What Does it Mean to be Be Born of the Spirit?

-

 Text: Ezek. 36:26; Luk. 8:15

" 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."

"But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by perserving produce a crop."


I. The Need for a New Heart (Ezek. 36:26)

  A. Its necessity (Psa. 51:10)

     1. The cleansing of the heart by God. (v. 10)

       a. Psa. 24:4: "Clean hands and a pure heart."

       b. Matt. 5:8: "The pure in heart."

       c. Ac. 15:9: "Purified their hearts by faith."

    2. The renewal of the spirit (Jn. 3:6; Tit. 3:5)

      a.  For the spirit to be renewed by God is through the washing of water by the Word. (v. 6)

      b. The spirit is renewed by the regenerating power and work of the Holy Spirit. (Tit. 3:5)

 B. The work of the Holy Spirit (2 Cor. 3:3; Tit. 3:5)

    1. The improbability of the heart cannot be changed by rules and regulations.

      a. The law cannot change people's sinful heart.

      b. Living by dietary laws and asceticism encourages people to indulge in such sinful flesh. (Col. 2:

          24-26)

    2. The contrast between the heart of stone and the heart of flesh. (2 Cor. 3:3b)

      a. The heart of stone is the cold and callousness of a person's heart.

       1) The heart's insensitivity.

       2) The indifference of the heart.

      b. The heart of flesh is the result of the Holy Spirit changing a person's own heart.

        1) Jn. 3:6.

        2) Tit. 3:5.

II. The Impartation of a New Spirit (Ezek. 36:26)

    A. The work of the Spirit of God (v. 26)

       1. The Holy Spirit is the Agent by which a person's heart have been changed by God.

         a) Jn. 3:6.

         b) Tit. 3:5.

       2. The spirit of the new birth is proof that a person have been regenerated and renewed by the

           Holy Spirit. (Ezek. 36:26; Jn. 3:6; Tit. 3:5)

    B. The renewal of the heart (Psa. 51:10)

       1. The purity of the heart of God (v. 10)

       2. The renewal of the heart by the Spirit (Tit. 3:5)

III. The Analysis of a Stony Heart and the Heart of Flesh (Ezek. 36:26)

    A. Its diagnosis (Jer. 17:9; Luk. 8:15)

       1. Stony heart (Ezek. 36:26)

         a) Callousness.

         b) Indifference.

      2. Heart of flesh (v. 26)

        a) Changed and renewed by God (Tit. 3:5)

        b) Receptive to spiritual truth (Luk. 8:15)

        c) Produce such spiritual fruit (Luk. 8:15; 2 Pet. 3:18)

  B. Its difference (v. 26; 2 Cor. 3:3)

     1.  A person with a "stony" heart are those whose heart are hardened.

       a) Sin and rebellion. (Prov. 29:1)

       b) Avoid the truth. (Jn. 18:32)

     2. A person with a heart of flesh are those whose heart have been changed by God. (Jn. 3:6;

         Tit. 3:5)

       a) Receptive to the truth (Ac. 17:11)

       b) Bear spiritual truth. (Luk. 8:15)


Conclusion


Rev. Darryl L. Miller is the president & Chairman of "Darryl Miller International Ministries" in Atlanta, Georgia and travels extensively throughout the United and the continents. Darryl is also the Host of "Darryl Unplugged Podcast" which airs 24/7 @ www.spreaker.com/user/bishopoflyons. He is the bestselling author of his book, "The Prosperity Gospel: Where Did It Come From? Gnostic Source? Or Spiritual Revelation?" As a pastor, apologist, conference speaker, and lecturer he is in great demand both in the United States and around the world. Darryl lives with his wife Vivian outside metro Atlanta with their puppy "Little Baby."

      

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

New Thought and the Word of Faith Movement

-
It is very much important to know church history! There are some within the professing church today who believe that knowing the history of the church is not that important, but, to rely upon God's Word alone.  Those who believe that there is no need for the study of church history fail to understand that the Bible is a historical Book by which it records the history of the Bible, historical narratives and characters of the Bible.  It is also very much important to know Church history is light of its own history, that of the Bible, and those who made significant contributions to that of the Church today. There is the history of the church by which Church have succeeded in the propagation of the Gospel and missiology and the circulation of false doctrine and heresies that sought to destroy the faith and life of the Church today. What the contemporary church is experiencing during this 21st century is what happened in the past by which it is the responsibility of the leadershi...
Read more

The Danger of Authoritarianism

-
 The Danger of Authoritarianism Text: 1 Sam. 8:11-17 Preface Acknowledgement Introduction I. God's Mouthpiece   A. Samuel a messenger of God.    1. Sent by God. (1 Sam. 8:7)    2. The true message by which to give the people.      a) The "revelation" by which to give to God's servant.      b) The message by which to give to God's people.  B. The propositions of God's message. (1 Sam. 8:11-17)    1. Warnings concerning the character of the king. (vv. 9, 11)      a) Mean-spirited and indifference.      b) The captivity of the people. (vv. 1, 13, 16, 17)      c) Crops and livestock. (vv. 14, 15, 17)    2. The taskmaster of the king. (v. 12)      a) Over worked and hard labor of the people. (vv. 12-17b)      b) Skill labor and wages. (vv. 13, 16) II. The Ruthless of a Dictator. (1 Sam. 8:12, 16-17)   A. Extreme work-"to plow his...
Read more

What is New Thought Metaphysics?

-
There is a necessity to define what is New Thought metaphysics!  It is also important to know how "New Thought" metaphysics is associated with contemporary African American "Word of Faith" religion in light of New Thought historical background (1 Tim. 6:20).  There are millions of people today especially within that of the church who are unaware of the influence of New Thought within the corridors of many evangelical churches and its own leadership today (2 Tim. 2:17, 18). I find it quite disheartened and appalling that people today are not interested in sound biblical doctrine but are so preoccupied with fads and trends of today.  Trends only appears for a moment but then there are other trends that substitute many of the culture trends of today (Col. 2:4, 6, 8).  The influence of New Thought has in fact greatly influence that of the Church today by which it is a cosmetic Christianity that does not reflect that of true biblical C...
Read more