The New Birth (9)

New Birth… the very name brings to mind another chance.  As we have considered the sinful nature residing in humanity since Adam’s fall, it speaks of a new nature as well.  The new birth is both of those things and more.  The new birth experience is God’s plan to bring new life to the believer.  In our considerations of this wonderful event, we will see how it, too, aligns with our three-fold template.

In John chapter 3 Jesus told a Jewish leader named Nicodemus that “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”  (verse 3)  The necessity of being born again is clear, but what exactly is it?  A question Nicodemus also asked the Lord. 

“Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old?  Can he enter the second time into is mother’s womb, and be born?”  (John 3:4)

“Jesus answered, 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.”  (John 3:5)

Ah… you see it don’t you!  Water and Spirit?   These are starting to be seen as familiar parts to a template!  No doubt these are the very things that John wrote about in his first epistle (I John 5).  Let us consider the concept of the “new birth”.

This idea of being born again is spoken of in several places.  John is the writer most frequently using the phraseology… he uses terms like “born again” and “born of God” to refer to and teach on, what we call, the “new birth”.  It is fairly clear that these all can, and are, used interchangeably.  But what is the concept of this strange (except for its use among believers) notion of being born again… “Can a man be born when he is old?”

Fortunately, anyone at any age can be born again, for it has nothing to do with flesh.  Jesus made that clear when he said, “that which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”  (Verse 6)  Jesus nearly always taught in language that could be understood using the principle of the parable…

“All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them.”  (Matthew 13:34)

Parables are stories that use natural events or things to illustrate spiritual concepts.  Jesus used them to teach, but he also warned that not all would understand the parables… specifically, those who were too wise in their own eyes to be taught by such simple ways! 

“I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.”  (Luke 10:21)

Our attitude in our approach to this parabolic subject of the “new birth” is critical.  We must take on the humility of a teachable spirit.  The illustration of the birth of a baby should lead us to insight concerning “spiritual regeneration” or “spiritual rebirth”.  If not, we must consider our attitude.

“And the disciples came, and said unto him, why speakest thou unto them in parables?  He answered and said unto them, because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them I is not given.  For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.  Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, by hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive…”  (Matthew 13: 10-14)

While the teaching to Nicodemus may not have been as a classic parable, it is clear that the concepts being laid out to the man were in the parabolic form.  The birth of a child, the wind, water; all have the natural to spiritual element in place. 

What then is the lesson of the new birth?  To understand we must start with the natural (understandable) part of the lesson.

Birth is the process of bringing a new life into the world.  It bares resemblance to the creation of Adam in that a body formed (in the mother’s womb) receives the breath of life (as the child takes its first breath).   As Adam was a creation of God, the birth of a child is also a creation of God.

While many other elements could be considered and their spiritual counterparts revealed, we will (at this time) keep it to the minimum illustration of the formation of a body and the first breath.

Maybe the simpler half of this illustration of birth would be seeing what the breath of life represents.  The key word in all of this is the word “again”… ye must be born “again”.  We are looking then, for a breath of life to enter “again”.   The concept is that a resuscitation needs to take place.  If someone dies, in order for them to live again the breath of life must return.  This is obviously a type of resurrection (part of our template). 

The body in which this new breath (spirit) enters needs to be identified.  Remember, the body of man is inherently associated with the nature of the flesh… the sinful nature.  Earlier we referred to the book of Romans where Paul speaks of the “body of this death” (Romans 7:24).  In that the inherent problem with man is his nature to sin… salvation (the new birth) must address this issue. 

It is evident that a new nature must come from this new birth experience.  The old nature is represented in the body that came with the first birth.  Are we to expect a new body?  Absolutely, but that will be in the future.  What we must look for now is the new nature, in which the new body will someday be housed.  Is it possible that the new birth brings forth a new nature?  To find out let us first consider the old nature, which is housed in our first (natural) body. 

Read I Corinthians chapter 15 for a wealth of insight into this subject.

How do we get rid of the old nature?  Early in our study we have been shown that death is not only the sentence of God’s judgment upon it, but that death is the only means by which the nature of sin can be eliminated.  When a body is dead, how do we dispose of it?  Burial!  When we die the body which houses the nature of sin is buried… it’s gone!  But some men’s sins go before to judgment.  The sins of the saved are removed before death.  How is that possible?

Jesus died and was buried and rose again!  He was sinless, yet He died… not for himself, but for us!  We can appropriate his death by obeying the gospel (the death, burial, and resurrection).  How do we do that?

Our old man (nature) must die… eventually we know we will die, but God has made a way by which we can die to that old nature now! 

“Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.”  (Romans 6:6)

Now, how do we die to our old man?  In a simple single word we repent!  Repentance is dying to the nature of the old (natural) man.  We are able, then, to die before we die… thus sending our sins ahead to judgment! 

What do we do with the dead “old man”?  Sin still needs to be eliminated.  The answer is consistent with our template… we bury him.  We have seen earlier that our burial is baptism with Jesus.  And again…

“What shall we say then?  Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?  God forbid.  How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk I the newness of life.  For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.”  (Romans 6: 1-5)

Now, to return to finding out where the new nature, soon to be housed by the new body from heaven, comes from.  The dead body of Jesus, the body that took upon itself our sin nature, was buried (like our old man is buried).  Then… a pattern for our new birth was set forth as he came forth out of the grave (burial) in a new form.

“Therefore we are buried with him in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.”  (Romans 6:6)

Coming out of our burial (baptism) we are said to be in the likeness of his resurrection… seems to be a new nature here!  But that is not all… Galatians 3:27 tells us “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”  Where do we get rid of the nature of the flesh (our body)?  In baptism.  Where do we “put on” the new nature?  In baptism.  Baptism is a place of burial for the old man at which point the new birth has its beginning… the creation of a new nature!

With a new nature obtained it is time for the completion of the birth process… Jesus said as he breathed on his disciples, “Receive ye the Holy Ghost.”  (John 20:22)  Peter would later preach to the crowd during the first day of the Church’s existence that they should repent and be baptized and that they would receive the Holy Ghost.

Is there any doubt that our template works perfectly here.  Death, burial, and resurrection.  Death is repentance, or crucifixion of our old man.  This prepares us for the actual new birth experience, which Jesus said consists of two elements:  Water (baptism) and Spirit (the infilling of the Holy Ghost).  Once again, as the template of the gospel is aligned with the new birth, we see a consistent alignment of elements.  Giving greater and greater assurance that our conclusions are correct.