that once you’re saved, you can’t lose your salvation. They say that if you sin, you will be forgiven. All they have to justify this claptrap is: 

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. 

God requires nothing from you, He has done it all. Say that Jesus is Lord and get on with what you were doing. Bring your money to church on Sunday, say your prayers, do not try to do anything good. 

If that is the case, what did Christ mean when He said: 

Luke 14:27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? 29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, 30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. 

Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 

Oh, there’s a price to pay is there? There is a big price to pay and it’s not something to commit to without deep consideration. If accepting Christ as Lord is all you need, heaven will be full of drug addicts, drunks, prostitutes, wife beaters etc. Many of those types have “accepted Jesus” and said the prayer. Do you suppose that addiction is magically cured in heaven? No, it isn’t. 

Luke 16: 19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, 21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; 23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. 25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. 27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: 28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. 29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. 

You don’t lose your memories, you don’t lose your desires, you still have eyes, a mouth, a tongue and fingers. You still suffer; if you need drugs here, you’ll need them there too. Notice too that the rich man recognised Abraham, he knew scripture, he thought he was a good man. 

To be born again is to receive the Spirit of God again. 

2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. 

We can do good and we must do good. It isn’t possible to receive the Spirit of God while you are sinning. It is not possible to receive the Spirit of God even while you are irritated. This is why we are told: 

Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. 

Be still. 

When you reach a point in your life when you realise that despite your best efforts, everything is wrong, then you can be born again. When you realise that the world is an awful place and that people are evil, then you can be born again. When you realise what you are, how evil the things you have done are, then you can be born again. When you have lost faith in everyone and everything, when you hate the world and everything in it and you ask God for help, then you will be Born Again. 

Everything you have will be taken from you. Everyone you know or have known will desert you. Everything you try to do will come to nothing and you will genuinely be humbled. Then you will be shown what good, and evil are, and you will know how evil you have been. Then you will be given proof that God is with you, and you will trust Him, or you won’t. If you place your trust in Him, you will for the first time; feel the Holy Spirit. 

Only then can you really begin to repent. Most of us go through life thinking we are good, or mostly good. That isn’t the case but I’m not going to start preaching. Once you realise what evil is, then you can start to turn from it. It is a long process, and it costs you everything. You are a new creature, all the old habits go, all of them. 

Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ 

He will complete the work, but you must repent, turn away from evil. You must stop smoking, you must stop drinking, you must stop lusting. That can’t be done for you. It is easy to do once you decide but YOU MUST decide. YOU MUST be born again. 

1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 

There is no rule that you can try to follow to gain eternal life because you can only have eternal life if the Spirit of God dwells within you and the Spirit of God can’t dwell where evil lives. The body you live in will destroy itself if it’s not controlled. No matter how much you give it, it always wants more. More food, more drugs, more alcohol. Its thirst is unquenchable. This is what Romans 8:6 means; For to be carnally minded is death. Eternal life only comes from the Holy Spirit, that’s what the rest of Romans 8:6 means: but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 

When you stop sinning and the Holy Spirit can dwell in you, you are not able to sin. If you do sin, the Holy Spirit will leave. This is what walking according to the Spirit means and that is why you are not under the law if you walk according to the Spirit. It doesn’t mean you can sin all you like, and God will forgive you, because you’re trying hard. 

This is what Paul means: 

Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.  

So, when you see the rich Pastors in their expensive suits, driving their flash cars and telling you that your good deeds are evil, turn away from them.  

1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 

The lust of the flesh should be obvious, eating too much, drinking too much, chasing sex etc. The lust of the eyes; wanting everything you see, cars, houses, expensive suits, a big house. The pride of life, an exalted status, men knowing your name, a seat at the head of the table. 

When your eyes have been opened and you know where these things lead, you won’t feel as though you’re giving up the best things in life, as many do. You’ll see them for what they are, and you won’t want them, you’ll despise them. 

1 John 2:4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 

Revelation 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. 

Matthew 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen.