Evidences of the New Birth - Part 4 — Paris Reidhead

The Stages of Awakening, Conviction, Repentance, and Faith

We've been considering the evidences of the new birth as found in 1st. John. We'll continue that. But I want you to be particularly concerned about these five words as it relates to this fourth evidence of the new birth found in 1st. John chapter 3 in verses 8 through 10.

You'll notice that. Do you want both of these microphones on or just this one or this one? All right good you'll notice that the. That the process here of awakening conviction repentance faith and the witness of the spirit.

It seems to be an oversimplification and indeed it is. Any outline is an oversimplification. That's that's what we have it for merely to indicate the salient points now. Awakening is that work of the Holy Spirit on the sinner.

Causing them to become alert to the fact that they have a problem. So many times we're praying for people to be saved. Perhaps you are. That's like praying for someone to be married. What's all right to pray that they'll be married?

But you know you might start out by at least praying that they're awakened to the desire to be married. That might be a one first step or that they meet someone that stimulates their interest in marriage or That they see there's a whole praying for salvation is Is Praying for the whole lot.

There's there's phases in the divine operation. So if you find someone that's totally disinterested absolutely unconcerned and You want them truly to come to a personal relationship with Christ? I think you would do well to realize that praying for salvation is lumping it all together.

It's like trying to get to the balcony in the church by jumping from the Center aisle now, maybe there's someone here that can do it. But I would think most of us at our early age of 39 would find it somewhat difficult.

But if we can go around to the left through the hall ambulatory. Do you call it through the entrance hall and then find the stairs and go one step at a time? It's not all that difficult. So when we're talking about someone coming out of death into life.

Let's understand that there are there are phases of the divine operation and there are appropriate scripture verses for each phase. And if we're going to be effective workers, we ought to know the verses that are appropriate.

For each phase so that we can be you know, we're laborers together with God. Well, let's be effective laborers. Can you imagine the? Consternation of the surgeon if he has someone there as surgical nurse who's never seen the instruments on the tray.

Doesn't know what their which is used first. Doesn't know which end the hand of the surgeon doesn't know what the surgeon is asking for. You can imagine that that operation might have complications thereafter.

Because why. Well because the surgeon was incompetent. Well, because the nurse that was there had had absolutely no understanding of the process of surgery. Now you don't expect this the nurse to do the surgery except on mash on reruns but other than that you you don't expect the the nurse to do the surgery that the Surgery is done by the surgeon.

But the nurse the surgical nurse is extremely important in putting the appropriate tool in the hand of the surgeon at The time it's needed so we are laborers together with God and therefore we ought to be putting the Scalpel of the word, you know sword is One kind of a cutting instrument it's called the sword of the spirit and of course the function of a sword is to cut to cleave.

Well, I think we could also talk about scalpels because not all all of God's divine surgery is done necessarily with a with a two-edged Sword some of its done with it with a small scalpel. And if you understand what the phase of God's work in the life.

Then you're going to understand the kind of scripture verses that you can use now. You know, the scripture says that we are to have our our speech seasoned with salt. Seasoning with salt, you know, you don't just take a pound of salt and put it on two eggs in the morning.

You're out of you're out of balance just a few grains sprinkled appropriately will do the job so with witnessing so with laboring together with God you don't take a whole short course in personal work and Plunge it into the person that gives you a moment of receptivity to something you're saying.

I've had people say to me about some you know, oh boy. Tell you I Told him I was some I was getting interested in this thing about Jesus and salvation and whoa for an hour. Did I ever get it? We don't see what should have been done was just to have said enough to have been salt.

What's the function of salt Tim to stimulate thirst not satiate not poison? Just stimulate thirst. Stir up a little interest and excitement to create the opportunity for further Conversation when you answer questions people haven't got around to asking yet.

You're not helping them. You're wasting your time and theirs and probably making the problem. Making the problem worse than it would have been if you hadn't said anything. Sometimes speech is silver, but silence is golden.

So unless you're going to say the right thing, maybe you'd better not say too much. But it's so helpful to understand What God is doing in the lives of people that we want to see. Overall the big word saved we want to see them come to a personal relationship with Christ, but question.

