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In the secrecy
of night, a ruler of the Jews sought Jesus. That Pharisee
acknowledged that he and his peers knew Christ was a teacher
come from God. Yet the sincere Nicodemus, and many others
to this day, have failed to comprehend Christ’s reply:
Jesus answered
and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless
one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3)
Later, the
apostle Peter, speaking to motivate converted Christians,
said, "You have been born again." (1 Peter 1:23)
Heated controversy
over this "born again" concept has divided members
of Christ's Body. Although many contend that temporal human
Christians are "born again," some have decried such
teaching as heresy. Why?
Of what is
Christ speaking, when He asserts that one must be “born again”
to see the kingdom of
God? What
does Peter intend, assuring Christians that they “have been
born again”? Does Peter mean what he appears to say, or might
there be a hidden gem of truth?
Further,
when are Christians reborn? Is it along with baptism? Is
it at the resurrection to immortality?[1]
Most importantly, what are the results of our "rebirth,"
and how does all of this impact our everyday living?
Why Does it Matter?
To begin,
why is it important for us to gain an understanding of being
“born again”? Why does it matter?
First, it
is crucial that we exercise diligence in regard to the content
of the Bible, so that we are, as Paul wrote to Timothy, “accurately
handling the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15) As we will
see, a major truth pertaining to our lives, our hope, and
the Gospel itself, is held within Jesus’ reply to Nicodemus.
We dare not miss what Christ said. We dare not teach others
error regarding what He taught.
Additionally,
among the many who assert that they are now “born again,”
a number believe that Christians are guaranteed an eternity
of bliss, regardless of their conduct, by virtue of being
“born again” – or, as it is sometimes rendered, “born from
above.“ This has been called the “once saved, always saved”
philosophy. Those of this persuasion generally presume: (1)
that they are “saved” by professing to “accept Christ,” (2)
that they are thus “born again,” and (3) that their salvation
is thereby inalterably ensured.
Yet are these
presumptions Scripturally supportable? Are they correct?
If not, literally millions are banking
eternity on an empty and worthless premise.
On the other
hand, what of those who contend that Christians are not actually
“born again”
in this human life – that instead, Christians are “begotten”
spiritual embryos, awaiting rebirth at the resurrection to
immortality?
Are these
presumptions Scripturally supportable? Are they correct?
If not, for many of this persuasion, spiritual growth
is stifled by failure to grasp the contrast and the productivity
of “newness of life.”
Thus, “born
again” is indeed a vital concept for all of us as Christians
to properly understand. Let’s examine the Word of Almighty
God for that understanding.
Once Saved, Always Saved?
In
proceeding, it will be beneficial first to resolve a basic
element of this discussion, establishing whether or not we
as Christians enjoy any guarantee of salvation. (To
examine all of what God requires in order for a person to
become a “believer” – to become a Christian
– goes beyond the scope of this particular study.)
What then,
is the truth regarding the “once, saved, always saved” hypothesis?
According to Scripture, is it fact, or is it fallacy?
From the
words of the apostle Paul, many have assumed that salvation
is automatic to the believer. Primary passages construed
as supporting this dogma include:
And he called
for lights and rushed in and, trembling with fear, he fell
down before Paul and Silas, and after he brought them out,
he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said,
“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and
your household.” (Acts 16:29)
… if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe
in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall
be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness,
and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.
(Romans 10: 9-10)
However,
as we shall see, those who hold to the belief that becoming
a Christian guarantees eternal salvation have failed to take
adequately into account other passages of Scripture, such
as the following – the latter of which is also from the apostle
Paul:
For in the
case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted
of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy
Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and
the powers of the age to come, and then have
fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance,
since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and
put Him to open shame. (Hebrews 6:4-6)
And everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control
in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath,
but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as
not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air;
but I buffet my body and make it my slave, lest possibly,
after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.
(1 Corinthians 9:25-27)
These and
other verses incontrovertibly establish that it is
possible for a person to become a Christian, with God’s Holy
Spirit; and then subsequently, to “fall away” – to
lose God’s Spirit through disobedience, becoming ineligible
to receive God’s gracious gift of eternal life.
Christ makes
clear that many who believe themselves to be Christians will
be shocked to find that they are given no part in His Kingdom:
"Not
everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom
of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in
heaven will enter. "Many will say to Me on that
day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in
Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?'
"And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew
you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'
(Matthew 7:21-23)
"Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart
from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been
prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and
you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me
nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite
Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison,
and you did not visit Me.' "Then they themselves also
will answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, or
thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and
did not take care of You?' (Matthew 25:41-44)
Hence, we
have confirmed that becoming a Christian – receiving
God’s Spirit – does not, of itself, ensure our eternal salvation.
Now we are ready to begin exploring the question of when
a Christian is “born again.” First, let’s take a glimpse
into the future.
A Future Rebirth?
Seldom understood
is the rebirth in which Jesus has preceded all Christians.
