Spiritual Conception

You Must be born again. John 3: 3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."

God gives the new birth. I Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

What is the process ? How can one receive the new birth ?

James 1: 18 In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures. James 1: 21 putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.

I. The new birth cannot occur without the seed of the word being planted in one’s heart.

Spiritual birth functions much like our gardens.

Many reject the seed from which salvation grows, God’s word.

Acts 13: 46 Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first; since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.”

I Corinthians 1: 18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

I Corinthians 1: 26 For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; 27 but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong,

Romans 1: 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Luke 12: 8-9 And I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man will confess him also before the angels of God; 9 but he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.

Nothing will grow until the seed is planted.

II. The seed which is the word of God must be allowed to germinate in one’s heart.

Seeds can’t grow in weeds.

James 1: 21 putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls I Peter 2: 1-2 Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, 2 like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,

“In humility receive the word implanted” The word must be implanted in one’s heart. “In humility receive the word implanted”

Mark 16: 15-16 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned."

Acts 24: 25 But as he was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, "Go away for the present, and when I find time I will summon you."

Acts 17:11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.

God seeks a heart-to-heart relationship with you. Romans 6: 17 But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed,

The seed does not always instantly sprout and grow. I Corinthians 3: 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth.

II Corinthians 5:11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest to God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences.

III. Once germinated the word requires maintenance to continue thriving.

Ephesians 2: 8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Romans 10: 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. James 1: 21 putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls

Hebrews 4: 2 indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard.

I Thessalonians 2: 13 For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.

Faith is dynamic; it grows and it can die. I Peter 2: 2 like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,

Acts 20: 32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

* Failure to love the truth is spiritually devastating. II Thessalonians 2: 10-12 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11 For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, 12 in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness. * Failure to love the truth is spiritually devastating.

I Corinthians 15: 1-2 – Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. Hebrews 3: 12 – Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God.

God brought you into His family through His word. James 1: 18 In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth,

God maintains us as healthy children through His word. I Timothy 4: 6 In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following.

allow His word into your heart and let it create faith. If you are not in Christ, allow His word into your heart and let it create faith.

We remember : He die to pay the penalty for sins we committed.

You are safe in God’s hands