Is there any evidence that they're spiritually awake to their need to their danger to their problem. If there isn't don't you think we ought to have a. Some to pray to the point that God will awaken them now.

I've seen people awaken by accidents auto accidents. Oh, that's really stirred him up, but don't try to cut the brake line. You know so that they'll have an accident because it doesn't always work that way.

I've seen people lose their jobs. Don't get them fired. So they'll be awakened because it doesn't always work that way. But God uses a whole variety of certain, but but when does it work? It works when there's been somebody next to the person that's lived Christ as a sample of his grace.

Someone that has interceded, but how do you intercede? Father this sinner friend of mine this son of mine this husband this neighbor. My Fellow employee my my partner is dead and since the God of this world has blinded their minds.

Let's the light of the gospel should shine out of them. They can't say Oh God Father of Jesus awaken that sinner. Now, do you have a class of scriptures that are appropriate to awakening? You should have.

You should be able to go have some scriptures. Well, for instance, it is appointed unto men to die and after death the judgment. By heard about a young fellow young preacher first church and he that was his sermon text.

It's appointed unto men to die and after death the judgment. He loved the text, but he didn't know what to say about it. So about every minute or two in his sermon, he would repeat the text. Remember it is a point.

Well afterwards one of the guests came to him and said young fellow you're started out to be a preacher. But I'd tell you better get another job because you're the worst preacher I ever heard. Said I have to agree with you friend, but there's only one thing you've got to remember this.

It is appointed unto men to die and after death the judgment. Well, he said maybe so but I want you to know this that if I ever hear your preaching I will not be any place around. Well in that case, you'd better remember the text.

It's appointed unto men to die and after death the judgment. Well, I just think that this church is making a terrible mistake having you in the pulpit because you are the most boring person I've ever seen.

All you did up there was to recite that verse. It isn't even together. They said it is appointed unto men to die. Well, I want you to know I'll not be hearing you again. It was a little feeling in me.

Well, he said that's all right, but there's just as long as you remember. It's appointed unto men to die and after death the judgment. About 3 30 in the morning. There was a doorbell ringing the place of the young preacher was staying and the Man of the house went down and said is the reverend here.

Yes. He is. Would you please have him come down? I have talked to the 3 30 in the morning at 3 30 in the morning. So he came down he said what are you doing here? He said, you know, oh They and all night.

All I can hear it. It's appointed unto men to die and after death the judgment. You certainly got something more to say than that. You wouldn't just tell us that and leave it. What else is there? The man had been awakened the sword of the spirit that awakened Victor Ernest who followed me.

I was pastor. He was of the First Baptist Church of Little Falls, Minnesota. Then Victor and Alice Ernest came and followed me there and Victor told about his conversion one of our we were personal friends as well.

He was as a young man extremely Independent. He was hippie before there were hippies. Rebel before there were rebels before it was popular. He had a job. He quit school. He had a job. He did everything his mother didn't want him to do.

But he had once one little grain of good sense. He brought his money money from his wages to his mother and Had her keep it he got paid on Friday and if he kept it there wouldn't be anything Monday. So he'd take it home to his mother and then she'd give him two or three dollars for the weekend.

That was when a dollar was a big piece of money. Remember Tom a long time ago when he got probably got paid $15 a week and He would he'd enjoy that for the weekend well this particular Friday night he'd run out early.

He'd gotten to be about nine o 'clock. He went home. His mother wasn't there. She was at the revival meeting at the church so he went down and Church wasn't over so he sat down on the front stoop waiting for his mother to come out because he could see her through the Window and no way was she going to get by this he gave him some more money because he just hadn't finished.

But that preacher and there was about as one track mind is that fellow? I was just telling you about and he said that God has hardened the hearts of men and that is pointed unto wrath and pointed unto judgment and He that hardens this neck being often reproved shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy.

Well when he finally got around to that verse he has played that saw it back and forth on that one. He that hardness his neck being often reproved shows sudden well Victor sitting there. He wasn't feeling too much pain when he came he'd been sort of soothing out the week's wrinkles there.

Up till that time, but that got through. And got through he that hardness his neck being often Shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy. He didn't wait till the service was over. He got in his car.

