Lesson Objective: To understand more clearly all that occurred at the time you were Born Again, of the Holy Spirit and by the Holy Spirit. There was, at the time a very definite transaction in the spirit realm of unseen reality, in which your spirit was brought to life by the Holy Spirit.

Introduction: In our last study, we discovered the New Birth.  We found that at the time one believes in Lord Jesus Christ, and receives Him by faith into their heart, a very real and definite transaction occurs in the spirit realm of unseen reality, (Colossians 1:16), which is more important than that which occurs in the area of seen reality.

We discovered that this new birth, which the Bible calls being Born Again or saved, occurs as the result of individuals:

    (1)     Recognizing themselves as sinners,

    (2)     Of repenting of their sins, that is, to recognize their past actions and attitudes that were
              un-Christlike, and contrary to the Word of God were wrong, asking forgiveness for them and
              determining by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit which one receives when they are
              Born Again to change those actions and attitudes.

   (3)     And by believing what the Bible says about the Lord Jesus Christ, and; asking Jesus by faith
             to forgive them of their sins, and to come into their heart and life and change them. 

A person can without the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit determine to 'do good, to change their ways and to live differently'.  However, without the indwelling power and influence of the Holy Spirit, they are without strength in and of themselves to carry out their good intentions.  A person simply  cannot live a Godly, Holy, Sin-Conquering, Victorious, Abundant Life without the indwelling presence of God, in and through His Holy Spirit empowering them.

When you are Born Again, you become a New Creation. (2 Corinthians 5:17)  God does not just merely overhaul you, reform you or patch you up!  God makes a brand new you! He progressively works in you the process of sanctification to change all of your wants, wishes and desires to conform with His wants, wishes and desires for your life. You then find those things to be the very things that make you feel fulfilled, victorious and joyful.

God's plan for your life is the very best, most rewarding, plan possible. As a new creation, you can now enter into that plan and live it out!

Some teach that after salvation, after you are Born Again you keep your old 'sin nature,' but that you also receive a  'new nature '(the nature of God in you). However, God did not save you, allow you to be Born Again, and adopt you into His family (Romans 8:15-17, to leave you as some sort of 'Dr, Jekyl and Mr, Hyde split personality type of spiritual being.  However, like Adam and Eve, you have 'free will' and you can choose at any given moment, in any given situation to either obey God or disobey God. (See Romans 6:1-18)

Adam originally did not have a sin nature. He had free will and could choose to sin. As a "New Creation", you still have your own free will.

You do not have to sin one sin that you have time to think about before you do it. Before you were saved, you allowed certain types of thought processes and desires to be built up in your mind. Now, there are battles to be fought to bring those thought processes and desires into submission to the Lord Jesus Christ. You, as a "New Creation", can accomplish that as you moment by moment, day by day, surrender and submit to the Lordship of the Lord Jesus Christ in your life.

As you continue this Bible study, remember: you can say anything about yourself that God says about you!

I.     A New Creation

1.  II Corinthians 5:17 states: If any man be in Christ (born again) he is a new creature.
       
2   II Corinthians 5:17 states: '________ things have become new.'

3.  In your own words, explain your understanding of the phrase, 'he is a new creature' [creation]. 
      
4.   In your opinion what does the phrase 'all things are become new' mean? 
  
5.   Read Romans 6:6. What happened to the 'old man' [the old sin nature]?
     
6.   In what way does the truth of Galatians 2:20 relate to Romans 6:6?

II.     The New Nature (II Peter 1:4)

1.    According to the above scriptures, you have been made a part of what?
       
2.    It is the 'nature' of a thing to do what?
 
3.   How does Romans 6:16-18 relate to II Peter 1:4? 
     
4.   Read I John 3:9 understanding that this verse means that the person who has been 'Born Again' 
       has the 'seed of God' in them, (the nature of his Heavenly Father) and that they cannot go on
       indefinitely in a know lifestyle of sin.  There are two reasons for this:                     
   
       (1)    Because of the convicting power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, and:

       (2)    Becuase of the chastening action (the discipline) of the Father.  Now, with that
               explanation in mind, how do you reconcile I John 3:9 with I John 3:8?

5.    What kind of sin do you, as empowered by the Holy Spirit have absolute control over and do
       not have to commit provided you have time to think about it before you commit it?

It is the nature of a thing to reproduce after its own kind. Apple seeds produce apples, watermelon seeds produce watermelons, dogs produce puppies, cats produce kittens, and so on it goes, see  Genesis 1:11-12, and Genesis 1:21-24.

A Christian has in him the nature of God, his Heavenly Father. It follows then, that the nature of a child of God is to be like his Father.

That does not mean he will not be tempted to sin, and it does not mean that he will never sin.  It does mean he sins as an act of the will, - - not of his nature.

The nature of God, which is in the Believer and is being developed in the Believer in the process of sanctification, hates sin and will resist sinning.  Remember, that the nature of God resides in every Believer in the Third Person of the Holy Trinity - The Holy Spirit.

God will never command His childen to do something He will not empower them to do. With that in mind, read Romans Chapter Six again, along with James 4:7-8. Now read I Peter 1:16 and live out what you are!