Author : Keith Sharp
A few years ago a young woman nearby contacted us about a home Bible study, but on one condition – I had to be a “born again Christian.” I honestly assured her I was, and we had a study.
She didn’t realize however that she was speaking redundantly. If one is a Christian, he has been born again, and if one is born anew he is a Christian. One might as well say a “saved Christian” or a “converted Christian” as to say a “born again Christian.” In the most complete inspired discussion of the new birth (John 3:1-10), the Master emphatically stated three times that one cannot enter the kingdom of heaven without being born again (John 3:3,5,7).
Years ago I heard a radio preacher speak on the new birth. He admitted at the outset of the program he did not understand how one is born anew. I wondered why he was preaching on a subject he admitted he didn’t understand. The Lord expected Nicodemus to understand the new birth (John 3:9-10). How much more does He expect us who have the benefit of New Testament teaching on the subject to compre-hend this vital subject?
Dear friend, “You must be born again.” (John 3:7) Thus, we inquire…
This man came to Jesus by night (verse 2). (The text doesn’t say why he came by night, so it is speculation to assert he was ashamed or afraid, though he may have been.) He was honest enough to confess that Jesus was a teacher from God as witnessed by the miracles the Lord performed (Ibid). This confession was good as far as it went, but it didn’t go far enough. Jesus is far more than a good man and a teacher of great truths. We must believe and confess that He is the Christ, the Son of God (Matthew 16:13-17; Romans 10:8-10).
The Master’s reply was shocking to this Jewish ruler. “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.'” Jesus emphatically declared to this highly respected teacher of Israel that, unless he underwent such a radical change that it could be called being “born again,” he wouldn’t even see the heavenly kingdom. The Master emphasized the importance of his statement by using the formula,“Most assuredly (“Truly, truly” – New American Standard), I say to you.” John records twenty-five times Jesus introduced an important statement with these very words. The apostle himself emphasizes the Master’s reply with the phrase “answered and said,” a formula the biographers of the Lord employ one hundred thirty-one times to set off important statements.
Doubtless this radical declaration was as shocking to Nicodemus as a bucket of cold water in the face. In reply to the verbal slap, the confused Pharisee asked two questions: “‘How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?'” In verses five through eight the Master answers these queries in order.
What is the part of water in the new birth? Some try to explain the water out of the new birth by contending it is a figure of the Holy Spirit. They give John 7:38-39 as proof, where the term “water” symbolizes the Holy Spirit. But this doesn’t fit. In the first place, we know “water” refers to the Holy Spirit in John 7:38-39 because John says so. Also, this would make Jesus’ statement in John 3:5 nonsense, “unless one is born of water (the Spirit) and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” Others contend “water” refers to our first, physical birth and “the Spirit” refers to the new birth. But Jesus is explaining the method of the new birth here. I hardly see why He would need to say one must be born physically, i.e., be a person, before he can be born again. Further, the Master used the term “blood” to symbolize the first, physical birth (John 1:12-13), not “water.”
When N.B. Hardeman was asked, “What is the ‘water’ of the new birth?”, he replied, “Buttermilk!” When the shocked inquirer asked why he believed this, brother Hardeman answered, “If it’s not water, you might as well make it anything you want.”
Water is essential to baptism “in the name of the Lord.” According to God’s mercy, He “saved us, through the washing of regeneration(“rebirth” – Arndt & Gingrich. 611) and renewing of the Holy Spirit.”(Titus 3:5) When we are washed in water, we are born anew.
But what is the part of “the Spirit” in our regeneration? To become“sons of God,” we must be “led by the Spirit of God.” (Romans 8:14). How does He lead us? When we obey “the truth through the Spirit,”we are “born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever.” (1 Peter 1:22-23).
The Holy Spirit revealed the word, the gospel (verse 25), which leads us to be born anew. Thus, we are “begotten … through the gospel.” (1 Corinthians 4:15) Those who, through faith in the gospel (Romans 10:17), “believe in His name” are given “the right to become children of God” and are “born … of God.” (John 1:12-13) “By (not “in”) the Spirit we are baptized into the one body” (1 Corinthians 12:13). When the Holy Spirit leads us through the gospel to believe in Christ and be baptized in water, we are born again and become sons of God in Christ (Galatians 3:26-27).
into His Mother’s Womb and Be Born?
Our inward man is cleansed by the blood of Christ of the pollution of sin (Hebrews 9:13-14), and we bring our minds and lives into conformity with the “righteousness and holiness” of God by repentance (Acts 3:19).
Thus, everyone who is born again is like the wind (verse 8). The wind is invisible and known only by its sound. The spirit of man is likewise invisible and reveals its thoughts through the sound of speech.
As the results of this spiritual renewal, we become new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). We become citizens of a spiritual kingdom (Romans 14:17). We become the sons and heirs of God (Galatians 3:26-27; Romans 8:16-17). Our inheritance is the“incorruptible and undefiled” home in heaven (1 Peter 1:3-5).
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Work Cited
W.F. Arndt and F.W. Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.
