"You must be Born Again"

The ministry and artwork...

...of LaRoyce Jones

Ephesians 2:13> But now in Christ Jesus ye sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

Mark 14:24> And (Jesus) said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many.

John 6:53-57> Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.

As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.

Romans 5:8,9> But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

Ephesians 1:7> In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgivness of sins, according to the riches of his grace

Colossians 1:20> And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

Hebrews 9:12> Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

Hebrews 13:11,12> For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp, Wherfore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.

Revelation 7:14>...These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb.

Hebrews 9: 11-18> But Christ being come an high preist of the good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;

Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:

How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might recieve the promise of eternal inheritance.

For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.

For a testament is of no force while the testator liveth.

Wherupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.

The ministry and artwork...

of LaRoyce Jones

"Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" Acts 16:30

AN HONEST QUESTION....

"Sirs, what must I do to be saved? (Acts 16:30)

We are going to look at the answer to this question as found in the Word of God.

First we must ask, why do I need to be saved?

Proverbs 20:9 Who can say ,I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?

SALVATION COMES ONLY THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST.......

Ephiesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.

John 14:6 I am the way , and the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Jesus also said that we must belive that he is God manifested in the flesh as our saviour.

John 8:24 ...for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. Here the King James translators added the word "he" for the flow of english. Jesus was equating himself to the "I AM" of the old testiment!

WHY IS RELIANCE ON CHRIST NECESSARY...

Hebrews 9:22 ....and without the shedding of blood is no remisson.(of sin)

Colossians 1:19-22 ...and haveing made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself;.....

Hebrews 10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sin.

Hebrews 10:10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all.

WHAT IS SALVATION?.....

Salvation from the biblical standpoint means deliverance from the effects and power of sin.

Psalms 62:1,2> Truly My soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation;...

Isaiah 52:10> The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

Psalms 18:2> The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;my God, my strengh, in whom I trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

Luke 1:67-69> And...Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophisied, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, and hath raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David.

So now the question comes to us: How can we be saved from sin in this life?

THE LORD'S STATEMENT TO NICODEMUS

John 3:1-21 (3)...Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.(5)...Except a man be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

(16) ...that whosoever believeth( trusts in, clings to, relies on) in him shoud not perish, but have everlasting life.

(18)...but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Jesus was pointing to a new age in which every person who wished to enter into God's kingdom would have to be born of the water and the Spirit, and therefore be born again.

THE KINGDOM OF GOD

How does the Kingdom of God relate to salvation?

When we look closely, we find that the kingdom of God has both present and future aspects, just as salvation does.

Mark 1:14-15 ....Jesus came...preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God...saying...the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

Luke 17:20-21 ....the kingdom of God is whithin you.

And after the Holy Ghost was given.....

Romans 14: 17 For the kingdom of God is not meat or drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

Ephesians 1:13-14 ....ye heard...the gospel of your salvation:..ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

Galations 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

Hebrews 6:4-5 .....made partakers of the Holy Ghost...and the powers of the world to come....

THE KINGDOM OF GOD COMMING PHYSICALY TO EARTH!

Rev 20:4-6 ....and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

Rev 11:15 The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever!

Rev 11:15 The Lord God omnipotent reigneth!

Rev 19 :16; 22:1-3 KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS!

CONNECTION BETWEEN SALVATION AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD.....

Applying Christ's words in John 3 to the concept of the kingdom of God, we find that one must be born again to partake of its temporary, present manifestation or its eternal manifestation.

No one can have the spiritual reign of God in his or her life until they are born of water and the Spirit.

A person will not find true joy, peace, and righteousness in the Spirit until they are born of water and Spirit, and futhermore, no one in this present age can enter into God's eternal kingdom- the new heaven and the new earth -unless they are born of water and Spirit.

So the question of "How can I be saved?" has the same answer as the question, "How can I enter the kingdon of God?"

Jesus himself answered, "You must be born again of water and the Spirit."

