Being Born Again

I. The Need for the New Birth
A. Man's condition
1. Knowing ourselves according to God - John 2:23-25; Jer. 17:9-10
2. Responding to God in an outward way - John 2:23; 3:1-2; 6:14-15, 63-66
3. The unchangeableness of the flesh - John 2:24-25; 3:6a; Eph. 2:1f
B. Man's proper center and point of reference
1. The human spirit - John 3:5-6; 1 Cor. 2:11
II. The Nature of the New Birth
A. The hearing of faith bringing the infusion of faith - John 3:3, 5 ("Amen! Amen!");
John 3:34; Gal. 3:2; Rom. 10:17
1. Hearing the Gospel - John 3:14-17
B. Believing and receiving Another Life - John 1:12-13; 3:15, 16, 36
1. Termination of the flesh and germination of the Spirit - John 3:3-7
C. Seeing and entering the Kingdom - John 3:3-5
III. The Source of the New Birth
A. The selection of God - John 3:17-21, 27
1. Manifested in our responses - John 3:21; 1 Thess. 1:4-7
B. The sovereignty of God - John 3:8-13
C. The love of God - John 3:16
D. The grace of God - John 3:17
IV. The Power of the New Birth
A. Giving the ability to see spiritual things - John 3:3; 1 Cor. 2:14
B. Giving us a new source and center - John 3:6b
C. Giving us new kinds of responses - John 3:19-21
V. The Goal of the New Birth
A. The Kingdom - John 3:3, 5
B. The Bride - John 3:22-30
C. The fulfillment of God's eternal and heavenly purpose - John 3:31-36