And he drove up to a lookout point outside of town. Well, he'd had the gospel all his life. He'd grown up in the church, but he just never nothing had ever taken. But that night there some hours after he arrived he had opened his heart to the Lord Jesus Christ.

He'd been awakened. He'd been convicted. He'd repented. He'd savingly believed and he had the witness of the Spirit all in one evening. I've known others that have taken years. John the Baptist. I mean John Bunyan.

Seven years if you read his grace abounding to the chief of sinners before he moved from there to there. Several times he was short-stopped here people came. He was awakened they came and gave him the gospel he made a profession but nothing happened never gone through to reality.

Many times that happens with our children. With our friends you see the only one in the universe that has the right. To tell a person they've passed from death into life and have been born into the family of God is the spirit of adoption the Holy Spirit.

He is the adopting spirit. He is the one who puts us into Christ and he is the one who tells us we're in Christ now. We got to tell sinners how bad they are now Holy God is we got to tell sinners what God did for them and what they must do in repentance and faith.

We've got but we can't tell them when it's done because we stand on the outside. We don't know what's going on. I hear the words. But I don't know what they mean because I don't know the heart. So I just have to say to the person now look this is what you do.

Okay, I'm willing to spend it when you do it God will tell you that you're his and when he's told you that you're his you come and tell me. Well, can't you tell me? Somebody else told me but did it take no it didn't take this time.

You better me settle it with the Lord. Because I'm no better than the last guy was Robert McWilkin was had it taught a Bible class like this down in the hotel in Columbia, South Carolina. Then he went back to Columbia Bible School when the school was downtown Columbia.

And as he was walking he saw somebody sitting there on the well town drunk on the curb. Holding his head. Oh look down. It was all dr. McWilkin. How are you? I want you to know I'm one of your converts and dr. McWilkin says yes.

You're just to represent about the best that I can do to you. Save me. I'm one of your conference. Yes, that's a represents just about the best that I can do. I Accepted because now dr. McWilkin didn't recall the day or the time, but what he was saying was.

It has to be a meeting with God. There has to be the witness of the spirit. Awakening that sensitivity conviction is when we take sides with God against ourselves. God be merciful to me a center repentance.

That's when we change the mind about who's going to be boss. How we're going to satisfy our appetites how we're going to meet our needs whether we're going to do it our way or his way. Faith that's that faith that's released in our hearts upon the basis of genuine repentance.

It's savingly unites us to Christ not that we credit the scripture to be true. That's presumed. But faith is heart faith and that faith is always Followed and certified by the witness of the spirit. What is the witness of the spirit?

Well, we're going to find more about that next week. But this week let me say the part of a man that knows the things of a man is the spirit of man that is in him and The same part of you that knows that you're here and not somewhere else and you're married or you're unmarried as the case may be.

That part of you is a part that knows you've been born of God. Because that's the part of you that knew you weren't right with God up here. And when you are right with God, that's a part of you that knows you are well we'll talk more about that, but now I want you to understand that on the basis of awakening and Conviction, which is I turn to my own way.

I have done what I wanted to do. I am God in my life. Whether one says it in that degree of defiance is not important, but it's the essence of the matter. So what we're talking about then in repentance is a change from I'll do what I want to do to Lord, what will thou have me to do.

And There's no forgiveness and no pardon. Until there is repentance twice. The Lord Jesus said except you repent you will perish. Because there can be no pardon and forgiveness while the mind is still set to do evil.

While the heart is still fixed to go its own way. There can't be no part except you repent. So Paul said I was with you night and day from house to house teaching repentance toward God faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Fourth Evidence in First John

So we now come down to this Fourth evidence in first John for you that were not here previously. I Simply give the scripture evidence. Number one is first John chapter 1 verse 6. Evidence number 2 is 1st John chapter 2 verses 3 to 5.

Evidence number 3 is 1st John 2 chapter 50 verses 15 16 and 17. And evidence number 4 is chapter 3 Verses 8 9 and 10. Let me read it from the King James. He that committeth sin is of the devil. For the devil sinneth from the beginning.

For this purpose the Son of God was manifested. That he might save us from hell and take us to heaven when we die. Is that correct. Were you listening. Was that correct? No, I was reading from the reverse vision wasn't I?

