THE NEW BIRTH IS SPIRITUAL AND A PRESENT REALITY Pastor Art Watkins of Coden Bible Church (Coden, Alabama) November 4, 2017 Some of the cults would have us to believe that the New Birth is physical and future. The Bible proves them wrong. It is spiritual and a present reality. Read for yourself. ****First, the new birth is spiritual not physical. Jesus said in John 3:6: That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. This verse tells you exactly what the new birth is. It is your spirit small “s” being born and begotten by God’s Spirit capital “S”. It is the same as the regeneration of the Spirit in Titus 3:5 and the quickening of the Spirit in Ephesians 2:1. ****Second, the new birth is not a future event but a present reality. Jesus said that unless you are born again you cannot enter into the kingdom of God. This is why every New Testament believer was born again PRESENT TENSE. ****Notice the tense of the new birth in these verses. 1 Peter 1:3: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again (past tense) unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 1John 5:1: Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: (present tense) and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. (present tense) 1 Peter 1:23: Being born again, (present tense) not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. Galatians 4:29: But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. (The saints Paul wrote to were born of the Spirit and were persecuted by those born of the flesh only.) The new birth is your dead spirit being born and quickened by God’s Spirit and it is a present reality and unless you are born again you cannot SEE or ENTER the kingdom of God. This is why I am concerned about people who say they are not born again for the only alternative to the kingdom of God is hell.