All of what Jesus says to Nicodemus in John 3 proves that the new birth is miraculous, instantaneous, supernatural, and transformational - nothing short of a new birth.
Most Christians in India will respond by giving the date of their baptism. Candidates for baptism are made to read 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 ofGod, 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
“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into hismother'swomb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of waterand of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which isborn of the flesh is flesh; and that which isborn of the Spirit isSpirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must beborn again.”
— John 3:3-7
Nicodemus was confused about what Jesus Christ was saying in 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 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.” which means, “That which is born of flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit.” 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
“Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit…”
— John 3:5
“That which is born of flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit isSpirit.”
— John 3:6
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.”
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” The only way to become a son or daughter of God is to be born again.
“But as many as received Him, to them gave He 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.”
— John 1:12-13
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” 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” 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.
“And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.”
— Galatians 4:6
The Holy Ghost is divinely sent from Heaven! Therefore, when it comes it is poured out from above and fallson sinners in an abundantshedding of divine glory by the power of the Holy Ghost You have to experience it for yourself! Isn’tthis what Jesus was talking about in But some people, like Nicodemus, find this very difficult to understand, so our Lord provided a helpful illustration in
“The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?”
— John 3:8-10
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 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 Unfortunately, Nicodemus responded to this by saying, “How can these things be?”
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.” Peter started preaching and suddenly thewind 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
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
“And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”
— Gen. 1:2
“Thou sendest forth thy Spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.”
— Ps. 104:30
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 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.
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a newcreature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
— 2 Cor. 5:17
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.
“Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord God; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.”
— Ezekiel 37:9-10
This is a mighty miracle that needs no explanation. Sinners being born again requires the same miracle because sin brings deathspiritually, physically, and eternally "For to be carnally minded is death" Paul is speaking about a spiritualdeath, which means, sinners are spirituallydead 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?" This is a total transformation! And only God can make dead men live.
“And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;”
— Col. 2:13
“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time 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 all 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.”
— Eph. 2:1-3
A spiritual resurrection from the dead is a new birth. Your life has changed! It is called, “newness of life” In the spiritual realm, it is called, “newness of spirit” You are “renewed” You become a “new man” You are given a new nature that naturally and habitually obeys the commandments of God, called, “the divine nature” Essentially, this can be described as a “newheart” and a “new spirit” You don’t need to go anywhere to get it.
“For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”
— Isa. 57:15
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 spirituallybaptize you with the Holy Ghost like Cornelius, and you will never be the same.
This moment in biblical history serves as a warning to everyone. Not everyone who is baptized is saved because baptism is not equal to salvation. The water of baptism cannot save you.
The necessity of a spiritual new birth for salvation is manifest in the biblical history of the O.T. through the families of Adam, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Being born again is the only path to being truly
Jewish / Christian.
Peter and Paul's doctrine on water baptism proves that it is physical demonstration of a spiritual reality in which converting people are personally joined to and saved by the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
A superstitious and ritualistic approach to water baptism in which people are putting their faith in the water and thus believing themselves to be born of water.
Most people think that if you are sorry for your sins and you confess them to God, then you have certainly repented of your sins. However, according to the Bible, confession is not the same thing as repentance.
Most people think that if you have confessed your sins to God, then you have certainly repented of your sins. However, according to the Bible, confession is not the same thing as repentance.
The O.T. officially transitioned into the N.T. at the commencement of the reign of the Man, Jesus Christ, when he took the Throne of Heaven and made it the Davidic Throne, and thus became the King of the World. This event had to be
commemorated with the proclamation of the King in every language.