Yeah that gets there quite often. Now, let me reread it. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil. Now Whosoever is born of God does not commit sin. For his God's seed remaineth in him and he cannot commit sin because he is born of God.

In this the children of God are manifest and The children of the devil that's What that's absolutely what scripture says. But there's a couple of things that are needed in order for us to make the King James Are understood by us commit us.

He that keeps on Practicing is the strength of the Greek. It's the strength or committed at the time. It was in the sense of a Continuing practice. He that keeps on practicing sin is of the devil. For the devil has kept on practicing sin from the beginning.

Whosoever is born of God doth not keep on practicing Sin for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot continue to practice. Because he is born of God. Now, I've used the word practice in the sense of repeat as a policy a mode of operation a plan of life the governing rule.

Do you see the difference? I? Didn't say and it doesn't say that the person that once After he's been born of God once Falls into a sin is of the devil say that. Because you go back to the first chapter We find in verse 8 if we say that we have no sin We deceive ourselves and the truth is not in it if we say that we have never sinned or aren't capable of sinning or Couldn't fall into sin.

We deceive ourselves but there's a difference between the event and the practice or the policy of life policy of operation and So what we have here is that when one has been awakened and convicted they and have repented.

I remember reading Spurgeon's sermon on repentance and It was magnificent and he said to be real. Repentance has to be Entire and not partial. If a person has a thousand sins and Truly repents of nine hundred and ninety nine but holds to the one.

It is proof that his repentance was not genuine. It was spurious. It was simply trying to make a deal with God. It has to be entire and not partial. Repentance said virgin to be real and has to be permanent and not temporary if it's for a period of time to impress God that it is.

Not it's furious. It's counterfeit, but real repentance is permanent it's a it's a change that endures and Then he said of course repentance has to be hearty and not reluctant not something that one does with great grief, but something one does because of great joy.

They've discovered the enormity of their crime against someone who now they wish to honor and serve. So it's not something induced under pressure. It's something done With delight. Well, that was Spurgeon's preaching a hundred and fifty years ago, and I think we need to hear it again.

I don't think we've outgrown it. Well, give me a version that doesn't say except you repent you'll perish or something to the equivalent. Then I might say Spurgeon's Outmoded but hey, I don't think so.

It hasn't come that way yet. So with repentance There's a total repudiation of a principle of pleasing oneself in one's own way and at one's own whim. There's been a new policy of pleasing God. So that does.

What We Carry Into the Christian Life

What did one carry into the Christian life? We're assuming all of this is true. Genuine conversion genuine witness of the spirit and one's passion death to life total complete. All right. What did one carry into the Christian life?

Born again witnesses. What do you have? What did you what's it by a baggage? And you had to take through customs when you came into the kingdom of God. Well first your appetites all of them. Is there you didn't lose those when you were forgiven and pardoned.

What were some of them? Well first the most obvious one was the appetite for food and then there was the appetite for knowledge and the appetite for pleasure. And the appetite for power position and the appetite for sex.

What are some of the others that I might have missed? Yeah, the others. Well, let's let that suffice. They could add to it. We brought those appetites in. That's right, because God made man with those appetites.

There's nothing wrong with those appetites. He looked at the person to whom he gave those appetites and he said it is good. Didn't say it's bad. Said it's good. So we brought those appetites into the Christian life.

What else did we bring with? Well, we brought with us. Memory learned responses habituated or habitual responses. All of that conditioning came with us. Now we've repented we purpose to please God, but what do we?

Bring with us habituated or habit responses learned. Responses maybe back here before pre repentance. When because of your appetite for status or power position if somebody criticized you. You know just how to deal.

Maybe that was automatic. Just like that like Zorro's sword, you know. Somebody's criticized you then you criticize right back. So you've been forgiven you've been pardoned. You've come into the Christian life and everything is beautiful.

It's wonderful. But what happens somebody criticizes. Well, you're not good. Deep bleep. Well, what was it? Did you go back you're troubled you're burdened. I really saved. What did you bring into the Christian life?

You brought appetite for acceptance for pleasure for status and you brought learned responses. So what what took place? Somebody. And the response to go. Domino theory if you what's the evidence that you're genuinely converted that you really love God the instant.