PETER'S ANSWER ON THE DAY OF PENTICOST...

In Acts 1 Jesus gave last minute instructions to His desciples to go to Jerusalem and wait for the promise of the Father, namely the baptism of the Holy Ghost.

After the power fell from on high, (Acts 2:2) many people in the city gathered to see what the supernatural sound was as the desciples spilled out on the street (Acts 2:6).

To they're suprise, they heard foreign languages being spoken by those that just recieved the Holy Ghost! Peter then stood up in the midst of them and preached the body of Christ's first sermon!(Acts 2:14)

First he told them what it was that drew them near, and why they heard they're own languages respectively, that in the last days that God would pour out his Spirit on all flesh, (Acts 2:17)

(Being Jews, most likley, they were familer with this prophecy in Joel 2:28)

Then Peter preached them Jesus!(Acts 2:22-36)

After the men heard these things, they were convicted of they're sin of what some of them had done to Jesus.( If you will note, in verse 36, that Peter addresed them, i'e the crowd, and said "that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified,")

Then they asked Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren what shall we do?"(Acts 2:37)

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 recieve 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"

This stament is as true today as it was 2000 years ago,

We must be "born again of the water and the Spirit"

Isaiah 64:6 .....and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags....

1 Kings 8:46 There is no man that sinneth not.

Romans 2:12-16 For as many as have sinned without the law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;.....

Romans 3:10 ....There is none righteous, no, not one:

Romans 3:19 ....and all the world may become guilty before God.

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

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death...

James 1:15 ...and sin,when it is finished, bringeth forth death!

i feel pretty dirty, how bout you?

From the Bible, it is apparent that savation has past, present, and future aspects.

We can say that we were saved in our past at a specific point in time,

Titus 3:5 "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us"

We can also say that we are saved, because we presently enjoy forgiveness of sins, have the power to live for God, and have freedom from the power and effects of sin.

Ephesians 2:5 "By grace ye are saved "Not only did His death purchase past salvation from sin, but His life provides present victory over sin through His Spirit that dwells in us.

Galatians 4:6 ...God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

Salvation is also still future, for we have not yet recived final and complete deliverance from all the curse of sin.

Romans 8:23 ....but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

At that time we will no longer be subject to sickness, pain, the temptation of sin, or the possibility of death!

1 Corinthians 15:51-57 ......O death, where is thy sting, O grave, where is thy victory?

This is called glorification.....

Romans 8:30 .....them he also called....them he also glorified.

This will occur when Chist comes back for His church.

1 Thesssalonians 4:14-17 .....Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so we shall ever be with the Lord.

Thus the Bible speaks of salvation as a future event:

Acts 15: 11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved.

Romans 13: 11 for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.

These three tenses, past, present, and future salvation are closely related....

Future salvation will only come to those who have experianced past and present salvation.

We can forfit our future salvation if we return volintarily to a life of sin and unbelief.

Many scriptural passages emphasise this truth.

Jesus taught that it is absolutely nessasary that we abide in Him and keep His commandments, John 15:1-14.

Matthew 10:22 He that endures to the end shall be saved.

Romans 1:16-17 ......The just shall live by faith.

Phillipians 2:12 Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

1 Timothy 4:16 Take heed unto thy self, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

ROMANS 11:22 ......if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou shalt be cut off.

1 COR 15:12 .......ye are saved, if you keep in memory....unless ye have believed in vain.

REV 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life....

Other passages which teach that we can lose our salvation through unbelief and disobedience:

GALATIANS 5:4; 1 TIMOTHY 5:12; HEBREWS 12:14-15;

JAMES 5:19-20; 2 PETER 1:10; 2:1; 2:20-21.

We have not yet recived all the eternal benefits of salvation, and therefore our future salvation is still a hope.

ROMANS 8:24-25 For we are saved by hope....we with patience wait for it.

1 THESS 5:8-9 .....the hope of salvation....to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

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