Born of God

Pastor Dan, The Pastor / Teacher at Calvary Bible Church where I am a member is teaching through the Gospel of John.  If he holds true to form it'll take him about 5 years to finish.  Not raggin' on my Pastor at all. I'm just sayin'.  If past experience is a good indicator of future behavior five years sounds about right.  He recently preached through I Corinthians and it was life changing for so many of us.  I'll never forget his teaching through I Corinthians and what biblical love really looks like.  It was quite convicting.  I'd tell you more but I have to look at my notes.  By the time we finished Chapter 15 it was a couple of months after the passage on biblical love!  Anyway, back to the Gospel of John. (You got to love expository teaching).

Pastor Dan said there are three ways not to become a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ based on John 1: 12-13.  The first is that salvation is not by blood birth.  The second is that salvation is not by the will of the flesh.  The third way we don't become a believer is by the will of man.  People can't "white knuckle" belief in the Savior.  Rather John the Apostle's favorite term is "born of God." It's found in I John 3: 9; 4:7; 5:1; 5:4 and 5:18.  The sinner is saved only by God's sovereign grace.  He alone can change the heart of stone into a heart of flesh.  We can't do anything to make God elect us.  However, as Pastor explained, we can place ourselves under the means of grace.  We can pray, read His Word, be discipled, and ask the Lord to save us.  If we ask, seek and knock God will hear you and open up to you.  He is not one to hide. He longs to save people from their sin. He delights to give new hearts for old.