Yet it is by virtue of this rebirth that the Bible calls Christ
the “firstborn”:
For He rescued
us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the
kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption,
the forgiveness of sins. And He is the image of the
invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. (Colossians
1:13-15)
Many presume
that no future rebirth awaits those who are already Christians
-- those who already have God’s Spirit. However, if
being born again through the word of God and by the receipt
of God’s Holy Spirit (usually in concert with baptism) constitutes
the only rebirth of Scripture, how then could Jesus
possibly be “the firstborn”?
For we find
that there were numerous individuals during the Old Testament
period who had God’s Holy Spirit – people who had God’s Spirit,
well before the time of Christ. This is made clear by Scriptures
which make that statement; for example, in regard to King
David, we find:
Then Samuel
took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his
brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David
from that day forward. And Samuel arose and went to Ramah.
(1Samuel 16:13)
We see further
evidence of this fact in David’s prayer of repentance in Psalms
51, where he begs God, “Do not take Thy Holy Spirit from me.”
Other references
to God’s servants receiving the Holy Spirit prior to the time
of Christ include:
So the LORD
said to Moses, "Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in
whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him; (Numbers 27:18)
So the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon; and he blew a
trumpet, and the Abiezrites were called together to follow
him. (Judges 6:34)
When he [Samson] came to Lehi, the Philistines shouted as
they met him. And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him mightily
so that the ropes that were on his arms were as flax that
is burned with fire, and his bonds dropped from his hands.
(Judges 15:14)
Now the Spirit of the LORD
came upon Jephthah, so that he passed through Gilead and Manasseh;
then he passed through Mizpah of Gilead, and from Mizpah of
Gilead he went on to the sons of Ammon. (Judges 11:29)
"However, Thou didst bear with them for many years, And
admonished them by Thy Spirit through Thy prophets, Yet they
would not give ear. Therefore Thou didst give them into the
hand of the peoples of the lands. (Nehemiah 9:30)
And as He spoke to me the Spirit entered me and set me on
my feet; and I heard Him speaking to me. (Ezekiel 1:2)
On the other hand I am filled with power-- With the Spirit
of the LORD-- And with justice and courage To make known to
Jacob his rebellious act, Even to Israel his
sin. (Micah 3:8)
We should
particularly note what Scripture says of Moses:
And the
LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him [Moses], and
took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the
seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit
rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease. (Numbers
11:25 KJV)
By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called
the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to endure ill-treatment
with the people of God, than to enjoy the passing pleasures
of sin; considering the reproach of Christ greater riches
than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.
(Hebrews 11:24-26)
What is it
that we have just read? What is the Word of God saying here?
"... the reproach of Christ ..." Not only did Moses
have God’s Holy Spirit – Moses was a Christian,
well before the time of Christ! Obviously, from Chapter 11
of Hebrews and from various prophecies, other Old Testament
men and women also will be in the Kingdom of God.
Clearly,
these faithful servants – Moses, Ezekiel, Abraham, David,
and others – were filled with God’s Holy Spirit.
Yet Jesus Christ is “the firstborn among many brethren.”
What then,
is that rebirth in which Jesus has preceded all Christians?
It is the
resurrection to immortality:
For as in
Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.
But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after
that those who are Christ's at His coming. (1 Corinthians
15:22-23)
He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning,
the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will
come to have first place in everything. (Colossians 1:18)
And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first-born
of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.
To Him who loves us, and released us from our sins by His
blood, and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His
God and Father; to Him be the glory and the dominion forever
and ever. Amen. (Revelation 1: 5-6)
Jesus Christ
is called the “firstborn from the dead.” As we have seen,
He is the first to be resurrected in fullness of glory – in
the image of Almighty God:
For those
whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed
to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn
among many brethren; and these whom He predestined,
He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified;
and these whom He justified, He also glorified. (Romans 8:29-30)
The
fact that Christ is the “firstborn among many brethren” is
crucial to our understanding that there is a birth yet to
occur – a magnificent future rebirth which we will not experience
until we are
resurrected to immortality.
Christ alluded
to this rebirth, speaking to the twelve apostles of their
role in His Kingdom. Here we find that the word translated
“regeneration” is the Greek paliggenesia, meaning “new
birth,” from its two parts: palin – “again,” and genesis
– “birth”:[2]
And Jesus
said to them, "Truly I say to you, that you who have
followed Me, in the regeneration [paliggenesia] when
the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall
sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or
father or mother or children or farms for My name's sake,
shall receive many times as much, and shall inherit eternal
life. (Matthew 19:28-29)
Paul describes
this marvelous future event as it pertains to all of us, in
his first epistle to the Corinthians:
For as in
Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.
But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after
that those who are Christ's at His coming. (1 Corinthians
15:22-23)
The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is
from heaven. As is the earthy, so also are those who
are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who
are heavenly. Just as we have borne the image of
the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly.
Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit
the kingdom
of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all
sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment,
in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet
will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and
we will be changed. For this perishable must
put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.
