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YOU HAVE BEEN BORN AGAINBeing born again, or the new birth, or regeneration (each of these means the same thing) is the work of the Holy Spirit and it is essential (John 3:3-8).
Without a physical birth you cannot have physical life.
Without a spiritual birth you cannot have spiritual life.Before you were born again, you were dead in sin. You were dead to God. You did not know Him, nor understand Him, nor serve Him. You could not; you were spiritually dead. In the new birth the Holy Spirit gives your dead soul life (Ezekiel 36:26). Without this you could not believe in Christ. It is the regenerate soul alone that is able to exercise faith and receive Christ (John 6:44).
What can a dead man do for himself? Nothing.
What can a dead soul do for itself? Nothing.The new birth is the work of God the Holy Spirit and Him alone (John 3:1-12).
'Regeneration is a change which is known and felt: known by works of holiness, and felt by a gracious experience. This great work is supernatural. It is not an operation which man performs for himself: a new principle is infused, which works in the heart, renews the soul, and affects the entire man. It is not a change of my name, but a renewal of my nature, so that I am not the man I used to be, but a new man in Christ Jesus.' C. H. Spurgeon
'Regeneration is the beginning of all saving grace in us, and all saving grace in exercise on our part proceeds from the fountain of regeneration. We are not born again by faith or repentance or conversion; we repent and believe because we have been regenerated.' John Murray