We often here about someone becoming a "born again Christian". The idea of being a "born again" Christian is a bit of a redundant term. In order to be a Christian, you must first be born again. So to say one is a "born again Christian" is to say that they are a "Christian-Christian". There are no other kinds of Christians.
Becoming "born again" is synonymous for a theological term, "regenerate". When we speak about someone becoming "regenerated", or refer to someone as a "regenerate", we are essentially saying that they are born again.
But before we jump into regeneration, we should first should look at why we need to be born again. We can all agree that we are all under the power of sin and are born into this world as sinners. Adam, as our federal head, served as the representative for all human kind, and in his sin, we all became sinners. As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians, "in Adam all die."
Prior to regeneration, we were all dead in our sins and trespasses. We were alive phsyically, but dead spiritually. Prior to our rebirth, we walked according to "the course of the world." Our measuring stick for what we consider good is the world and we naturally attempt to blend in. The world sets the standard for the unregenerate.
One of the most explicit verses we see about our state is from Ephesians 2:1-3: "And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind." Other verses we find that speak of our condition are:
-"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)
-"there is no one who does not sin" (2 Chronicles 6:36)
-"What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written: 'None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one." (Romans 3:9-12)
-"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9)
-"Also, the hearts of the children of man are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead." (Ecclesiastes 9:3)
-"Jesus answered them, 'Truly, truly I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin." (John 8:34)
-"Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." (Psalm 51:5)
As you can see, Scripture paints a very bleak picture of man, and one that is in grave danger. Our condition reads worse than any horror story ever written. However, in spite of the wickedness of man, God had a plan to redeem his people by sending his son, Jesus Christ, to die for all the sins of his people. But how does this apply to us?
"Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where
it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes
from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the
Spirit.” (John 3:1-8)
Nicodemus came to Jesus at night. First, we know two things about Nicodemus- he was a Pharisee, and a ruler of the Jews. He was also a well educated man that had been highly trained in theology. He recognized Jesus as a rabbi and was very respectful towards Jesus. Answering Nicodemus' question in verse 2, Jesus got right to the point in verse 3, "Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Notice the emphasis that Jesus placed on regeneration as a necessary condition for believing in him. Use of the word, "must" is significant for a person to even see the kingdom of God, let alone enter it.
"Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." When something important was being stated, Jews would often repeat themselves, and at times use slightly different wording. While Nicodemus' response was a clear humanistic response (how can he enter his mother's womb a second time?), Jesus responded that not only could you not see the kingdom of God if you weren't born again, but you couldn'r enter it either.
Jesus attempted to explain this to Nicodemus in verse six: "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." Jesus re-emphasized a beginning point that, that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit, is Spirit. It is noteworthy that Jesus had to start with a basic point with someone like Nicodemus who was so well educated, yet knew so little.
"The wind blows where
it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes
from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the
Spirit.” It is interesting that the Greek word for "wind" is "pneuma" and the Greek word for "Spirit" is "pnematos". So when Jesus was saying that "You have to be born of the Spirit, and it's like the wind," he is essentially saying, "the pneuma is like the pneuma."
The Holy Spirit's work is mysterious, therefore regeneration is mysterious. The Spirit is invisible and we can not see the Spirit regenerating someone. We can, however, see the effects of regeneration. In the same way we can't see the wind, we can feel and hear the effects of the wind. Wind itself is invisible, but the effect of wind is not invisible.
When the Holy Spirit regenerates our hearts, our disposition changes. We are no longer an enemy of God and are no longer at war with God. We now run to God, which could have never happened had the Spirit not changed the disposition of our souls. With a change in disposition in our souls, we now seek God and have an affection for God that wasn't previously there. Our hearts once were beating only for our own selfish desires, it is now beating for God. This is the effect of the Spirit blowing where it wishes and blowing into us.
"And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules." (Ezekiel 36: 26-27) God promised a time in which he would give a new spiritual rebirth to his people. Instead of a heart of stone, unable to respond to God, God promised to give us a new heart that would enable us to respond in obedience.
"One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul." (Acts 16:14) This is another example of regeneration. God first opened Lydia's heart so that she was able to hear Paul's preaching and respond in faith.
Who has power over death? No one, but God. A dead man has no ability to make himself alive. This can only happen by the work of God. Just as Lazarus did not assist Jesus in bringing himself back to life, a spiritually dead person can not bring themselves back to life. They can't meet God halfway, because they are DEAD. This is a process that is by God alone. An illustration I have heard before has us at the bottom of the sea, dead and drowned. God does not throw us a life raft and hope that we grab it so he can pull us in. God goes down to the bottom of the ocean and pulls us up and breathes new life into us.
Once God has made us alive, we will then have our disposition changed to one who is no longer at war with God. We must then repent, and place our faith in Christ. But if God had not stepped in and intervened, and regenerated our heart and given us hearts of flesh, we would not have had a desire for Christ. Spiritually dead people do not develop faith which causes God to regenerate them. Their faith is the fruit of the regeneration.
Scripture is clear. Regeneration comes before faith. One does not possess the ability to have faith until God removes our heart of stone and gives us a heart of flesh. Today, far too often modern evangelical teaching states that after we come to Christ in faith, we are then regenerated. But a dead man can not make himself alive. Salvation is a monergistic work. God regenerates our hearts, thus enabling us to come to him in faith and repentance. Soli deo gloria!
