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Spiritual Infancy
August 28, 2016
Each of us enters the family and kingdom of God as a spiritual infant. We are born again, our old life of sin is gone -- crucified, as it were, and nailed to the cross. We leave the old sinner when we are plunged beneath the waters of baptism, arising to walk as newborns in a new life. We must seek the nourishment found in the word and the Spirit of the Lord, and grow thereby. - Bernie Parsons
Spiritual Infancy
a sermon by Bernie Parsons
Presented to the Globe church of Christ on 08-28-2016
Presented to the Load church of Christ on 09-04-2016
Several weeks ago I discussed how that we enter the kingdom of God. I
now examine how that, similar to how a human being is born into infancy,
the believer in Christ is likewise a newborn.
We must be reborn of water and spirit, wherein our sins are washed by
the blood of Jesus.
John 3:3 "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto
thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he
enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born
of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of
the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be
born again."
Titus 3:4 "But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour
toward man appeared,
5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his
mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the
Holy Ghost;"
Colossians 1:13 "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and
hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of
sins:"
In order for the new life to
begin, the old life must be erased.
Romans 6:4 "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that
like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father,
even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we
shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of
sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin."
Galatians 2:20 "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not
I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I
live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for
me."
Galatians 5:24 "And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with
the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."
This is a spiritual rebirth.
Being born again signifies that
a new life has been generated.
2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new
creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus
Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself,
not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the
word of reconciliation."
Galatians 6:15 "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any
thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.
16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and
mercy, and upon the Israel of God."
In becoming new, the old is gone.
Ephesians 4:20 "But ye have not so learned Christ;
21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the
truth is in Jesus:
22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which
is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in
righteousness and true holiness."
Colossians 3:8 "But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice,
blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with
his deeds;
10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the
image of him that created him:"
Born into a new life, we feed upon the word and knowledge of God.
1 Peter 1:22 "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth
through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love
one another with a pure heart fervently:
23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by
the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever."
1 Peter 2:1 "Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and
hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may
grow thereby:
3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious."
If we fail to nourish our souls and minds on the word of God, we remain
spiritual infants.
Hebrews 5:12 "For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have
need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the
oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of
strong meat.
13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of
righteousness: for he is a babe."
1 Corinthians 3:1 "And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto
spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not
able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and
strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are
ye not carnal?"
If we pursue the wrong knowledge, we are even worse off.
2 Timothy 2:23 "But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that
they do gender strifes.
24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all
men, apt to teach, patient,
25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God
peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the
truth;
26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil,
who are taken captive by him at his will."
2 Timothy 3:6 "For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and
lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the
truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith."
1 Timothy 6:3 "If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome
words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine
which is according to godliness;
4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes
of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the
truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself."
If we do not grow in God’s righteousness, we become self-righteous,
missing out altogether.
Romans 10:1 "Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel
is, that they might be saved.
2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according
to knowledge.
3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to
establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto
the righteousness of God."
