I was alive when Jimmy Carter, running for the presidency, described himself as a born-again Christian.
Jesus answered him [Nicodemus], “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again [Or from above], he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).
In 1976, Carter’s claim was radical language. That set him apart from all previous candidates. Mainline Protestant churches did not use the language of being born again. “Do not be amazed that I told you that you must be born again” (7) is what Jesus told Nicodemus. Have you been born-again? That is a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ question.
Those born again or from above—the Greek in the NT does not demand that we choose between “again” or “from above”—will enter the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and His Father. They have been made alive as new creations in Christ Jesus. Being born again is a second birth—my first was physical, and my second birth is spiritual. This is a birth from above. I cannot make myself born from above any more than I can re-enter my mother’s womb for a second birth. The Holy Spirit is God’s agent of the new spiritual birth. Jesus told him (and by extension us), “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (5).
Being born from above is an internal, invisible, non-biological heart surgery. Jesus made it very clear the Spirit of God is the surgeon for this outpatient, non-physical, life-changing surgery. Those who have been under the knife for this spiritual surgery testify about a change it made in them. Jesus rebuked Nicodemus for his ignorance concerning his lack of knowledge about his need for this new birth in v. 10. “Are you a teacher of Israel and don’t know these things?” is what Jesus asked him. Would He ask you the same question, or would your knowledge of Jeremiah and Ezekiel inform your theological thinking? Being born of water is Jesus’ cryptic reference to the promise in Ezekiel 36:25. Take a moment and go there in your own Bible, underline the verse, and then write a margin note to John 3:5. In Ezekiel 36:25ff, Yahweh promises,
25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26, 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. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
This is beautiful New Covenant language of the work of God in the regeneration of the spiritually dead unbeliever to a believing new creation in Christ. This is why Jesus told Nicodemus he must be born of water [the cleansing forgiveness provides] and of the Spirit (v. 5). It is impossible to over-emphasize the work of the Spirit in man’s salvation. One cannot put too much emphasis on the Spirit’s salvific work. In Deuteronomy 30:6, Moses prophesied about a future day when “Yahweh, your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring so that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.” This day arrived at the inauguration of the New Covenant. Do you know Titus 3:5? How about Ephesians 2:4-5, “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—” I cannot make myself alive. I did not give myself the first conception of life, and I cannot give myself a spiritual birth. This is the work of Yahweh. To Him be glory forever and ever, amen. Have you been born from above?
