YE MUST BE

The subject of the new birth or is one of great importance to any person who professes to be a believer in . I hope this can be long enough to cover the generality of the subject and yet short enough that folks will take the time to read it. This is not intended to be an exhaustive study of this subject, but merely an introduction to a subject well worth our time to study. Let us begin in the of John chapter 1:11-13. He came unto his own and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them he gave power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

This passage is commonly misused to suggest that simply receiving into your heart is how you are born again. Let’s examine the text carefully to see if that is what it teaches. The expression “even to them that believe on his name is in the present tense.” The phrase ”which were born” is in the past tense. Now comparing these two phrases, which happened first? It obviously is the one in the past tense, so the birth occurred before the believing. The believing did not enable one to be born again; it made manifest that he had been born. When did the believer become a son? It was at his birth, but the power to become the sons of God; is to become sons in a manifest sense. Notice the birth was clearly of God and only of God; as the text has ruled out any other source as it was not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man. Every place in the scripture the new birth is mentioned it is always from above and of God.

John 3:3-8 describes an encounter between Jesus and , a ruler of the Jews. Verse 3 Jesus said, “Verily, verily I say unto thee except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God,” Unless a person is born again he/she has no spiritual life thus no spiritual vision. This seeing is far greater than with your natural eyes. For a person to see the kingdom of God they must experience it. The king of glory, Jesus himself was on the earth for 33+ years and thousands saw him with their natural eyes; yet most did not see him as being King of Kings and Lord of Lords but simply as an illegitimate son of Joseph who claimed to be the son of God. Spiritual vision is only had by born again persons.

Verse 5: Verily, verily I say unto thee “Except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God”. This verse has many confused thinking that these are two separate births. The Greek word Kai was translated and. The word Kai can be translated and or even. The end conclusion is the same whether it is translated and or even. Recognizing that the translators had different options when the KJV was translated out of the original languages will be a great help when studying the scriptures. I Corinthians 15:24 the word is translated even. Ephesians 1:3 the word is translated and. Titus 3:5 the word is translated and. Although the word is translated differently the meaning is clear with no conflict in the scriptures. The Jews clearly understood that the water was referring to the spirit. See Ezekiel 36:25 and John 6:37 Many other scriptures could be cited to prove this. Simply put except a man be born of water even of the spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

Verse 6 Jesus answers Nicodemus according to his folly. In verse 4 Nicodemus supposed a man should enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born again. He is thinking only as a natural man thinks. Verse 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is spirit. In other words, if a man could be born again of his natural mother he would still be the same person and nature he was before. When one is born of the spirit he has a new nature and it is spiritual.

Psalms 51:5 David says, “Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me.” He was a sinner as both his mother and father were sinners by nature received from our father Adam. It is that old Adamic nature that prevents us from seeing anything of a spiritual nature.

Verse 8 The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but cannot tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth, so is everyone that is born of the Spirit. Nicodemus has the most shocking reply that really shows his lack of any spiritual judgment when he says, “How can these things be? If you didn’t catch that he does not know how the wind blows where it pleases. No man other than Christ has power to control the wind. The wind still blows where it pleases and you can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going. Matthew 8:26,27 When Christ spoke to the sea it there was a great calm and the disciples said, “ What manner of man is this that even the winds and the sea obey him!”

John 5:24 Verily, verily I say unto you “He that heareth my words and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life.” This man is presently in possession of everlasting or eternal life. It was given him with the new birth. Verse 25 tells us how he obtained this everlasting life. Verily, verily I say unto you the hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the son of God and they that hear shall live. This hearing is going on now and it will continue into the future. It will continue until the very last heir of grace has been quickened into everlasting spiritual life. It is all by the life giving voice of the son of God.

John6:37-40 All that the father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me, him I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the fathers will that sent me, that of all he hath given me I should lose nothing, but raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the son and believeth on him, may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day.

The question now is how do they come to him? The answer is found in John 6:44 “No man can come unto me except the father which hath sent me draw him and I will raise him up at the last day.

