Reference: John 3:3-5
In order that we may have a goodunderstanding of what the spiritual birth is, then we must first realize whatthe natural birth is. Now I am quite sure that most people knows what thenatural birth is and what's involved, but I am quite sure that in order tocompletely understand what the spiritual birth is and how it is brought aboutthen we must spiritually compare it with the natural birth.
Now we know that we all were born from thewomb of our earthly mother after an elapse of about nine months of time. Achild is first conceived in the womb of the woman at what is termed asconception. Conception is when the male sperm seed has united with the femaleegg within the womb of the woman. This coming together of these two cells isthe beginning of the process that will lead to a birth of a completelyformed human being. When a child is first born into this world they are ofcourse born as an infant that must continue to grow and become a fully grownadult.
Somewhere in the early life of the childtheir growth will cease meaning that they will continue to live but they willnot grow anymore. They will have reached the stage where growth has stopped,but the body must yet be nurished to sustain life.
Now applying these facts to the spiritualbirth it can be said that this birth is also brought about in a process oftime. Now Nicodemus thought that to be born again one would have to go back inthe womb of their mother and be born all over again, but Jesus told Nicodemusthat in order to be born again, then one had to be not reborn again of theflesh, but of the water and the Spirit.
Jesus was telling Nicodemus that the fleshdid not have to be reborn again simply because his body would still be flesh nomatter if he was reborn again that way. If a man was put through the process ofthe natural birth again from the womb of their mother they would still be fleshand yet be just as carnal and sinfull as before. The birth that Jesus wastalking about is brought about in a spiritual way and it most certainlyinvolves the total man consisting of body, soul, and spirit, but the flesh isnot reborn by going through the natural process like it did the first time itwas born.
A true born again individual is still aperson that consists of their very same body of flesh, but there will besomething different about the body and this difference is that the body will bedead or inactive to the influence and power of sin. The flesh is not rebornagain in the manner that Nicodemus was referring to, but it most certainly isinvolved in the process of the spiritual birth.
The rebirth of a man is the bringing forthof what the word of God calls a "new creation in Christ." Thisnew creation is a person that has become one with Christ. The Bibletells us that Christ was the firstborn among many brethren. He was the firstcreated Son of God and He is our example. Christ was born into this world inthe very same identical way that you and I were born into this world, but He ofcourse was not made of the dust of the earth like we were. Christ was the Wordthat was made flesh whereas we were made and formed from the dust of the earth.
Everybody born into this world, with theexception of Adam and Jesus Christ, is conceived in the womb of a woman by theseed of their earthly father. Adam was not born from a woman, but he was formedfrom the earth. Christ was born from a woman, but He was the Word that becameflesh and not dust of the earth nor the seed of a man.
In order for a man to be born again thenhe absolutely must undergo the process of it through and by the agents of thewater and the Spirit like Jesus told Nicodemus. The new birth is a processmeaning that like it takes time for a natural person to be born and grow tomaturity, it also takes time for a person to be reborn and become what the wordof God calls a new creature in Christ. It's commonly taught today in thereligious world that the new birth cannot be understood and explained, but thisis exactly where millions are being deceived and led astray.
The new birth today is said and taught tobe an emotional experience that only involves the inward man being reborn, butGod's word teaches that man consists of being a three fold person made up of abody, a soul, and a spirit. Each section of the entire man is involved in theprocess of the new birth. Man cannot change himself no more than a Zebra canchange his stripes. This is why Jesus said we must be born of water and theSpirit. Many people get confused about what the water is thinking it is thewater of baptism in some lake or stream, but the word of God teaches thatthe water is the washing being done bythe word of God being applied by the Holy Spirit.
God's word has a washing or a cleansingeffect on our being as we receive and walk in the light of it. God's word isand always has been and always will be creative meaning that he bringseverything into existence through and by the power of his own spoken word. Godby his word revealed in the gospel of Christ, brings into existence true bornagain children of God that has been conformed to the very same image of his SonJesus Christ. This you can find stated in Romans 8:29.
We as born again children of God are createdin Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we shouldwalk in them. (Ephesians 2:10) This scripture tells us that we are createdin Christ meaning that God by his word spiritually transforms us to Christ'simage. This is the power of the word of God revealed by the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit reveals this word to usfrom abiding in our heart. The Holy Ghost takes up his abode in the heart ofman, which purifies his heart. The heart of man is his soul, which is only one of the three sectionsthat man consists of. The remainder of man, which is his body and spirit, mustalso be dealt with in the process of the birth. The Spirit in his heartproceeds to lead him into all truth as so stated in John 16:13, and thisrevealed truth will spiritually renew the mind, which is the spirit of man, andwill also crucify the lusts and desires of the body of flesh.
The renewing of the mind and thecrucifying of the fleshly deed is the sanctification and the cleansing processbrought about through and by the truthof God's word revealed by the Holy Spirit. The renewing of the mind is thecleansing of the knowledge of good and evil that man received when he fell insin in the garden of Eden. The knowledge of good and evil is replaced with theknowledge and wisdom of God. This knowledge and wisdom of God is what the wordof God calls the bread of life, which is Christ Jesus that a man can eatof and never die.
Jesus said he is the bread sent down fromheaven that man can eat of and never die. Christ refers to himself as the Wordof God, the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. Very few people hasexperienced what the word of God will do to and for them and this is becausethey lack patience allowing it to have her perfect work in their life. (James1:2-4) Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a man be born again he cannot seenor enter God's kingdom. What about you friend, are you born again?