(1 Corinthians 15:47-53)
As we see
in the verses above, our future rebirth will be a complete
and wonderful change – from physical composition to spiritual
composition, from temporal human life to eternal spirit life.
We have definitively
demonstrated that there is a future rebirth. However,
is that the only rebirth for Christians?
Begotten, But Not Yet Born?
Returning
to our present temporal existence, it is appropriate at this
juncture to investigate the idea that Christians, as human
beings, are begotten of God, but not yet born. Those who promote
this view often compare gestation – the period of time between
physical human conception and birth – to the interim between
our receipt of God’s Holy Spirit and our future rebirth as
immortal spirit beings in the resurrection.
Indeed, the
suggestion that the Scriptural “born again,” as used of temporal
human Christians, refers to a “fetal” spiritual state, presents
a fascinating analogy – one which has been expanded and expounded
upon at length. However, we cannot and we must not establish
doctrine merely by human analogies. We must carefully
examine the Word of God to see what God teaches, and then
utilize any analogy only if it agrees with Scripture.
Is this “begotten,
but not yet born” analogy Biblically valid?
In considering
this question, it is helpful to begin with an examination
of the pertinent Greek terms used in Scripture.
The two Greek
words most basic to our evaluation are the words gennaw
(gennao), translated “born”; and anwthen (anothen),
translated “again.”
The word
“born” is translated from the Greek word gennaw, which
means “to beget, to bring forth”:
G1080. gennaw,
from genna (descent, birth); to beget, to bring
forth:-- [translated in Scripture as] bear(1), bearing children(1), became the father(3),
begotten(4), bore(1), born(59), brought forth(1), conceived(1),
Father(m)(1), gives birth(1), offspring(m)(1), produce(1).[3]
Some argue
that gennaw signifies only begettal or conception,
not birth. Does Scripture ever use gennaw in reference
to an unborn child?
But when
he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared
to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do
not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who
has been conceived [gennaw] in her is of the
Holy Spirit. (Matthew 1:20)
This verse
does use gennaw to refer to the generation of a child
who is still in the womb. There are three other references
to Christ, all quoted from Psalms 2:7, which might reflect
a similar usage of gennaw:
"I
will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to
Me, 'Thou art My Son, Today I have begotten Thee. (Psalm
2:7; quoted of Christ, in Acts 13:33
and in Hebrews 1:5; 5:5.)
Do
these verses refer to the moment at which God made Christ
a human baby in the womb of Mary? The two references in Hebrews
do not offer sufficient information for certainty. The context
of the passage in Acts, however, is quite revealing:
"Brethren,
sons of Abraham's family, and those among you who fear God,
to us the word of this salvation is sent out. "For those
who live in Jerusalem, and their rulers, recognizing neither
Him nor the utterances of the prophets which are read every
Sabbath, fulfilled these by condemning Him. "And though
they found no ground for putting Him to death, they asked
Pilate that He be executed. "And when they had carried
out all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down
from the cross and laid Him in a tomb. "But God raised
Him from the dead; and for many days He appeared to those
who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, the very ones
who are now His witnesses to the people. "And we preach
to you the good news of the promise made to the fathers, that
God has fulfilled this promise to our children in that He
raised up Jesus, as it is also written in the second Psalm,
'THOU ART MY SON; TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN [gennaw] THEE.'
"And as for the fact that He raised Him up from the
dead, no more to return to decay, He has spoken in this
way: 'I WILL GIVE YOU THE HOLY and SURE blessings OF DAVID.'
"Therefore He also says in another Psalm, 'THOU WILT
NOT ALLOW THY HOLY ONE TO UNDERGO DECAY.' "For David,
after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation,
fell asleep, and was laid among his fathers, and underwent
decay; but He whom God raised did not undergo decay. "Therefore
let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness
of sins is proclaimed to you, and through Him everyone who
believes is freed from all things, from which you could not
be freed through the Law of Moses. (Acts 13:26-39)
Clearly, in the
context provided by Scripture in the above passage, Christ
was born (or begotten) by the Father after His death, at His
resurrection to glory!
That being
said, we should note that Matthew 1:20, quoted above, is the
only verse that distinctly refers to the generation
of a child prior to his/her birth, using the term gennaw.
All other uses of gennaw either refer to giving birth
or to having been born, or can be naturally read as such.
Let’s notice just a few examples:
Now after
Jesus was born [gennaw] in Bethlehem of Judea
in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived
in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He
who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in
the east and have come to worship Him.” (Matthew 2:1-2)
(We know
that Jesus was not conceived in Bethlehem. He was born in Bethlehem.)
Now the
time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she brought forth [gennaw]
a son. (Luke 1:57)
"Whenever a woman is in travail she has sorrow, because
her hour has come; but when she gives birth [gennaw]
to the child, she remembers the anguish no more, for joy that
a child has been born [gennaw] into the world.