John 10:26-30 Jesus said, “Ye believe not because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you my sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto 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.

Verse 31 shows the typical result to this divine teaching. 31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.

The raising of Lazarus from the dead will help us understand the new birth and the proper place and use for . Notice Christ simply cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus come forth.” And Lazarus came forth and bound hand and foot with graveclothes and his face was bound with a napkin. He came forth by the power of the life giving voice of the Son of God. All who are born again are born by the life giving power of His voice.

After he was given life by the voice of Son of God, the Lord told the apostles “loose him and let him go.” It should not be any marvel to us that he gives life to the dead in trespasses and sin and will raise the bodies of those in the graves on resurrection day. The gospel is not to give life to the dead but to free the living.

No where in the scriptures does it set forth a how to guide for how to be born again. It does tell us how God’s children are born again. If we have been born again, we should seek to know how to live here and now to show forth our gratitude for what Christ has done for us on Calvary and in making us a new creature in Christ. II Corinthians 5:17.

I Peter 1:23 “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. The is not living and abiding for ever, neither is the preaching of the written word living and abiding for ever. They can both when indited by the convict the sinner of his ways, yet neither is living or life giving. When a new born infant cries out that does not give life but is evidence of life already present. All mankind by nature are born of Adam’s seed which is certainly corruptible and when sin is finished in these bodies it brings forth death. See Romans 5:12-21. John 1:1 clearly tells us who the living word is; it is none other than Jesus Christ the eternal son of God.

I John 5:1 Whosoever believeth the Jesus is the Christ is born of God. Note that this believing is not causative but evidence that the person has been born again. The text did not say whosoever will believe will be born again. In all cases believing is evidence that one is born again.

Being born again or the new birth is referred to by several terms, yet all of these terms have very common features. One of these expressions is circumcision. As you are all aware the first time that is mentioned in the scriptures is when was given the covenant of circumcision. Although this is mentioned several times in the , we will deal only with citations for this article. We are dealing with terms other than being born again that refer to the new birth. We will also note the similarities in these terms which draws us to the conclusion that the new birth is solely by the grace of God and without man’s means.

Romans 2:28,29 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew which is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. Notice that this is not in the flesh nor by the flesh but it is of the heart by the spirit.

Galatians 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but which worketh by love. The circumcision done by Christ produces faith and love in the individual who before only knew love for himself.

Galatians 6:15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything nor uncircumcision but a new creature.

Colossians 2:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ. Notice this work is done by Christ and not by any other.

The next expression used to describe being born again is that it is a creation. II Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

The next expression used is a quickening. This expression simply giving life to the dead. This is not giving natural life but giving spiritual life to one who has natural life but no spiritual life. Ephesians 2:1-3 And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in times past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath even as others. The next expression is translated. Colossians 1:12-14 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the in light; Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear son: In whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sin;

The next expression is that it is a calling. Romans 8:30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called; and whom he called them he also justified: and whom he justified them he also glorified. This calling is a call from a death in trespasses and sins to a life in Christ Jesus.

It is also called a resurrection or a rising. Colossians 3:1-3 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on th earth. For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God. Notice this man is dead and alive at the same time. He has been made dead to sin and alive to God. You say but does this man still sin? Yes he/she does but with they are no longer condemnation of sin in an eternal sense.

It is also called a crucifixion. Galatians 2:19-21 For I through the law and dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

It is also called a Washing of regeneration. Titus 3:3-6 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 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 Saviour;

In summary this is always a work that is done to hell deserving individuals by a gracious God who sent his only begotten to save by his personal sacrifice. The individuals are in all cases passive as the do not possess any spiritual life until it is given to them. It is important to always remember that when one is born again part of them is made new and part of them will not be made new until the resurrection morning. The part that is made new now has spiritual life whereby they can serve God and that part is passed from death unto life.

After this occurs in the child of God they should serve God with all their heart, and mind and they are not passive but active in this pursuit. May God help all of us to live lives that make manifest the life we have from God.