Tennis Ministry International
www.tennisministry.org - www.tennisministry.com
2008 Mission statement:  Healing the mind, body and spirit of the tennis world.
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How to be born again and see the Kingdom of God?  (all according to *all* the New Testament)

There is a need to explain God's "right" to judge and declare us "guilty", based on the simple fact that He _made_ us.  In the Bible book:

You turn things upside down! Should the potter be thought to be like clay; that the thing made should say about him who made it, “He didn’t make me;” or the thing formed say of him who formed it, “He has no understanding? - Isaiah 29:16

But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed ask him who formed it, “Why did you make me like this?”  Or hasn’t the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel for honor, and another for dishonor? - Romans 9:20-21

The "message of Christ" is about the coming of God's Kingdom to break into the kingdom of the World over which Satan and Sin and Death had held control for so long, in order to "set the captives" of the oppressors "free".  In the Bible book:

For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. – Hebrews 9:15

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. -  John 8:36

1.  BELIEVE - Faith is what enables us to accept as true what cannot be 100% proven based only on reason or physical evidence.   In the Bible book:
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. -  Hebrews 11: 6
 

2.  REPENT - Repent means to decide you're headed in the wrong direction to get where you want to go, and to "turn around" and go the other (correct) way.  In the Bible book:
I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. – Luke 13:5
 

3.  CONFESS -  This means to state publicly what we believe to be true, and further, that we renounce all influences and alignments that are contrary to that truth.  In the Bible book:
Whoever acknowledges me (Jesus Christ) before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.- Matthew 10:32-33

That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. – Romans 10: 9-10
 

4.  BE BAPTIZED - of Water and Spirit.  "Water" here means baptism (by immersion) as evidenced by Church writings for over 1900 years.   In the Bible book:
Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."  "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"  Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.  Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.  You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' - John 3: 3-7
 

5.  OBEY AND SUBMIT TO THE AUTHORITY OF CHRIST - Likewise, being "born again" is the starting point; the process is not completed with the first breath of the new life.  The person must "overcome" (1 John 4: 4, 1 John 5: 4-5) and "do the will of the Father"  (Matthew 7: 21, Matthew 5: 19)  and justify their professed faith by "good/charitable works"  (Ephesians 2: 10)  In the Bible book:

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. – 1 John 4: 4

For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. -  1 John 5: 4-5

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. -  Matthew 7: 21

Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. – Matthew 5: 19

For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. – Ephesians 2: 10

Who do you say Jesus is? In the Bible book:

"But what about you?" Jesus  asked. "Who do you say I am?"  Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." – Matthew 16: 15-16

Do you want to be born again?