(John 16:21)
Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born [gennaw]
of God; and whoever loves the Father loves the child born
[gennaw] of Him. (1 John 5:1)
"I am a Jew, born [gennaw] in Tarsus of Cilicia,
but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel, strictly
according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God,
just as you all are today. (Acts 22:3)
And not only this, but there was Rebekah also, when she had
conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac; for
though the twins were not yet born [gennaw]
and had not done anything good or bad, so that God's purpose
according to His choice would stand, not because of
works but because of Him who calls, it was said to
her, "THE OLDER WILL SERVE THE YOUNGER." (Romans
9:10-12)
By faith Moses, when he was born [gennaw], was
hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he
was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king's
edict. (Hebrews 11:23)
Hence, while
Scripture may use gennaw in a few instances
in connection with the generation of a child prior to birth,
the overwhelming weight of the usage of gennaw
and its derivatives elsewhere in Scripture supports the understanding
that this Greek word does not refer exclusively
to the moment of conception – nor does it necessarily limit
the male role to the moment of conception.
For a fuller
understanding in this latter regard, it may be helpful to
consider an additional separate, but applicable principle
given elsewhere in Scripture.
The Father
is the supreme God (John 8:28-29, etc.). Christ differentiates
himself from the Father (Matthew 23:9-10). The Father is
credited with the creation of the earth (Malachi 1:6; 2:10).
Yet we learn from the first chapter of the book of John, and
from Colossians, that the creation was actually carried out
– was performed – by the actions of Jesus Christ:
Giving thanks
to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance
of the saints in light. For He delivered us from the domain
of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved
Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
And He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of
all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in
the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones
or dominions or rulers or authorities-- all things have been
created by Him and for Him. (Colossians 1:12-16)
The creation
is attributed to the Father; yet the creation was performed
by Jesus Christ at the Father’s behest. Similarly, by ancient
custom, the birth of a child, although performed by the wife,
may be attributed to the husband.
Proceeding
now to the second word of the Biblical phrase “born again”
– “again” is translated from the Greek term anwthen,
which most literally means “from above.” (Anagennaw,
the compound of gennaw and anwthen, is also
rendered “born again.”) Based upon its usage in Scripture,
we see that anwthen conveys the senses of “anew”, “again,”
“top,” or “beginning”:
G509. anwthen,
from G507; from above:-- [translated
in Scripture as] again(m)(2),
all over(1), beginning(1), from above(5), from the long time(1),
top(2).[4]
There has
been much debate about this word, in regard to whether it
should be properly translated “again” or “from above.” However,
in practical fact, there is little or no profit in that argument.
What if the technical meaning of the word is “from above”?
If previously, we were not “born (or begotten) from
above,” and subsequently we become so, then nevertheless,
we are (or will be) “born (or begotten) again.”
Where does
this leave us? Does the Scriptural “born again,” as used
of temporal human Christians, limit us to a fetal stage of
embryonic spirituality? From what we have learned to this
point, such a state would seem unlikely.
Then, are
we children of God, who already have been born? Can we know
for sure? Yes. Scripture provides us with the context to
conclusively resolve this question.
The Present Rebirth
One
of the most compelling passages of Scripture, proving that
there is a present and actual rebirth for temporal human Christians,
is found in the writings of the renowned apostle Peter:
Since you
have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere
love of the brethren,
fervently love one another from the heart, {chapter one, verse
23} for you have been born again [anagennaw]
not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is,
through the living and abiding word of God. For, “ALL FLESH
IS LIKE GRASS, AND ALL ITS GLORY LIKE THE FLOWER OF GRASS.
THE GRASS WITHERS, AND THE FLOWER FALLS OFF, BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ABIDES FOREVER.” And
this is the word which was preached to you. Therefore, putting
aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisy and envy and
all slander, like newborn babes [artigennaytos],
long for the pure milk of the word, that by
it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted
the kindness of the Lord. (1 Peter 1:22 – 2:3)
The King
James Version renders the reference to rebirth in chapter
one, verse 23, somewhat ambivalently: “being born again…”
On the face of it, this imprecise KJV phraseology might or
might not represent an already accomplished status – “being
[that you are] born again…” Consequently, some have tried
to construct an argument, contending that to be “born again”
is an ongoing “fetal” process for Christians, rather than
an already accomplished rebirth event. However, with almost
one voice, the other major Bible translations reflect the
verb in the present perfect tense here: “have been born...”
Further,
Peter refers to “newborn babes” who “long for the milk
of the word.”
Despite all
appearances to the contrary, is there a chance that this might
yet refer to newly conceived embryos, still within the womb,
figuratively longing for milk, to which they do not yet have
access?
Definitely
not. We are told here that “the word [of God]” is the “milk”
for which these babes long. Embryos within the womb do not
have access to milk.
In Scripture,
do we find God’s word denied to baptized Christians? Do we
have to wait until the resurrection to be nourished by the
word of God?
Quite to
the contrary. In this passage, Peter affirms for us that
it is “through the living and abiding word of God”
that we “have been born again” (1 Peter 1:23).
