The New Birth

Read Time: 10 Minutes

I Peter 1
:23 Being born again, 
        not of corruptible seed, 
        but of incorruptible, 
    by the word of God, 
        which liveth and abideth for ever.

The first time we are born we receive the seed of our father; it is the father's seed that we carry, for the woman has no seed. That seed is contaminated with the sin nature from Adam and is corruptible, it fails, degenerates and dies. Here God tells us that we received incorruptible seed by the Word of God and it lives and abides forever. We believe God's word by hearing it and become saved (sozo - made whole, complete). When we receive that spiritual seed we become sons/daughters of God.

I John 3
:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, 
        that we should be called the sons of God: 
    therefore the world knoweth us not, 
        because it knew him not.
:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, 
    and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: 
    but we know that, 
        when he shall appear,
        we shall be like him; 
            for we shall see him as he is.

:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; 
        for his seed remaineth in him: 
    and he cannot sin, 
        because he is born of God.

This seed is incorruptible, it cannot sin, it does not corrupt and it doesn't die.

I John 5
:10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: 
    he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; 
        because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.
:11 And this is the record, 
        that God hath given to us eternal life, 
        and this life is in his Son.
:12   He that hath the Son hath life; 
        and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
:13 These things have I written unto you 
        that believe on the name of the Son of God; 
    that ye may know that ye have eternal life, 
    and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

We hear God's Word, we believe God's Word, He makes us a son or daughter by placing His seed within us which is incorruptible which equates to eternal life. God is not saying that we (this body and soul) shall live forever, but the life that is in us, that spiritual life which is incorruptible, will.

God gives us eternal life when we believe. Gee, that seems too simple, are you sure there isn't something else we have to do?

Ephesians 2
:5 Even when we were dead in sins, [before God's spirit is placed within]
    [God] hath quickened us together with Christ, [God made it available]
        (by grace ye are saved;)
:6 And hath raised us up together, 
    and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
:7     That in the ages to come 
        he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
:8 For by grace are ye saved 
        through faith; 
    and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
:9 Not of works, 
        lest any man should boast.
:10 For we are his workmanship, 
        created in Christ Jesus unto good works, 
        which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

God loved us while we were still dead in trespasses and sins to make available the new birth to us so that when we believed it would be there. Our salvation is not of works, otherwise we could boast. Salvation is by grace, God's divine favor. God had to make our redemption something we could do. We can never get good enough to earn it, we can see that all over the Old Testament. The one thing that man could do is believe, God and Jesus Christ did the rest.

Now we are the workmanship of God created in Christ Jesus unto good works. Now that we born again of incorruptible seed our good works are meaningful and profitable. 

When a man is still body and soul he is the property of the Devil, dead in trespasses and sins. Now that we are children of God the Devil has no legal right to us, we are no longer legally subject to his control. However, he would like us to believe that and does everything he can to talk us out of what we have in Christ Jesus. Putting the Word on in our minds and confessing the truth of the Word about ourselves battles the deception of the Devil.

Some people believe that everyone has a little bit of God in them, a spark of the divine, and that everyone is God's children, but that is not what God's Word says. 

I John 5
:11 And this is the record, 
        that God hath given to us eternal life, 
        and this life is in his Son.
:12   He that hath the Son hath life; 
        and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

Without Jesus Christ as lord in your life you will not have that eternal spiritual life. There is only body and soul until God places His seed,  holy spirit, within you.

God said we were dead in trespasses and sins without God and without hope.

Ephesians
:11  Wherefore remember, 
        that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, 
            who are called Uncircumcision 
                by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
:12   That at that time ye were without Christ, 
            being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, 
            and strangers from the covenants of promise, 
            having no hope, 
            and without God in the world:
:13 But now
        in Christ Jesus
    ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

How can we be brought close to Christ, how can we be in Christ, how can we be born again? How can a man that is born in trespasses and sins be made alive, quickened, and receive the faith of Jesus Christ? 

Romans 10
:17  So then faith cometh by hearing, 
    and hearing by the word of God.

And God's Word says:

Romans 10
:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, 
    and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, 
    thou shalt be saved.

Confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is lord in your life. God doesn't put any restrictions or traditions on this. Simply confess Jesus as Lord. You don't have to do it at an alter, in a church, on a mountain side, at the ocean, loudly or quietly. God simply says confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus AND believe in your heart that God had raised him from the dead. Jesus Christ is more than just a great prophet who lived and performed great miracles. He is God 's son and God raised him from the dead. Do you believe that in your heart? Have you spoken the words, "Jesus is Lord?" Then you are saved.

:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; 
    and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

When you believe that God raised Jesus Christ from the dead in your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is lord you are saved, for, with the heart man believes unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 

Do you see those words "thou shalt?" That puts it in the absolute.

. . .thou shalt confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus
. . .and [thou] shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead
thou shalt be saved [- absolutely]

Jesus Christ is the only prophet who God has raised from the dead and that remains alive today. He was the payment,  the sacrifice and now our brother for we are Sons and Daughters of God. Now we are quickened, made alive, complete and made righteous (and more). Now we have Christ in us the hope of Glory (Colossians 1:27)  and eternal life (I John 5:11).

When we are born again we are babes in the Word, our minds and nature do not immediately transform into sinless Believers, we need to grow up spiritually and renew our minds to the Word. We do receive all of the tools, the nine manifestations (speaking in tongues, interpreting of tongues, prophecy, word of knowledge, word of wisdom, discerning of spirits, faith, miracles and healings), the God-given rights (justification of God, sanctification, redemption, righteousness, the faith of Jesus Christ and the ministry of reconciliation), and power from on high. Now it is up to us to read, study and obey the Word. 

I Peter 2
:2 As newborn babes, 
    desire the sincere milk of the word, 
        that ye may grow thereby:

Ephesians 3
:16 That he would grant you, 
        according to the riches of his glory, 
    to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

II Corinthians 4
:16 For which cause we faint not; 
    but though our outward man perish, 
    yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

We still have our five senses to learn from but now we have the ability to learn spiritually as well. Remember that the scriptures are spiritually discerned (Romans 5:4). You are now able to ascertain and understand spiritual matters. It does take time to grow up though. Paul the Apostle, the writer of the Pauline Epistles was born again on the road to Damascus (Acts 9) and shortly thereafter he went away for three years to learn how to walk with God before he went to Jerusalem to meet with Peter and present himself for the work of God (Galatians 1:16-18). Now Paul is a unique individual, very learned,  intelligent, and from a wealthy family and was going to go herald forth the Word so that all of Asia Minor heard the Word in two years and three months, but the point is, he had to take the time to get to know God spiritually, and grow up.

When we believed Romans 10:9 and 10 we received holy spirit, incorruptible seed from God which gives us eternal life. It is now our responsibility to grow up. When we hunger and thirst after God's Word He will satisfy us. 

I John 5
:13 These things have I written unto you 
        that believe on the name of the Son of God; 
    that ye may know that ye have eternal life, 
    and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, 
    that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
:15 And if we know that he hear us, 
        whatsoever we ask, 
        we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, 
    and hath given us an understanding, 
        that we may know him that is true, 
        and we are in him that is true, 
            even in his Son Jesus Christ. 
    This is the true God, 
    and eternal life.

God has placed within us His holy spirit,  incorruptible seed, let us work the Word of God diligently and take Him at His Word.

To God be the Glory.