INTRODUCTION
Throughout the United States, the phrase "born again" has been
used both by those inside the church and those outside the church, but the
difference in meaning is by no means inconsequential. When the world uses the
phrase, despite any supposed great personal impact, it has no application beyond
the grave. The Lord Jesus used this phrase in response to a man who came to him
for answers, and it did not produce immediate understanding for that Jew even
though he was a highly respected religious teacher in Israel. A person need not
have scholarly knowledge about scripture to be born again by the truth of God.
But those who have made serious study of scripture can better apply that
knowledge to the Lord's purposes after they experience the second birth. This
study will attempt to bring together a variety of scriptures related to the new
birth. For those who are not far from the kingdom of God, perhaps this may be
used of the Lord in their process of coming to saving faith in Christ Jesus. For
those who already have eternal life, this may be additional food for thought in
the continuing process of Christian growth after that second birth. This is by
no means an exhaustive study, or an exclusive understanding of the concept of
the second birth.
A - JESUS AND NICODEMUS
“There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a
ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night, and said to him, Rabbi, we
know that you are a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that
you do, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said to him, Truly, truly, I
say to you, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Nicodemus said to him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the
second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Truly, truly, I
say to you, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter
into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that
which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said to you, You must
be born again. The wind blows where it wants, and you hear the sound thereof,
but can not tell from where it comes, and where it goes: so is every one that is
born of the Spirit. Nicodemus answered and said to him, How can these things be?
Jesus answered and said to him, Are you a master of Israel, and know not these
things? Truly, truly, I say to you, We speak that we do know, and testify that
we have seen; and you receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly
things, and you believe not, how shall you believe, if I tell you of heavenly
things? And no man has ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven,
even the Son of man which is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in
the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whoever believes
in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world,
that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not
perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to
condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that
believes on him is not condemned: but he that believes not is condemned already,
because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And
this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved
darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that
does evil hates the light, neither comes to the light, lest his deeds should be
reproved. But he that does truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be made
manifest, that they are worked in God.” (John 3:1-21 AKJV)
COMMENTS: Obviously, there is so much in the above paragraph that multiple
studies could be (and have been by others) written from deeper examination of
brief passages contained therein, such as with verse 16 alone (For God so loved
...). But just a few comments will suffice here and then we will proceed to the
next part of this overview study. The text tells us that the first birth is "of
the flesh" and the second birth is "of the spirit." Nicodemus acknowledged that
Jesus was authenticated as having come from God, by the miracles he had
performed, but Jesus responded by saying that if he could not accept the
"earthly things" then how could he accept heavenly things. “The wind {pneuma}
blows where it wants, and you hear the sound thereof, but can not tell from
where it comes, and where it goes: so is every one that is born of the Spirit
{pneuma}.” (John 3:8 AKJV). When Nicodemus was puzzled by these things, Jesus
pointed out that he did not understand even though he was a master in Israel.
Paul made this statement about trusting in either miraculous signs or our own
wisdom alone, “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not
God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach
Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block, and to the Greeks foolishness;
But to them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and
the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the
weakness of God is stronger than men.” (1 Corinthians 1:21-25 AKJV). So it is
not a matter of man's interpretation of miraculous events, or in his
intellectual discernment of intricate concepts, that reveals spiritual truth,
for again Paul says, “But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit
of God: for they are foolishness to him: neither can he know them, because they
are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:14 AKJV).
Therefore, it is necessary to be more than a natural man for Jesus says
unless you are born again you cannot see the kingdom of God. The Greek term
"gennao" is translated as "born" in each instance in our passage from John, and
it also is translated in other scripture as it applies to conception. “Abraham
begat {gennao} Isaac; and Isaac begat {gennao} Jacob; and Jacob begat {gennao}
Judas and his brothers;” (Matthew 1:2 AKJV). The next two quotations apply to
the birth of the Lord Jesus. “But while he thought on these things, behold, the
angel of the LORD appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, you son of David,
fear not to take to you Mary your wife: for that which is conceived {gennao} in
her is of the Holy Ghost.” (Matthew 1:20 AKJV). “And the angel answered and said
to her, The Holy Ghost shall come on you, and the power of the Highest shall
overshadow you: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born {gennao} of
you shall be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1:35 AKJV). Jesus testified of his
own uniqueness that no man had ascended to heaven, "but he that came down from
heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven." Jesus is that unique "son of
man" born of a woman, yet not through the will or union of a human father. God
from heaven took upon himself flesh to be born of a woman in a miraculous virgin
birth, and yet simultaneously existing in heaven because he is the unique
God-man.
