Can man be born again…again?
Author: Rev. Esther Holmes
May 10, 2018
Think about it! Yes. There are 15 proofs in
scripture.
All men had eternal life in Adam before he fell into
sin. If he hadn’t sinned, all men would have lived forever.
(Gen 2:17; Rom 5:12-21; John 3:1-8) The new birth is really a
re-birth or a restoration to original life by cancellation of the death
penalty. (Isa 59:2; Mat 1:21; Jn 3:16; Eph 2:1-9) If this can
happen once it can happen again and again if necessary.
The gospel teaches forgiveness more than once – even
490 times a day (Mat 18:21-22) Would God command men to do this if
He wouldn’t forgive the same Himself?
If any man (Christian) sins he has an advocate with the
Father (I John 2:1-2). What is this advocate for if not to restore
backsliders to God?
If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to
forgive us. I John 1:9
Peter was once converted, confessing Jesus as Son of
God and the Christ, which brings new birth (I John 5:1; Mat 16:16)
He even had power to preach and heal and had the Spirit in him (Mat
10:1-20). Jesus predicted his backsliding and re-conversion (Luke
22:31-34) proving that a converted man can and must be re-converted if he
sins as Peter did in Mat 26:69-75.
James taught a re-conversion after one sins and regains
the death penalty (James 5:19-20)
Paul taught that God is able to graft men in again.
(Rom 11:18-24)
Paul taught that men who have erred from the truth and
who have even overthrown the faith of others can come to repentance again.
(II Tim 2:17-20)
Paul taught a re-birth of backsliders (Gal 4:19). Those
who had fallen from Grace (Gal 1:6-8, 3:1-5, 4:19, 5:4)
Paul taught us to restore a sinning brother (Gal
6:1). How could this be if it were impossible or unnecessary?
In Heb 6:1, Paul teaches the laying again of the
foundation of repentance if necessary. Only apostates cannot be
renewed to repentance (Heb 6:4-9, 10:26-29). The reason is that they have
thrown away all faith in the only sacrifice that can renew them.
Backsliders who still have faith in Christ can be renewed regardless of
how low in sin they have sunk.
Jesus taught a re-conversion (Rev 2:4-5,16,21-26; 3:3,
15, 16)
In Luke 15, Jesus taught us that a sheep, coin, or boy
could become lost and found again. It would be illogical to argue
they could be lost and found only once or that once being found they could
never be lost again. It would be still more unreasonable to argue
that if anyone of them was lost and never found again that it was never
found in the first place. What would be the process and result of
finding them any number of times should they be lost? The same thing
is possible of men who go back into sin any number of times.
David was renewed again after he committed sin. (Ps
51:1-14)
God taught Israel time and again that He would restore
them again if they would meet conditions. (Isa 1:16-18; Jer 3:13-15,
4:1-4, 18:1-10; Hos 6:1-3, 10:12-13; II Chor 7:14)
There is nothing made but what can
be revived, restored, recast, refinished, rebuilt, reanimated, refashioned, and
remade by proper and skilled workmen. Shall we say the Almighty God is
the only one who cannot do His work over and over again if it needs to be
done? Can we say man alone can’t be forgiven, restored to favor, and
recreated more than once?
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