The New Birth: Necessity

In this part of the sermon: Martin begins by reviewing the previous sermon's points on the necessity of the new birth, emphasizing its unchangeable, universal, and consequential nature as stated by Jesus in…

The entire passage of John 3:1-8 is presented as a pastoral counseling situation between Jesus and Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews and Pharisee, setting the stage for the sermon's theme.

The record that John gives us of this interview, this pastoral counseling situation, is the one existing between our Lord Jesus Christ and a ruler of the Jews, a Pharisee named Nicodemus. Will you follow as I read verses 1 through 8? We read the entire passage through verse 15 this morning, but since our study will focus again upon the first half of the paragraph, I shall read only through verse 8. There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.

0:24 - 0:59 Read in full sermon

Driving home: And the great controversy that has plagued the Church throughout our history is this controversy between monergism, is salvation in all of its aspects the work of God and God alone, or is it the work of God plus man in t…

Martin explains 'monergism' and 'synergism' by breaking down the Greek roots, using 'monograph' and 'monogram' as analogies for 'one working' versus 'more than one working together' in salvation.

You say, now what in the world is that? Well, I'll explain to you. I never use words like that, 50 cent words without breaking it down into nickel words. Now, what is a monograph?

9:23 - 9:33 Read in full sermon

Driving home: This birth without which we cannot see and enter the kingdom is God's prerogative to give.

The tearing of the temple veil from top to bottom is used as an example of 'anothen' meaning 'from above', illustrating the divine origin of the new birth.

It's the word used when it speaks of the veil being rent from the top, from the above place to the bottom. It's the word James uses when he says, every good and every perfect gift cometh down from the Father of lights, cometh down from above from the Father of lights. In chapter 3 in verse 15 of James and only one other time in the New Testament is it translated again. That's in Galatians 4 and 9.

11:58 - 12:21 Read in full sermon

Driving home: This birth without which we cannot see and enter the kingdom is God's prerogative to give.

The analogy of physical birth (paternal or maternal function) is used to underscore that whatever is begotten or born owes its existence to factors totally outside of itself, applying this to the spiritual birth.

Now the word beget, which our Lord uses in this context, can refer either to the paternal function in conception. We read in the Old Testament, so and so begat so and so. Well, it's speaking of the man, speaking of the man. Well, he wasn't actually there on the delivery table bringing forth the child, but it says he begat.

15:18 - 15:37 Read in full sermon

Driving home: No one who names the name of Christ would say that faith doesn't enter in somehow to our acceptance with God. Oh yes, we lay hold of God's provision. Faith has something to do with it. But you see, the great contention o…

The statement 'two is the fatal number in theology' is used to emphasize that adding anything to God's work (e.g., faith + works, grace + man's will) corrupts the purity of Christian doctrine.

Only alone and one. As one man has said, two is the fatal number in theology. Signs are fatal in Christian theology. Precious words such as grace and faith and God are prostituted when you put anything after them other than the word only or alone.

18:59 - 19:29 Read in full sermon

The point: Examine what about your spiritual life defies any explanation but that Almighty God has imparted life to you as a dead sinner.

Paul is presented as a counterpart to Nicodemus, a zealous and outwardly moral Jew whose life could be explained by the flesh, highlighting that even religious effort is insufficient for the new birth.

You are externally moral and upright. You live a, quote, very Christian life. But Nicodemus, you can be explained in terms of the activity of the flesh. For the flesh is very religious.

25:06 - 25:20 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He briefly introduces the result of the new birth: that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit, meaning the life will manifest the transforming power of the Spirit, contrasting it…

Martin shares a personal anecdote about looking at his sleeping children and momentarily doubting the doctrine of total depravity, only for their waking behavior to quickly confirm 'that which is born of the flesh is flesh'.

There's only one time I ever would doubt the doctrine that that which is born of the flesh is flesh. That's when my children were sleeping. Only time. Now, I never had serious doubts, but you look at them lying there in their beds, even when they get quite old and you can remember some of the real outbreaks of sinful human nature, but they just look so innocent.

42:40 - 43:00 Read in full sermon