New Birth
Article #4 on Baptism
Are you born of water?
Most Christians in India will respond by giving the date of their baptism. Candidates for baptism are made to read John 3:5, where Jesus Christ said, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.” People are being told that they must be “born of water” through the sacrament of water baptism to enter into the Kingdom of God, and by way of water baptism they also hope to be “born of the Spirit” through receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit. However, I must warn you that this interpretation ignores the context of John 3:3-7.
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Nicodemus was confused about what Jesus Christ was saying in John 3:3. He thought that being born again is impossible because an old man like himself would have to go into “his mother’s womb” a second time for a physical rebirth (John 3:4). Nicodemus thought the 2nd birth had to be a redoing of the 1st birth while in adulthood. The Lord corrected this misunderstanding by saying, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.” (John 3:5), which means, “That which is born of flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit.” (John 3:6). The Jews commonly referred to physical birth as being “born of water” because babies are formed and carried in the water of their mother’s womb for 9 months, and upon delivery these babies are born in the breaking forth of this water. With this explanation, Nicodemus was no longer thinking that the 2nd birth is the redoing of the 1st birth. Nicodemus was understanding that a fleshly birth is very different than a Spiritual birth. This is the point of John 3:5-6.
born of waterof the Spirit
born of flesh is fleshborn of the Spirit isSpirit
This is called biblical parallelism. The 1st birth and the 2nd birth are being contrasted in two consecutive verses that are parallel. In context, to be “born of water” (vs. 5) is to be “born of the flesh” (vs. 6), and to be “born…of the Spirit” (vs. 5) is to be “born of the Spirit” (vs. 6). Through biblical parallelism, the statement, “born of water” (vs. 5), is being expanded and interpreted by the statement, “born of flesh” (vs. 6). Nicodemus could now see the difference between being born of flesh and born of the Spirit. He was astonished. It was then that Jesus Christ said to Nicodemus, “Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” (Jn. 3:7).
Are you born of the Spirit?
You may think that you are a Christian because you have been born into a Christian family. This may be especially tempting to you because your family name is respected. But all this means nothing in the sight of God, as it is written, “That no flesh should glory in His presence” (1 Cor. 1:29). The only way to become a son or daughter of God is to be born again.
the sons of Godbornnot of bloodnor of the will of the fleshnor of the will of manbut of God
You may have been born into a Christian family, but you must be born again to become a real Christian. Being spiritually reborn isn’t a birth “of blood” (Jn. 1:13). And you can’t decide to be born again whenever you want! It can’t be scheduled in advance. You can’t plan on it in the future. There is no program. You can’t control it! Being spiritually reborn isn’t “of the will of man” (Jn. 1:13). Only God can send the Holy Spirit into your body for a genuine and miraculous spiritual rebirth. This is how the apostle Paul described the new birth of the Galatians.
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The Holy Ghost is divinely sent from Heaven! Therefore, when it comes it is poured out from above and falls on sinners in an abundant shedding of divine glory by the power of the Holy Ghost (Acts 10:44-45, Titus 3:6). You have to experience it for yourself! Isn’t this what Jesus was talking about in John 3:11? But some people, like Nicodemus, find this very difficult to understand, so our Lord provided a helpful illustration in John 3:8-10.
windso is every one that is born of the SpiritHow can these things be?Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
No one can tell who is or isn’t going to be born again, because it is a divine operation that is comparable to the blowing of the wind. It is an unstoppable and unpredictable invasion of Heaven into the body and soul of mankind, where individual people are becoming the Temple of God (Lk. 17:21, 1 Cor. 6:19-20). It can be observed when it happens, even as we hear and feel the wind blowing upon us, but we cannot schedule when or where it is going to happen, or with whom, and we cannot make a program about when it is going to happen next. God decides! The divine work of “heavenly things” is far above us and beyond our control (Jn. 3:12). Unfortunately, Nicodemus responded to this by saying, “How can these things be?” (John 3:9).
Nicodemus was still confused even though he was a Pastor and a ruler of the people of God. Many Pastors in India are in the same situation. Not even Servants of God can control who will be born again. Neither can they schedule when people are going to get born again. One fine day, the apostle Peter was invited to the household of Cornelius. It was full of guests who were eagerly waiting to hear the word of God. Not even Peter knew what was about to happen! “While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.” (Acts 10:44). Peter started preaching and suddenly the wind started blowing, and then everyone in the household was miraculously and instantaneously born again in a mighty baptism of the Holy Ghost, without anyone receiving water baptism, because as they heard the word they were repenting and believing in the Gospel (Acts 10:44-48, 11:14-18).
When the Spirit of God is blowing like wind an operation of infinite power is at work in real time. You can see this all throughout biblical history, starting in Genesis. The Spirit of God was blowing upon the face of the waters at the beginning of the world and thus began 6 days of divine miracles during creation week (Gen. 1:2).
And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters
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The angels of God shouted with joy to behold it! The Spirit of God was sent forth, and things are being “created” and “renewed” according to the will of God (Ps. 104:30). This is the work of our Creator that He performs upon creation. And the same divine acts are performed when the Spirit of God blows like wind upon sinners.
newcreatureold thingsall thingsnew
Sinners being reborn into saints is a genuine act of divine creation. The creature is immediately and instantaneously changed by miraculous power! The creature cannot dictate to the Creator when and if this happens in real time. Miracles require God to act! Neither can a dead person decide to wake up and climb out of his own grave. Sinners are spiritually dead in their trespasses and sins, and only God can bring them to life, even as revealed to the prophet Ezekiel.
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This is a mighty miracle that needs no explanation. Sinners being born again requires the same miracle because sin brings death spiritually, physically, and eternally (James 1:15, Rom. 5:12-14, 6:21, 7:5, 10-11, Rev. 21:8). “For to be carnally minded is death” (Rom. 8:6). Paul is speaking about a spiritual death, which means, sinners are spiritually dead to God and alive in sin. Salvation is the exact opposite: to be dead to sin and alive in God. “How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” (Rom. 6:2). This is a total transformation! And only God can make dead men live.
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A spiritual resurrection from the dead is a new birth. Your life has changed! It is called, “newness of life” (Rom. 6:4). In the spiritual realm, it is called, “newness of spirit” (Rom. 7:6). You are “renewed” (Ps. 51:10, Col. 3:10, Eph. 4:23). You become a “new man” (Eph. 2:15, 4:24, Col. 3:10). You are given a new nature that naturally and habitually obeys the commandments of God, called, “the divine nature” (2 Pet. 1:3, Rom. 2:14, 27). Essentially, this can be described as a “new heart” and a “new spirit” (Ezek. 36:26-27). You don’t need to go anywhere to get it.
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You can be born again on the dirt floor of your house, provided you are repenting and believing in the Gospel. You don’t need to do anything! You don’t need to give God anything, except yourself. God will descend the heavens to come and spiritually baptize you with the Holy Ghost like Cornelius, and you will never be the same.