He emphasizes that we need that “pure milk of the word” in
order to grow with respect to salvation. Jesus Christ reiterated
that “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word
that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4)
Thus, Peter’s
reference to “newborn babes” who “long for the milk of the
word” establishes conclusively that he is speaking of Christians
as suckling infants – clearly and irrefutably, those who are
already born!
With these
clarifications, we are positioned to grasp Peter’s statement
earlier in chapter one:
Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according
to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living
hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled
and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, (1 Peter
1:3-4)
As Christians,
we are born again now. Born-again Christians are heirs to
a living hope of what will be a future glorious rebirth at
the resurrection to immortality, when we receive the imperishable
eternal inheritance which is now reserved in heaven for us.
The apostle Paul adds to this thought in the book of Romans:
The Spirit
itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children
of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs
with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may
be also glorified together. (Romans 8:16-17, KJV)
Using the
variant of gennaw, paliggenesia [“new birth”
or “again birth”], Paul expands our understanding of the Christian
rebirth which occurs proximate to our baptism:
For we also
once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved
to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice
and envy, hateful, hating one another. But when the kindness
of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved
us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness,
but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration
[paliggenesia] and renewing by the Holy Spirit,
(Titus 3:3-5)
Important
to note here, is that our renewing is by the indwelling of
God’s Holy Spirit in us. It is the Holy Spirit which empowers us to repent
and to continue desisting from enslavement to the works of
the flesh (Galatians 5:16-26). Acts 2:38 confirms the connection of these new-birth events with
baptism:
And Peter
said to them, "Repent, and let each of you be baptized
in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins;
and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
(Acts 2:38)
Hence, we
have seen a direct association with the present Christian
rebirth and the ritual of baptism. Is baptism that rebirth?
Despite the
very close association, baptism does not equate with
being born again. However, baptism is a prerequisite
for Christian rebirth. What exactly does baptism picture?
Baptism – From Burial to Resurrection
The apostle
Paul, referring to our future rebirth at the resurrection,
provides a principle which applies also to the present
Christian rebirth. The principle is this: rebirth is
preceded by death:
You
fool! That which you sow does not come to life unless it dies;
and that which you sow, you do not sow the body which is to
be, but a bare grain, perhaps of wheat or of something else.
(1 Corinthians 15:36-37)
Accordingly,
we will see that baptism equates most precisely to death.
Through the ceremony of baptism, we share in the death of
Christ:
Or do
you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ
Jesus have been baptized into His death?
Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism
into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead
through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness
of life. For if we have become united with Him in
the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in
the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our
old self was crucified with Him, that our body of sin might
be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves
to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin, (Romans 6:3-7)
For in Him all the fulness of Deity dwells in bodily form,
and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head
over all rule and authority; and
in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made
without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by
the circumcision of Christ; having been buried with Him
in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him
through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the
dead. (Colossians 2:9-12)
"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is
no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life
which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of
God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me. (Galatians
2:20)
Therefore,
in the most precise terms, to go under the waters of baptism
represents a death for us. Nonetheless, it is crucial to
note that the “death” of baptism is inextricably linked
with our rebirth. As we have already seen in the book of
Titus, Paul alludes to baptism as “the washing of regeneration”
[new birth]. Jesus stated that one of the prerequisites for
entry into the Kingdom of God is to be "born [gennaw] of water” (John
3:5). How is this? Let’s look again at some of the verses
cited earlier, with this question in mind:
Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according
to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to
a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ
from the dead, (1 Peter 1:3)
Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism
into death, in order that as Christ was raised from
the dead through the glory of the Father, so
we too might walk in newness of life. For if we
have become united with Him in the likeness of His death,
certainly we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection,
(Romans 6:4-5)
Having been buried with
Him in baptism,
in which you were also raised up with Him through
faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
(Colossians 2:12)
Thus, we see that while
being under the baptismal waters is a death, to come up
out of the baptismal waters typifies resurrection, rebirth,
and as we see below, salvation:
For Christ
also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust,
in order that He might bring us to God, having been put to
death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; in which
also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison,
who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting
in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in
which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through
the water. And corresponding to that, baptism now saves
you -- not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal
to God for a good conscience -- through the resurrection of
Jesus Christ, (1 Peter 3:18-21)
A New Creation
Indeed, as
Paul exults, “if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature;
the old things passed away; behold, new things have come”
(2 Corinthians 5:17).
