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Elder Bryce Lowrance

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What Does It Mean To Be Born Again? Part 2

30 September 2013

The Nature of the New Birth

Jesus uses a metaphor to teach this spiritual lesson of regeneration, or being made alive in Christ. Nicodemus does not understand the metaphor and argues “How can a man be born when he is old?” That is essentially the question we want to answer in this article. How do I get born again? Jesus uses the metaphor of birth to teach a few basic principles about spiritual life.

Spiritual life begins independent of natural life (3:6).
We have already seen that the source of the new birth is outside of ourselves and our will. Jesus teaches plainly that the source of spiritual life is God.
Just as we have no control over our natural birth and lineage, our spiritual birth and identity in Christ is outside our power as well.
Birth teaches that something comes into existence that previously did not exist. This is a fundamental core truth that cannot be left out. If there is spiritual life in every human being then there is no need for a new birth or else Jesus’ metaphor is extremely confusing.
Birth shows an entrance into a family. As we were born into our natural family, we must be born into God’s family.
The parents’ nature is also passed onto the child in birth. The desire that a born again child of God has to flee from sin and do righteously is a trait that we do not get from our earthly parents but from our Heavenly Father.

Other words the scriptures use to teach regeneration include: Creation (2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15; Eph. 2:10) Call (John 5:25; 2 Tim. 1:9; Heb. 3:1; 1Pet. 5:10; Rom. 8:28-30) Circumcision (Rom 2:25-29; Col 2:11) Draw (John 6:44,45) Quicken (Eph. 2:1-10; Col 2:13) Regeneration (Titus 3:5) Resurrection (John 5:24; Col. 3:1; I John 3:14) Renew (Titus 3:5) Sanctify (Heb. 10:10, 29) Translate (Col. 1:13) Wash (1 Cor. 6:11; Titus 3:5; Rev. 1:5)

Regardless of the word picture used, the same principle of God’s sovereign will and power is shown in the process of regeneration. In each example, God is the subject, and his children are the direct objects. This means that God is acting, and we are receiving His action.

« What Does It Mean To Be Born Again? Part 1 | What Does It Mean to Be Born Again? Part 3 »

Tags: grace, new-birth, regeneration

Welcome

Brentwood Hills Primitive Baptist Church is a community of believers working together to transform our lives to the image of Jesus Christ. We believe it is our duty and privilege to live the gospel of the doctrines of grace in such a way as to edify the families within our church and other children of God in our community. Through regular worship based on strong Biblical principles, fellowship, admonishment, and outreach, we glory in the grace of the sovereign God working in our lives thereby showing the Spirit of God in the world.

Brentwood Hills was organized in 1906 in Fort Worth, Texas as Laodicea Primitive Baptist Church. You can find much of the history of the church, as well as other churches here: Primitive Baptist History Database

We identify ourselves as an old-line Primitive Baptist church. If you read our Articles of Faith, you’ll see that we hold to such doctrines as the inspiration and inerrancy of the Bible. We recognize the King James Version (KJV) as the only English translation worthy of being called the Bible. We believe in salvation solely by the grace of a sovereign God. We believe that Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, came to the earth to do the will of His Father, which was to deliver from the sentence of death all those the Father gave Him before the world began. We believe that Jesus fully satisfied the Father by atoning for all the sins of all His people. In time, we believe the Holy Spirit comes to each person that belongs to Jesus and regenerates them. Then (and only then) can anyone have faith, which is a fruit of the Spirit, by which you are able to believe the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. Whether or not you ever hear the gospel, or believe it if you did hear it, or obey it if you did believe it, rest assured that Jesus will remain forever faithful to you because, if He died for you, He will never deny that you belong to Him.

We believe that everyone for whom Christ died will without fail be raised again from the dead to a glorified life. Even if we are alive when He returns to raise the dead, we shall be changed to a glorified life. All the Redeemed will meet the Lord in the air. Then He will take us to Heaven and there we shall forever be with the Lord. The wicked will be raised at the same time as the righteous, but the wicked shall go away into everlasting punishment along with Satan and his angels. Until that glorious day when Christ returns to raise the dead, He has provided a place for His people to find rest for their souls. This place is the Church. Jesus Christ set-up His church on this earth before His death on the Cross. The church is there for those of His people who have come to believe that God saved them by His Son, Jesus Christ. To believe that Christ “paid it all” gives believers the strongest motivation to serve Him. Once enlightened to this glorious truth, then the child of God should feel an obligation to become and remain an active member of the His church. To serve the Lord in His church makes for one of the great blessings to experience this side of Heaven. It fulfills you to serve in His church and it gives your life purpose and meaning.