That that happened you judged it for what it was sin. You forsook it as sin you confessed it as sin both to God and to the person and you asked for gift. Temptation is the proposition presented to the mind.

To satisfy a good appetite in a bad. And as long as you have appetite you're subject to temptation everybody. I know looking for an experience with God. That will wind their little clock set it and it'll never have to be set again or wounding anything.

Or they're looking let me translate that everybody I know of is looking for an experience with God, so they'll never be tempted again. But I'll tell you something if you get to that experience, don't be happy about it.

Because all of a sudden it's made you even holier than your Lord because he was tempted in all points. Like as you are and when you come to the place that you've reached the spiritual Epigee, so that you're no so high that you're never tempted.

Friend you are you somehow left the human ring? I don't know where you are. Twilight Zone. He's about all I can think of. Because as long as you live you are going to have appetites and memory and as long as you have appetites and memory.

You're going to be subject to temptation and temptation is not sin. Did you hear me? Temptation is not sin. Sin is the decision to satisfy a good appetite in a bad way. The intention to hurt is murder.

That's the decision to hurt somebody is murder. Temptation is the proposition presented to the mind to the memory to the intellect to satisfy a good appetite in a bad way. And sin is the decision. Now When you've been awakened and convicted and brought to repentance.

Where you have said father, I will please you as long as I live. Exercise saving faith savingly uniting you to the Son of God and you have the witness will not. Continue to practice sin. That's what the scripture says and if someone does in this or manifest the children of God and the children of the devil.

The Difference Between Knowing the Gospel and Being Born Again

So what is this verse saying? It is saying that anyone who keeps on practicing sin. Regardless of how much theology the name someone very graciously. You offered me the tapes for the previous three messages, and I'm very pleased to grateful to have them.

There are people whose human brains are so have 100 oral recall friends both in Africa and here who have that gift. I have some that have a visual recall they have photographing memory. They read they they read something and then they don't they don't try to remember it.

I am go the old cumbersome way. Oh, what the world was that? No, they just look at it say turn the page and start reading the next column. But I don't have that kind of a memory about most things. Some people have oral recall a hundred percent oral recall or visual recall.

Just like that tape recorder or that that tape has 100 oral recall and they know the verses and the truth and the Theology and they can press the button like the tape recorder and give it back. But that tape recorder is still a tape recorder.

It's not can been converted because it knows the gospel and there are human beings whose minds have the gospel and the plan of salvation and scripture verses like a tape recorder and you Press the button and out it comes.

But because they have facile memories. Does not mean they are converted. Do you understand does not mean they pass from death to life? Because they can recite what he can recite the plan of salvation.

Wonderful so can my tape recorder. He can recite all of the Gospel of John. That's marvelous. So can somebody I don't know who was someone here. Two or three weeks ago gave me a recording of the New Testament in on tape any of you some lady whom I have Slipped it in my hand and I I thanked her but I wanted to tell her how deeply if you know who did it, please Express my sincere just as I was leaving.

To go to speak at the Arlington Memorial Church. Why they slipped this in my hand and I thanked him. But I didn't have time to stay and find out who it was and write an appropriate note. But at any rate, it's it's the New Testament and it's wonderful.

On cassettes. So Somebody says well, I know he's a Christian. He can recite the Gospel of John. So can my cassette that I just got on the Gospel of John he can recite it, but that doesn't make it a Christian.

It's just a cassette and some human brains are just cassettes. That doesn't mean because they can do that. That doesn't mean that they've passed from death to life. No. So if you say I won't look I know this I know my husband is there because he knows.

It's not the evidence. How do you know you stand on the outside? You don't know what's going on in the heart. God looks on the heart. We look on the on the face. We can't see. The Lord knoweth them that are his and let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

So what do we have here he that keeps on practicing sin is of the devil. Clear explicit. Just whosoever is born of God doth not keep on practice. Didn't say couldn't fall into sin. Didn't say couldn't be overtaken in the fall didn't say anything that said practicing going on practice.

How long I don't know. I'm not gonna try to go into the Talmudic and try. I don't know I'm trying to just say what's that and try to understand what me. Whosoever is born of God does not keep on practicing sin for his seed Spirit of God remaineth in him and he cannot keep on practice sin because his is of born of God.