Paul underscores this concept to the Galatians:
But may
it never be that I should boast, except in the cross of our
Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified
to me, and I to the world. For neither is circumcision anything,
nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. And those who
will walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and
upon the Israel of God. (Galatians 6:14-16)
How exhilarating
to be a new creature! How sobering. What does this new life
as God’s children entail for each one of us personally? What
does God expect of us – Christians, who are born again? Here
is a sampling:
Do not lie
to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its
evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being
renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the
One who created him (Colossians 3:9-10)
Therefore, gird your minds for action, keep sober in spirit,
fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you
at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do
not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your
ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves
also in all your behavior; because it is written, "YOU
SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY." And if you address as
Father the One who impartially judges according to each man's
work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay
upon earth; knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable
things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited
from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb
unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. For He was
foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared
in these last times for the sake of you who through Him are
believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him
glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. Since you
have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere
love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the
heart, for you have been born again not of seed which is
perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and
abiding word of God. For, "ALL FLESH IS LIKE GRASS,
AND ALL ITS GLORY LIKE THE FLOWER OF GRASS. THE GRASS WITHERS,
AND THE FLOWER FALLS OFF, BUT
THE WORD OF THE LORD ABIDES FOREVER." And this is the
word which was preached to you. Therefore, putting aside all
malice and all guile and hypocrisy and envy and all slander,
like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word, that
by it you may grow in respect to salvation, (1 Peter 1:13-25;
2:1-2)
In connection
with the above passage, it is important to remember that as
human beings, we are not yet eternal. As Peter attests
here, it is the seed – the word of God – which is imperishable,
eternal. God and His word abide forever. By His grace, God
bestows the gift of immortality upon us only if we
“by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and
immortality, eternal life” (Romans 2:7). Continuing on:
Therefore
be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk
in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up
for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.
But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even
be named among you, as is proper among saints; and
there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse
jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.
For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure
person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance
in the kingdom of Christ and God. (Ephesians 5:1-5)
Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that
you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children
of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse
generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world,
(Philippians 2:14-15)
Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to
God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your
mortal body that you should obey its lusts, and do not go
on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments
of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those
alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness
to God. (Romans 6:11-13)
This sampling
of Biblical passages begins to give us an idea of the magnitude
of the change which takes place within us when we are born
again, and the weight of personal responsibility which we
bear to live each and every moment of our lives “as instruments
of righteousness to God.”
The writings
of the apostle John offer additional insights into Christian
rebirth. Let’s return to John’s account of the exchange between
Jesus and the sincere Pharisee, Nicodemus.
Nicodemus’ Question
Genuinely
befuddled, Nicodemus quizzed Jesus, "How can a man be
born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his
mother's womb and be born, can he?"
What prompted
Nicodemus’ question?
Now
there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler
of the Jews; this man came to Jesus by night and said
to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as
a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless
God is with him." Jesus answered and said to him,
"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born
again [gennaw anwthen] he cannot see the
kingdom
of God." (John 3:1-3)
If we want
to see the Kingdom of
God, we must
be born again.
Nicodemus
said to Him, "How can a man be born [gennaw]
when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother's
womb and be born [gennaw], can he?" (John
3:4)
Often in
questions involving a single word or a single verse, reading
the context helps us to understand. What did Nicodemus think
Jesus had said?
As is obvious,
Nicodemus presumed that Christ was speaking of a second physical
birth. He didn’t hear or comprehend that Christ meant that
one must undergo any sort of spiritual event. Thinking that
Jesus meant that one has to experience a second physical birth,
he wondered aloud, “How could this be? How could this happen?”
Jesus goes
on to explain:
Jesus answered,
"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born
[gennaw] of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into
the kingdom of God. (John
3:5)
Again, Christ
emphasizes that we can neither see nor enter the Kingdom of God unless we are “born again” – “born of water and the
Spirit.”
How and when
are we born of water and the Spirit?
Of course,
as we have already discussed from the book of Titus, the immediate
sense in which we are born of water and the Spirit is through
the receipt of the Holy Spirit [by the laying on of hands
(Acts 8:17-18)], as we come up out of the waters of baptism.
This analogy is expanded for us with slightly different terminology
in the book of Galatians:
For it is
written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman and
one by the free woman. But the son by the bondwoman was born
according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through
the promise ….. And you brethren, like Isaac, are children
of promise. But as at that time he who was born according
to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to
the Spirit, so it is now also. (Galatians
4:22-23, 28-29)
However,
in the exchange with Nicodemus, Jesus isn’t finished yet:
"That
which is born [gennaw] of the flesh is flesh,
and that which is born [gennaw] of the Spirit
is spirit. (John 3:6)
Our rebirth
by the receipt of the Holy Spirit is absolutely a crucial
and valid part of the picture which Christ is portraying here.
Yet, as we will see, it is not the complete picture.
God told
Adam he was dust. Our physical flesh is dust. Although as
Christians, we indeed are born of water and the Spirit --
although we are new Spirit-led creatures -- nevertheless,
we remain physical men and women. We are still temporal human
beings. We are not yet eternal immortal Spirit beings. Unlike
God and the angels, we are not yet composed of Spirit:
"For
in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage,
but are like angels in heaven. (Matthew 22:30)
And of the angels He says: "Who makes His angels spirits,
And His ministers a flame of fire.” (Hebrews 1:7 NKJV)
While as
Christians, we are heirs, Paul explains we cannot inherit
the Kingdom of
God as physical
human beings:
Now I say
this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of
God; nor does
the perishable inherit the imperishable. (1 Corinthians 15:50)
Thus clearly,
our present rebirth does not and cannot fully encompass the
breadth of Christ’s assertion – “that which is born of the
Spirit is spirit.” Only with our rebirth at the resurrection
to immortality will these changes completely and fully
come to fruition.