Our birth presupposes conception, and the full potential of a new life cannot
be realized until the child is delivered from the womb. Since we speak of
spiritual conception and birth, all the glory goes to the Lord for our new
beginning in Him, and we can claim no part in initiating the process, but after
that new birth we can have the joy of growing as His children. “For the children
being not yet born {gennao}, neither having done any good or evil, that the
purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that
calls; It was said to her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written,
Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. What shall we say then? Is there
unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For he said to Moses, I will have mercy on
whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have
compassion. So then it is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, but of
God that shows mercy.” (Romans 9:11-16 AKJV). Paul continues in this passage to
warn us not to argue against God when we should instead acknowledge that his
ways are past finding out. “For the scripture said to Pharaoh, Even for this
same purpose have I raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that
my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore has he mercy on
whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardens. You will say then to me,
Why does he yet find fault? For who has resisted his will? No but, O man, who
are you that reply against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed
it, Why have you made me thus? Has not the potter power over the clay, of the
same lump to make one vessel to honor, and another to dishonor? What if God,
willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much
long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might
make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had before
prepared to glory, Even us, whom he has called, not of the Jews only, but also
of the Gentiles?” (Romans 9:17-24 AKJV). What an incredible gift from the LORD
that we should be called the sons of God! The first birth alone will end in
inevitable death, but the second birth is the beginning of new life in Christ
that is eternal. We cannot begin to comprehend the things of the Lord that are
spiritually discerned, unless we are the called of God, who have experienced the
second birth, but even then the full mysteries of God are not ours to be
apprehended.
B - JOHN THE BAPTIST KNEW THAT JESUS WAS FROM HEAVEN, AND JESUS MADE THAT VERY CLEAR
“John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be
given him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the
Christ, but that I am sent before him. He that has the bride is the bridegroom:
but the friend of the bridegroom, which stands and hears him, rejoices greatly
because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must
increase, but I must decrease. He that comes from above is above all: he that is
of the earth is earthly, and speaks of the earth: he that comes from heaven is
above all. And what he has seen and heard, that he testifies; and no man
receives his testimony. He that has received his testimony has set to his seal
that God is true. For he whom God has sent speaks the words of God: for God
gives not the Spirit by measure to him. The Father loves the Son, and has given
all things into his hand. He that believes on the Son has everlasting life: and
he that believes not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God stays on
him.” (John 3:27-36 AKJV) “And the Father himself, which has sent me, has borne
witness of me. You have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.
And you have not his word abiding in you: for whom he has sent, him you believe
not. Search the scriptures; for in them you think you have eternal life: and
they are they which testify of me.” (John 5:37-39 AKJV) “All that the Father
gives me shall come to me; and him that comes to me I will in no wise cast out.
For I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him that
sent me. And this is the Father's will which has sent me, that of all which he
has given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last
day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which sees the
Son, and believes on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at
the last day. The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread
which came down from heaven. And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of
Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he said, I came
down from heaven? Jesus therefore answered and said to them, Murmur not among
yourselves. No man can come to me, except the Father which has sent me draw him:
and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, And they
shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that has heard, and has learned
of the Father, comes to me. Not that any man has seen the Father, save he which
is of God, he has seen the Father. Truly, truly, I say to you, He that believes
on me has everlasting life.” (John 6:37-47 AKJV) “Then said Jesus again to them,
I go my way, and you shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: where I go, you
cannot come. Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he said, Where I
go, you cannot come. And he said to them, You are from beneath; I am from above:
you are of this world; I am not of this world. I said therefore to you, that you
shall die in your sins: for if you believe not that I am he, you shall die in
your sins. Then said they to him, Who are you? And Jesus said to them, Even the
same that I said to you from the beginning.” (John 8:21-25 AKJV) “Then came the
Jews round about him, and said to him, How long do you make us to doubt? If you
be the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you, and you
believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me.