Testing Conversion by the Word and the Life

So now we see that we have a problem a member coming to going into a church for weeks Bible conference and I told the people at this first service on Sunday morning that I was there to help them and that if they wanted times of personal counseling if they'd let me know I would arrange for it and I was any way that I could spiritually I would endeavor to be of service and assist.

First person that met me was the lady that asked me to Pray for the Recovery of her backsliding husband. Well, I get a little bit nervous on that word backsliding because it's not in the New Testament and I Don't know much about it.

I don't know. May I but I guess I've done it, but I don't know How to define it. But I do know one thing about Backsliding. You can't backslide until you front-slid at some time. You got to go forward in order to go back.

You see I mean, it's gotta. So I said well tell me about your backsliding and so well, we had a meeting here in the church. And I finally got my husband to come and a lot of pressure is being put on. Two or three men came and they went with him to the altar and he prayed and He said the words they wanted to say and then they gave him a verse of scripture and the speaker said now Call him by name and said now if anybody ever comes to tell you that you're not a Christian you take this verse of scripture.

And you wave it in their face. So every time I talked to my husband, he just takes that verse of scripture and waves it in my face. Like the evangelist told him to do. Well, I said, what's his problem?

Well First he still gets drunk about once or twice a week and Secondly, he still gambles. He spends about half of our money and gambling and it's made real profit of the home and I don't think he's actually very Faithful to me.

I don't know but I don't think so and swear. Who I have to stop him swearing around sure. But every time I talk to him takes that verse of scripture ways in my book say Remember what the evangelist told me don't worry about me.

I'm alright. So now please pray for my husband recovery from backsliding. I said, I'm sorry. I can't he said I'm the first one here. You've told all of us that you're here to help us and yet I asked you to do something and you tell me you can't.

Do you want? Well, I said can't means won't I? Can't because I won't that's why I won't. I can't. Well, she said what's that mean? I said I Don't know much about this backsliding business, but I just don't think your husband has ever gone any place.

He can't backslide cuz he never front-slid. He's never gone anywhere. I Will pray that God will awaken him and convict him and bring him to repentance that God in grace will save him. Because I don't think anything's happened to him except somebody's put some words in his mind.

She said well, I've been suspicious about that. I said, how long has this been going on? She said over about nearly four years. Well, I think she had a right to be suspicious after four years, don't you?

I Mean if something's got feathers like a duck and a bill like a duck webbed feet like a duck waddles like a duck. Looks like it up, you know swims like that. You don't have you're not being critical and unkind to suggest that maybe it's not a canary.

It's a duck just because it says canary and has got canary stamped on its chest doesn't mean it's. It's canary and so here whosoever is born of God does not keep on practicing in this is manifest the children of God and The children of the devil, so what are we talking about?

We started out by saying there are people all around us that will come to you and say I'm not sure I'm saying now. What are you going to do pat him on the back? Link arms, come on. Everything's fine or Are you going to say it's very serious very important.

Now, let's go to the Word of God. Let's stand in front of the divine x-ray machine. That's what the Word of God is because it divides between the soul and the spirit. It shows you what's inside and you read if we say we have fellowship with him and Walk in darkness we lie.

How do you walk there? When you're just alone and nobody's watching how do you walk? And you have to go to the first John Ephesians 4 17. Thereafter to find out what walking means. Then you take him to the second evidence here verse chapter 2 verse 3 4 and 5.

Hereby, we do know we know him we keep his command. What's your attitude toward the commandment and then we take them to chapter 2 verse 15 and 16 and 17 Love not the world. These are the things that are in the world.

And then we bring them down to chapter 3. Do you see you're not presuming? Why should you play God in somebody's life? Do you understand you can? For you to say to somebody I know You're a child of God is To usurp a prerogative that belongs solely and exclusively to God.

The best you know about me is what you hear me say and the best I know about you is What I hear you say best that you know about me is How I walk. The best I know about you is how you don't know my heart some.

We're not even terribly sure often we know our own hearts only thing is we know that our purpose is to please God. That we can say best. I know my heart. My purpose is to please God. So how if you're not if you have got all these questions about you now.