Jesus came to earth to die.

When Jesus saw people, He told them, “Come, follow Me.” He meant, “Follow Me and die.” When you become a Christian, you have to die to yourself. Becoming a Christian is not about living the best life on earth. Christians go through the same things that non-Christians do. We experience sickness and pain and loss and disappointment. The difference is that we have Christ with us when we go through those things.

Why did God create us? To praise Him.

Isaiah 43:21
21 This people I have formed for Myself;
They shall declare My praise.

He created us for Myself, to praise and glorify His name.

As born again believers, we need to praise and glorify His name always. If you don’t know why God created you, you need to read this scripture. God created us for one reason: to praise and worship Him.

We are not on the earth to make a good life for ourselves or make a name for ourselves.

People fight because they are trying to live life for themselves.

Being born again means that we are separated from this world.

John 3:1-8
1 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”
3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter 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 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

In John 3:3 and 3:5, the NKJV says “assuredly” but other versions say, “surely, surely.” This is very strong.

Your name must be written in the Book of Life. Heaven is pure. The only way you can make it to heaven is with a pure and holy heart.

Isaiah 44:3
3 For I will pour water on him who is thirsty,
And floods on the dry ground;
I will pour My Spirit on your descendants,
And My blessing on your offspring;

We must be born of the Holy Spirit. How do you know you are born again? You love Jesus. You think about Jesus all the time. You hate the things of this world. You hate sin. Your heart is filled with the love of Jesus.

2 Corinthians 13:5
5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.

Those who are born again feel deep love for Jesus.

If you say you love Jesus, but hate your brothers and sisters, you don’t love Jesus. You can’t hold love for Jesus in the same heart that is filled with hatred for others.

You will know you are born again by your good fruit. What fruit? Serving others. You become selfless (instead of selfish). You change. From dark to light. From angry to joyful. From critical to encouraging.

Ephesians 5:8-9
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth),

2 Corinthians 5:17
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

When you are born again, all things become new. When you are born again, you always desire to please God.

God’s desire is to find and save the lost. When you are born again, you want others to be born again as well.

If you truly want to go to heaven, you must be born again. Our flesh is born into dirt. We come from the earth. We are born into the earth. But when we are born again, we are born into heaven.

When you are born into this world, your name is written down. You are given a birth certificate. When you are born again, your name is written in the Book of Life. Your name is written in heaven.

There are some people who call themselves Christians but do not have a heavenly birth certificate.

1 Corinthians 15:50
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption.

We need to be born in heaven. We need to be born again, of water and of blood. Water is the Word of God. Blood is the blood of Jesus.

Water baptism is also very important. Jesus commanded the disciples to baptize people in water. Baptism is symbolic of death. When a person goes under the water in baptism, they die and are buried with Christ. When they come from the water, they are born again, resurrected in Christ.

Romans 6:3
3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?

Jesus commanded us to take up our cross. When Jesus took up His cross, He died. Jesus commands us to die, too.

We are from heaven. Our desire should be to glorify God on the earth and then return to heaven. Our heart should have no desire for this world.

Water baptism is very important for citizens of heaven. As citizens of heaven, we are born twice.

Born again believers are not troublemakers. They are not selfish. They always think about Jesus. They always love their brothers and sisters and think about how they can take burdens away from them. They always think about how they can make God happy.

God did not save us so that we could have a glorious life on earth. He saved us so that we could die to ourselves on this earth and live a glorious life in heaven.

God bless you,
Pastor Sun East