I. Being Born Again
A. John 3:1–8—Jesus here speaks of a specific personal experience—being born again—born anew, born from above, born of the Spirit. How can a person receive this experience?
B. John 1:11–13—Each person must receive Christ by faith as Savior and Lord. In this way a person is “born of God” and becomes “a child of God.”
C. 1 John 5:10–13—Every believer who has thus received Christ has the inner witness of God that he has eternal life. He no longer merely believes, he also knows.
D. Rom. 8:16—After this, the Holy Spirit continually bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.
E. Rev. 3:20—Jesus stands at the door of your heart seeking entrance. If you receive him, he will come in. You share with him what you have, and he in turn shares with you.
F. Rom. 6:23—Eternal life is offered only in Christ, and is received only by faith, as a free gift.
G. Eph. 3:17—By faith we receive Christ, and by faith we believe that he continues to dwell within us.
II. What Happens
A. Gal. 2:20—By the death of Christ on the cross our old life was put to death. Our new life now comes through Christ dwelling within us.
B. Phil. 4:13—Through Christ indwelling me, I am empowered to do all that God requires of me.
C. 1 Cor. 1:30—In Christ, received by faith, all our needs are fully supplied: He becomes our wisdom, our righteousness, our holiness, our complete redemption.
D. Rom. 8:10—When we receive Christ by faith as our new life, “the body” (i.e., the old rebellious nature inherited from Adam) dies—loses its power to control us.
E. John 10:10—The thief (devil) comes to steal all the good that God has provided for us; Christ comes to give life in all its fullness.
F. 2 Cor. 5:14–17—Christ died for us all, that he might redeem us from our old nature and make us a new creation.