Jesus continues:
"Do
not be amazed that I said to you, 'You must be born again
[gennaw anwthen].' (John 3:7)
For the third
time, Christ emphasizes that we “must be born again.” This
is a vital requisite for every Christian. We must
be born again!
"The
wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but
do not know where it comes from and where it is going;
so is everyone who is born [gennaw] of the Spirit."
(John 3:8)
Some have
tried to argue that the qualities described here above can
only refer to our future rebirth at the resurrection.
That argument, however, is refuted by the Son of Man’s description
of Himself:
The Pharisees
therefore said to Him, "You are bearing witness of Yourself;
Your witness is not true." Jesus answered and said to
them, "Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is
true; for I know where I came from, and where I am going;
but you do not know where I come from, or where I am going.
(John 8:13-14)
“…do not
know where I come from and where I am going.” Jesus Christ,
while He was “come in the flesh” (1 John 4:2), observed this
of Himself to the Pharisees. Not only in the English
do these self-observations of the Son of Man mirror His description
of those who are “born of the Spirit”; in the Greek also,
the phrases in the two verses are essentially identical.
Thus, when Jesus proclaims, "That which is born [gennaw]
of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born [gennaw] of
the Spirit is spirit," He includes a present rebirth.
Accordingly,
earlier in his Gospel, John alludes to Christian rebirth in
strikingly similar terms, using the past tense referring
to Christians who believe:
But
as many as received Him [Jesus Christ], to them He gave the
right to become children of God, even to those who believe
in His name, who were born [gennaw] not
of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of
the will of man, but of God.
(John 1:12-13)
Therefore,
again, logic compels us to acknowledge that there is both
a present and a future significance indicated in the appellation
“born of the Spirit.”
Notwithstanding,
these concepts can be quite difficult for the human mind to
fully comprehend:
Nicodemus
said to Him, "How can these things be?" Jesus
answered and said to him, "Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things? "Truly,
truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify
of what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony.
"If I told you earthly things and you do not believe,
how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? "No
one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven:
the Son of Man. "As Moses lifted up the serpent
in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up;
so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only
begotten [monogenays] Son, that whoever
believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
(John 3:9-16)
Christ was,
and is, the only Son born [monogenays]
of God in that no other child born of woman has ever
been fathered literally by Almighty God. (See Hebrews
11:17; 1 John 4:9.)
Yet, as we
will find shortly, converted Christians are “born [gennaw]
of God.”
A Marvelous Duality
In summary,
we have seen that we have the opportunity to be born again
now through the word of God and by the receipt
of God’s Holy Spirit accompanying baptism. If we are Christians,
we live our lives now as born children of God.
We have also
seen that that there is a greater and infinitely more glorious
future rebirth yet to come at the resurrection
to immortality.
Thus there
is a duality: Christians
are born again now AND will be born again in the resurrection.
This duality
is not without precedent. In Scripture, some prophecies clearly
have a dual application.
John was
the prophesied Elijah. Christ said so. But in the same passage,
He prophesied a future Elijah (Matthew 17:10-13). Hence, there is a dual fulfillment of that prophecy. Christ told
an audience of Pharisees that the Kingdom of God was in their midst (Luke 17:20-21).
Yet clearly, the Kingdom of
God is not
yet reigning on this earth (John 18:36; Revelation 20:6). Again, there is a dual application
of a prophecy.
As we have
seen evidenced, there is a similar sort of duality also in
respect to spiritual rebirth.
Interestingly,
it is the Apostle John, who, at the beginning of His writings,
records the exchange between Nicodemus and Jesus Christ.
Much later in His life, John again emphasizes the need for
rebirth, and the fact of rebirth – both in this life,
upon baptism and the receipt of the Holy Spirit, and
in the future resurrection to immortality:
Now, little
children, abide in Him, so that when He [Jesus Christ] appears,
we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame
at His coming. If you know that He is righteous, you
know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born
[gennaw] of Him. (1 John 2:28-29)
See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we
would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.
Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has
not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that
when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see
Him just as He is. (1 John 3:1-2)
“Now we
are children of God, and it has not appeared
as yet what we will be.” As Christians, we are
already born of Jesus Christ (and of God), by water
and the Holy Spirit. We will be born of God, to be
like Christ, our elder Brother, at the resurrection to immortality.
Let’s explore
again – what do these things mean for the born child of God?
Do we relax in a life of ease, completely protected and provided
for in the womb of the Church?
And everyone
who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just
as He is pure. (1 John 3:3)
Clearly,
born children of God have work to do!