But you believe not, because you are not of my sheep, as I said to you. My sheep
hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give to them eternal
life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my
hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to
pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one.” (John 10:24-30
AKJV) “Thomas said to him, Lord, we know not where you go; and how can we know
the way? Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes
to the Father, but by me. If you had known me, you should have known my Father
also: and from now on you know him, and have seen him. Philip said to him, Lord,
show us the Father, and it suffises us. Jesus said to him, Have I been so long
time with you, and yet have you not known me, Philip? he that has seen me has
seen the Father; and how say you then, Show us the Father?” (John 14:5-9 AKJV)
COMMENTS: Christians must remember that even though we are to be faithful in
sharing the gospel, the Holy Spirit must do the work of causing the new birth.
And we should be cautious about any feeling of impatience toward other people,
as we consider what has been revealed to our hearts through the grace of God
because scripture says, “For who makes you different from anyone else? What do
you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast
as though you did not?” (1 Corinthians 4:7 NIV). John the baptist had made a
similar statement when he said, "A man can receive nothing, except it be given
him from heaven." Could any one of us accept the fact that Jesus, though born of
a woman, came down from heaven for the miraculous conception within a virgin, if
God had not made us different by giving us the faith required to receive that
truth? The picture of birth implies that the one being born does not initiate
the process of conception, though BEING carried along as a LIVING participant to
the point of delivery. It seems that our full comprehension of this process of
being born again to life in the spirit is not essential to assure that our Lord
receives all the glory for what He has accomplished. If the chosen apostles who
were physically with the Lord Jesus still lacked comprehension that Jesus is
God, after more than three years, as with Thomas and Philip in the passage from
John 17, how difficult will it be for us to even partially grasp these things,
except through grace given by the Lord? And as we seek to be the Lord's
witnesses, we must allow the Spirit of God to work through us, with confidence
that any who come to Him will be to His glory alone, as we humbly submit to how
the Lord wants to use us in that process.
C - OUR NEW BIRTH SHOULD RESULT IN EVIDENCE OF NEW PATTERNS OF HEALTHY GROWTH THROUGH THE WORD
“Watch and pray, that you enter not into temptation: the spirit
indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41 AKJV) “It is the
spirit that vivifies; the flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak to you,
they are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63 AKJV) “There is therefore now no
condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh,
but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1 AKJV) “For if you live after the flesh, you
shall die: but if you through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, you
shall live.” (Romans 8:13 AKJV) “Why laying aside all malice, and all guile, and
hypocrisies, and envies, all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the
sincere milk of the word, that you may grow thereby: If so be you have tasted
that the Lord is gracious.” (1 Peter 2:1-3 AKJV) “Seeing you have purified your
souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit to unfeigned love of the brothers,
see that you love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not
of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which lives and
stays for ever.” (1 Peter 1:22-23 AKJV). “Be not deceived; God is not mocked:
for whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap. For he that sows to his flesh
shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that sows to the Spirit shall of the
Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due
season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us
do good to all men, especially to them who are of the household of faith.”
(Galatians 6:7-10 AKJV). “If so be that you have heard him, and have been taught
by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That you put off concerning the former
conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And
be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that you put on the new man, which
after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” (Ephesians 4:21-24
AKJV)
COMMENTS: When we are born in the flesh as an infant, it is anticipated that
there will be growth physically, emotionally, and intellectually to adulthood,
unless negative factors retard that process. But even some who seem physically
deficient by "normal" standards can excel in very specific areas of human
accomplishment, and the days of life for every person are numbered by the Lord
whether they are brief or long. When we are born of the Spirit, growth should
take place in that new life toward maturity in the things of God, but THERE ARE
ALSO NEGATIVE FACTORS THAT CAN BE hindrances to healthy development. The flesh
"wars against the spirit" and we must make conscious efforts to bear the fruit
of our salvation in Christ. Jesus warned us to watch and pray because we need
the Spirit to over come the weakness of the flesh, and it is the Spirit that
makes us truly alive, not the flesh. It is important that we first examine
ourselves for evidence of new life, before we have concern for what others see
in us. God knows our heart, but we can give false impressions to others. Paul
wrote to believers in Galatia to remind them that God does not fail to observe
our actions, and there is no way for us to hide our true motives from the Lord.
