THE NEW BIRTH

JOHN 3:1

A. SINGULAR BIBLE FACT
  1. Great truths were spoken by our Lord to single persons:
    1. Nicodemus - John 3:1-10
    2. The woman of Samaria - John 4:22-28
  2. The conversation of our Lord with Nicodemus seems to indicate:
    1. That the new birth was unknown to that learned man - "a Master in Israel" - John 3:4
    2. This proves Paul's statement, that the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit - 1 Cor. 2:14
  3. These facts show, conclusively, that the new birth is not:
    1. A theory which one may learn from a book; Nicodemus was a learned man.
    2. It is not the performance of church rituals, good they may be.
    3. It is not a church creed subscribed to by its members.
B. THE NEW BIRTH
  1. It is the transformation of the carnal nature:
    1. The old man of sin is crucified, that is what Paul understands the process of the new birth is - Rom. 6:6-11
    2. It is the putting off the old man of sin - Eph. 4:22; Col. 3:9
  2. The new birth involves a complete change of heart:
    1. The old and stony heart must be removed before our nature can be transformed.
    2. "I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh" - Ezek. 11:19; 36:26
    3. "Create in me a clean heart, O God" - Ps. 51:10
    4. "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God" - Matt. 5:8 The more we understand the new birth the better we can see the necessity of being born again.
  3. The kingdom of God and the new birth are inseparable:
    1. The nature of the kingdom of God remains a blank without the new birth - 1 Cor. 2:14, 15; Rom. 8:1-7
    2. The natural man is totally unfit for the kingdom of heaven -
      1. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh" - John 3:6
      2. "Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God" - 1 Cor. 15:50
      3. "All flesh has corrupted its way" - Gen. 6:11
      4. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" Jer. 17:9
C. PURPOSE AND FRUITAGE OF THE NEW BIRTH
  1. We have already indicated that the purpose of the new birth is:
    1. A transformation of our carnal and sinful nature - "Ye must be born again."
    2. It simply means that God is making a new man out of what was a fallen person - "if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new" - 2 Cor. 5:17
    3. This transformation includes -
      1. A new attitude toward God, His Word, and also toward the world - Gal. 6:14
      2. New language - Eph. 4:29
      3. New relationship - 2 Cor. 6:14-18
      4. New occupation - Rom. 6:16, 17
      5. New spirit - Rom. 8:14, 15, 16
    4. The image of the Son of God is the ultimate objective of the new birth - Rom. 8:29
  2. The fruit of the new birth is manifested:
    1. By the fruit of the Holy Spirit revealing itself through us.
    2. Paul enumerates the fruit of the Spirit in Gal. 5:22-24
    3. We will love the brethren - 1 John 2:10, 11
    4. We will love God and keep His commandments - 1 John 2:4-7; 5:1-6


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