Regeneration

Introduction: The Theological Term 'Regeneration' and its Pivotal Text

0:01 Those responsible for assigning the various topics have asked that I would address you tonight on the subject of regeneration, and I'm sure as most, if not all, of you know the term regeneration is basically a theological term as opposed to a strictly biblical term, though we will find the term in our English Bibles, but it's a good term used in theology to describe that mighty work of God by which he imparts life to dead sinners and enables them savingly to embrace his Son in true and living faith. This is a vast subject, bringing us into the compass of the whole biblical teaching concerning the application of salvation to the hearts and minds of God's elect, and if this were a group of preachers, I would handle this. The subject, primarily perhaps in a topical and theological lecture form, but since a number of you here tonight are not preachers, I want to handle it in a way that perhaps will be a little bit more to your liking, and in a way in which I feel much safer, namely seeking to expound the doctrine as it is found in a pivotal passage of the word of God. And perhaps in the minds of many of you, I need not even announce what our text will

1:28 be. For what? What Corinthians 15 is to the doctrine of the bodily, physical resurrection of the dead? What Isaiah 53 is to the sufferings of the servant of Jehovah?

1:42 So John chapter 3 is to the doctrine of regeneration. I would ask you to listen as I read John chapter 3, verses 1 through 14. I want to ask you to do something that is impossible to do to perfection, but at least attempting. It is a good spiritual discipline.

Reading of John 3:1-14 and Prayer

2:03 Try to listen to this portion as though you were hearing it for the first time. Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. The same came unto him by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I know that thou art a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that thou doest, except God be with him.

2:35 I say unto thee, except one be born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except one be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

3:03 That which is born of the flesh is born of the Spirit. That which is born of the Spirit is born of the Spirit. Marvel not that I say unto thee, Ye must be born anew. The wind bloweth where it will, and thou hearest the voice thereof, but knowest not whence it cometh and whither it goeth.

3:25 So is every one that is born of the Spirit. Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou the Son of God? Is it not the Son of God?

3:36 Is it not the Son of God? Is it not the Son of God? Is it not the Son of God? Is it not the Son of God?

3:37 Is it not the Son of God? Is it not the Son of God? Is it not the Son of God? Is it not the Son of God?

3:41 Is it not the Son of God? Is it not the Son of God? Is it not the Son of God? Is it not the Son of God?

3:45 Is it not the Son of God? Is it not the Son of God? Is it not the Son of God? Is it not the Son of God?

3:49 Is it not the Son of God? Is it not the Son of God? Is it not the Son of God? Is it not the Son of God?

3:53 Is it not the Son of God? Is it not the Son of God? Is it not the Son of God? Is it not the Son of God?

3:57 Is it not the Son of God? Is it not the Son of God? heaven but he that descended out of heaven even the son of man who is in heaven and as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness even so must the son of man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him may have eternal life let us once again unite our hearts in prayer before God our father we are very conscious as we come to take your written word into our hands and to set its words before our eyes and before our minds to have them spoken in our ears that we stand in present need of the gracious and powerful assistance of the holy spirit for we remember your own words a man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven oh lord may it please you to give us this night a measure of the spirit's grace and power as the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of yourself the spirit whose delightful work it is to magnify

The Emphatic Necessity of the New Birth

5:14 Christ to take the things of Christ and to reveal them unto us and oh father we pray that for the one who speaks and all who listen there may be the consciousness of that gracious assistance of the person and ministry of the holy spirit in our midst hear us as we are emboldened to ask this not because of anything in us but because of the grace of the holy spirit in our midst and us because of your favor to that one who sits at your right hand even our lord Jesus Christ amen in attempting to open up this portion of the word of God at least in a cursory manner for time will not permit an exhaustive exposition of the section that I have read before you and in your hearing we shall consider first of all what our lord has to say concerning the necessity of regeneration or the new birth of the new birth of the new birth of the new birth of the new birth and then in the second place what our lord says in this passage concerning the essential elements of the new birth and so we have but two divisions under which to gather the various aspects of our

6:30 lord's teaching in this dialogue with Nicodemus first of all the necessity of the new birth and secondly the essential elements of the new birth and as we look at our lord's words we note that in understanding the new birth of the new birth of the new birth of the new birth of the new birth he tells us first of all in very emphatic terms that this is a necessity and we shall see that it is an emphatic necessity first of all because of the one who speaks these words at the very outset our lord gives the assurance of his authority in these words verse 3 Jesus answered and said unto him verily verily I say unto thee and in this portion as in so many passages our lord underscores himself as the speaker he does not simply use the form which would include the I but he underscores it with an extra word of emphasis so that at the very outset Nicodemus would understand that he was not talking with just another teacher who happened to make his appearance in Israel he was talking to the one who dared to speak to him and he was talking to the one who dared to speak to him and he asked the Lord to speak to the Himalayan and he did and the one who insisted to know and then he said and whoever the Lord willed who willed how and who willed what God promised him as well

7:54 N BECING the one who doesn't say the right thing from the right old gray fashion in his notes there is something that is so important to support this message that we have never learned until then we have thought that this pred感謝 by canadas as a previous verse God is speaking was the one who fulfilled the promise in that promise that was spoken by moses talking about the cardinal terms in the chapter 1 verses 1-2 and in the gibtiger verse 1 all the world decided they were all obligations the Rigiri from apolyssia who bethlehem the name of godiran啊 prophets but he has in these last days spoken unto us in his son and so for Nicodemus as with us it is essential at the outset of our study concerning this subject of the new birth or regeneration that this teaching comes to us from the lips of our Lord Jesus Christ the one in whom all authority is to be found the one who speaks as God's final spokesman the one who said in John 12 48 and 49 the words that I speak unto you they shall judge you in the last day we do not come tonight merely to be onlookers of the word of Christ the moment we come within the orbit of the word of Christ we are coming within the orbit of that which binds us with all the authority of heaven itself and so the necessity of the new birth in this passage is first of all an emphatic necessity emphatic because of the one who states it secondly the way in which he states it also underscores the