We should
pause at this point, to consider the differences of emphasis
and impact between the mistaken human analogy of being merely
spiritual embryos “begotten” of God, as compared to the truth
that we are born of Jesus and of God (1 John
2:1, 24, 29; 4:7).
What does
a baby do in the womb? It grows; it develops;
it prepares for birth into a new life. But what does it
do? What responsibility does it have? It is
protected. Its every need is provided. While in utero,
a baby has very little conscious, active role in its growth
and development.
What does
a child do when born? It also grows, and develops,
and prepares for a life of responsibility. But its
role is much different and far
greater than that of the embryo or fetus in the womb.
The child must begin to exercise choice – what to
eat, what to drink, what to do. The youngster must cope with
both pleasure and pain. A teen’s rewards and punishment in
life, even in this evil world, will often be the direct result
of his or her, own decisions. Moreover, a youth is accountable
for the actions of childhood:
Rejoice,
young man, during your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant
during the days of young manhood. And follow the impulses
of your heart and the desires of your eyes. Yet know that
God will bring you to judgment for all these things. (Ecclesiastes
11:9)
This is the
Biblical analogy of our lives as temporal human Christians:
we are born children of God. Scripture says, “this is the
way, walk you in it.” “I have set before you life and death,
blessing and cursing, therefore choose life.” “Many are the
afflictions of the righteous, but God delivers him out of
them all.” One could go on and on.
We pick up
John’s comments again in 1 John 3:6:
No one who
abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows
Him. Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one
who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous;
the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil
has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for
this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. No
one who is born [gennaw] of God practices
sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because
he is born [gennaw] of God. By
this the children of God and the children of the devil are
obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not
of God, nor the one who does not love his brother. (1 John
3:6-10)
Are we born
of God? Are you? Am I? We have choices to make. Our choices
determine our status as children of God or children of the
devil!
Let’s absorb
more of the tender and compelling wisdom of the apostle John:
You are
from God, little children, and have overcome them; because
greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the
world, and the world listens to them. We are from God; he
who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not
listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the
spirit of error. Beloved, let us love one another, for love
is from God; and everyone who loves is born
[gennaw] of God and knows God. The one
who does not love does not know God, for God is love. By
this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent
His only begotten [monogenays] Son into the world so
that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that
we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be
the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us,
we also ought to love one another. No one has beheld God
at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and
His love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide
in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.
And we have beheld and bear witness that the Father has sent
the Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses
that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in
God. And we have come to know and have believed the love
which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides
in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this, love
is perfected with us, that we may have confidence in the day
of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world.
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear,
because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is
not perfected in love. We love, because He first loved us.
(1 John 4:4-19)
How comforting,
how encouraging, how inspiring are these words from God’s
apostle! By grace, we have the opportunity to be born
of God, even in this life. We are offered the
entirely unmerited privilege of having the Almighty Most
High God of the universe abiding in us while we are
yet mortal.
Inescapably,
with these priceless benefits comes obligation:
And by this
we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.
The one who says, "I have come to know Him," and
does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is
not in him; but whoever
keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected.
By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides
in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.
(1 John 2: 3-6)
If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother,
he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom
he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this
commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should
love his brother also. Whoever believes that Jesus
is the Christ is born [gennaw] of God; and whoever
loves the Father loves the child born [gennaw] of
Him. By this we know that we love the children of God,
when we love God and observe His commandments. For
this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and
His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever
is born [gennaw] of God overcomes the world; and this
is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith.
(1 John 4:20-21; 5:1-4)
Christ told
His disciples, including John, as they shared their last Passover
together, that He had overcome the world (John
16:33). We must do likewise – through faith, following in
Jesus’ steps:
Who is the
one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus
is the Son of God? This is the One who came by water
and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with
the water and with the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies,
because the Spirit is the truth. (1 John 5:5-6)
Are you born
again? Are you a new creature? Have you received Christ’s
freely offered gift of the Holy Spirit? Only through
Jesus Christ can we hope to receive eternal life:
"And
there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name
under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must
be saved." (Acts 4:12)
"…Repent,
and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ
for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the
gift of the Holy Spirit. "For the promise is for you
and your children, and for all who are far off, as many as
the Lord our God shall call to Himself." (Acts 2:38-39)
What a wondrous
promise! What
an incredible calling God has granted to us! Indeed,
what a marvelous duality! If we are Christians, we live our
lives now as the born-again children of God,
untouched by Satan. Yet there is a greater and infinitely
more glorious future rebirth awaiting us at
the resurrection to immortality. It is the final victory
over Satan. It is the rebirth to eternal life. Again, to the
timeless words of John:
We know
that no one who is born [gennaw] of God sins; but He
who was born [gennaw] of God keeps him, and the evil
one does not touch him. We know that we are of God,
and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil
one. And we know that the Son of God has come, and
has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is
true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ.
This is the true God and eternal life.[5]
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