John 3:7Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’

 

Many people believe because they are born into a Christian family, they are born a Christian. Others believe because they were born in a Christian country (like America) they are born a Christian by default. Still, others believe their faithful church attendance makes them a Christian. All these beliefs are false and these people are spiritually lost, dying, and headed for eternity in Hell.

 

In the Third Chapter of John, we read the story of Jesus’ ministry to Nicodemus who was a Pharisee; a very religious man. In fact, he was a teacher of the Pharisees and yet Jesus told him he was not saved. How can a person who teaches others about God not be saved? How can someone who goes to church every week not be saved? How can a person who is born into a pious Christian family not be saved? How can someone who was baptized as a baby not be saved?

 

The following is a part of Franklin Graham’s (the son of Billy Graham) testimony which you can find on his website: Being born the son of Billy Graham didn’t make me a Christian. Neither did being raised in a strong church, nor the prayers of my grandparents, nor memorizing Scripture, nor the good deeds I tried to do.

 

I knew all about Jesus, but I was reluctant to surrender my life to Him. Then on my 22nd birthday, my father challenged me with the same message that he preached to millions around the world: “Franklin, your mother and I sense there’s a struggle going on in your life,” he said. “You are going to have to make a choice either to accept Christ or reject Him.”

 

I wrestled with that choice for a few weeks. Then one night in Jerusalem, of all places—where I was helping a friend of my father lead a tour of the Middle East—I went to my room early and read the third chapter of the Gospel of John. I knew I needed to get right with God. I kept coming back to what Jesus told Nicodemus in the seventh verse: “You must be born again.”

 

I knelt beside my bed, confessed and repented of my sins, asked God to forgive me, and finally trusted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Only then did I become a Christian—when I was born again through the life-giving work of the Holy Spirit.

 

Salvation is a personal experience. No one is saved in a group. God created us individually, knows us individually, and saves us individually. Your salvation is between you and God; no one else is involved. Like Franklin Graham, at some point, we must come to the decision to accept Christ or reject Him. To accept Him is to be born again. If one is not born again, they are lost. Jesus said, You must be born again.

 

You must be born again! This is what will……..turn the tide

 

I pray you understand this,            Doreen

 

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