We must continually determine to bear the fruits of the Spirit. Just as there
are things we can do to have a healthier and more productive physical life, so
too we must make conscious effort to advance our spiritual growth and
productivity in the Lord.
D - THE PROMISE OF RESURRECTION TO ETERNAL LIFE FOR THOSE WHO ARE BORN AGAIN
“And this is the Father's will which has sent me, that of all which he has given
me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this
is the will of him that sent me, that every one which sees the Son, and believes
on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.”
(John 6:39-40 AKJV) “No man can come to me, except the Father which has sent me
draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the
prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that has
heard, and has learned of the Father, comes to me.” (John 6:44-45 AKJV) “He that
believes on the Son of God has the witness in himself: he that believes not God
has made him a liar; because he believes not the record that God gave of his
Son. And this is the record, that God has given to us eternal life, and this
life is in his Son. He that has the Son has life; and he that has not the Son of
God has not life.” (1 John 5:10-12 AKJV) “But some man will say, How are the
dead raised up? and with what body do they come? You fool, that which you sow is
not quickened, except it die: And that which you sow, you sow not that body that
shall be, but bore grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain: But
God gives it a body as it has pleased him, and to every seed his own body. ...
So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised
in incorruption: It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in
weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a
spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so
it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made
a quickening spirit. (1 Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-45 AKJV). “Not by works of
righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the
washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us
abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior; That being justified by his grace,
we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a
faithful saying, and these things I will that you affirm constantly, that they
which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things
are good and profitable to men.” (Titus 3:5-8 AKJV).
COMMENTS: Once we are born into the family of God, we have the certain and
unchangeable promise of resurrection with a new body that is not perishable as
is the physical body of the first birth. The natural body figuratively becomes
the seed which carries the living spirit until the mature spiritual body is
ready to be our habitation in eternity in the fullness of time as determined by
the Lord. Just as we believe that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, we
must demonstrate our full faith that because of his resurrection, we have every
confidence of our own resurrection. And again, our faithful demonstration of our
confidence in that promised resurrection is manifested in the good works that
the Spirit of God works in and through us. These thoughts are generally
summarized in the verses from Titus chapter 3 above. the Lord saves us by His
mercy not our own righteousness; we are washed of our sins and regenerated into
that new life; and we then give further glory to the Lord as we are careful to
maintain good works as the Holy Spirit works in us.
--- REFLECTIONS IN PRAYER ---
Lord, as I read through your conversation with Nicodemus, I am reminded of
the day you brought me to new birth as the previous scant knowledge of your Word
was made real in my life. From that point I began to develop more of a hunger to
eat of the bread of life from heaven that I might continue to grow in your
grace. Thank you Lord for the scripture, and other Christians around me, that
have made more sure my growth in this new birth. The pure milk of the Word is
the necessary element for early growth and development, so that as other "food"
becomes part of intake in the diet, there can be a discerning "taste" toward a
healthy growth in the Spirit, even as the old nature and the earthy body becomes
more frail until your perfect time for my completed redemption and resurrection.
I can joyfully say with Paul, “So when this corruptible shall have put on
incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be
brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O
death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?” And I want to
paraphrase the words of the apostle John as I close my prayer of thanksgiving to
you, my precious Savior. Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed on
me, that I should be called a son of God: therefore the world knows me not,
because it knew Jesus not. Now as I am a son of God, and it does not yet appear
what I shall be: but I know that, when He shall appear, I shall be like Him; for
I shall see Him as He is. And since I have this hope in Him, I want to
continually purify myself, even as He is pure. Help me Lord to honor you. Amen.
Published on MPNHome.net 23 May 2009
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