9:22 emphatic nature of this matter of the new birth the necessity of it everything our Lord says is true and authoritative but when Jesus adds to his own words these verily verilies these amen amens it's as though the Lord himself were taking a red pencil and underscoring his own words as it is for us to the memory of which these red pencil and underscoring his own words were not enough to do greatest among all things in there that are 것처럼 and most garn Probst garnet so do this I real shadows in you because of cross and CA and this moet be a tissue memoriamued is what I've employed he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven and it is does aspects of card fidu with the man who and I am most powerful the templars in the third island fans of the humans and the cost Humphreys in that there are nearly as I said to the Bur DOTTS with these words found particularly in some of the accounts of John concerning the discourses of our Lord. And so it is an emphatic necessity, not only because of the one who speaks it, I say unto you, but because of the way in which he states it, verily, verily, I say unto you. And then it is an emphatic necessity because of the issues that are at stake. Notice what those issues are.

The Issues at Stake: Seeing and Entering the Kingdom of God

10:44 This is not a matter of temporal importance. Such as wealth or poverty. Nor is it even a matter of the greater or lesser rewards that will be allotted to the people of God when they stand before their Lord in that last day. But the issues at stake, Jesus said, are seeing the kingdom of God and entering the kingdom of God.

11:08 Verse 3, I say unto thee, except one be born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God. And in verse 5, except one be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. Now what is the kingdom of God? Well, there are but two kingdoms.

11:27 There is the kingdom of darkness, of sin, and of Satan. And there is the kingdom of God, the kingdom of light, the kingdom of grace. And there is no salvation outside of the kingdom of God. To be outside of the kingdom of God is to be in bondage to the devil, is to be under condemnation, is to be held in the grip of spiritual darkness and of spiritual death.

11:54 And so our Lord underscores the emphatic necessity of the new birth by laying before us the tremendous issues that are at stake. What did he mean when he said to Nicodemus, I say unto thee, except a man be born again or born from above or born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God. The word see here means, it means to have an intelligent appreciation and understanding of the kingdom of God. You often in conversation will say to someone, I hear your words but I don't see what you're driving at.

12:28 Or we may say to someone, do you see what I mean? What we mean by the use of the word see is this, do you have an intelligent perception of that which I'm seeking to convey? A toad may be placed in front of a great work of art and he may see an object, but he may not see the work of art in front of him. So that if he starts to hop, he'll hop around the object as opposed to hopping into it or attempting to hop through it.

12:56 He sees the work of art, but he doesn't see it. The toad could be placed in front of the Mona Lisa. The toad could be placed in front of many valuable and astounding works of art, but he cannot see that work of art. Oh yes, he sees it, but he doesn't see it.

13:14 He has no intelligent perception, but he has the ability to perceive what is truly there as reflective of the genius of the artist. And so it is in the words of our Lord Jesus. He said this matter of the new birth is a necessity, for without it men cannot see, they cannot intelligently perceive, they cannot enter in with spiritual perception to the nature of the kingdom of God. And then he says he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

13:45 That is, he cannot be admitted to that kingdom, because of all of its privileges and blessings and responsibilities. Apart from the new birth, there is no perception of nor entrance into the kingdom of God. And so this matter of the new birth is an emphatic necessity because of the one who speaks of it, I say unto you, because of the manner in which he states it, verily, verily, I say to you, and because of the great issues that are at stake, seeing and entering, into the kingdom of God. And lest you come to this study as a mere academic or intellectual exercise, may I remind you that the only alternative to the kingdom of God now is the kingdom of darkness. And the only future for those in the kingdom of darkness is hell itself. And unless you would look into the yawning mouth of that place of utter darkness, where God's righteous anger shall be poured upon the head of the wicked through all eternity, unless you can face that awful sight, surrounded with those words of Christ, weeping, wailing, gnashing of teeth, the smoke of their torment ascending up forever and ever, unless you can listen to all of that and look at all of that and just sweep it aside with a wave of a hand of indifference. My friend, we're not trafficking tonight in mere Christian theology.

15:14 We are dealing with Christian theology, with Christian doctrine, with the truth of the Bible. We are, I trust, having our minds exercised in the truth of God, but we're dealing with that which is the difference between heaven and hell. That's why our Lord speaks with such emphasis when he underscores to Nicodemus the necessity of the new birth. But not only is the necessity seen as an emphatic necessity, but it is seen as a universal necessity.

The Universal and Consequential Necessity of the New Birth

15:44 Although speaking to one individual, you will notice, reading from the 1701 edition as I did, verse 3 reads this way, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Nicodemus, except one be born again, or anew, or from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Verse 5, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except one be born of water and of the Spirit. Although addressing himself to a given individual, all of the statements of this passage are true of Nicodemus, not because he was some peculiar individual with special needs, but simply because he was one of the fallen race of Adam, and what Jesus says to Nicodemus is true of all of the sons of Adam. Our Lord states the necessity of the new birth in the broadest terms of universality possible, except one man, woman, boy, girl, black, white, no matter what he be, except one be born again. He cannot enter, except one be born anew. He cannot see the kingdom of God.

16:56 In other words, our Lord let Nicodemus know that whatever he said to him in this personal dialogue that night, Nicodemus' case was no different from the rest of the sons of Adam, but this was an absolutely universal necessity. For as we shall see as we come to the reason for this statement, the things that set us apart as individuals and the things that mark us off as races, the things that mark us off with different cultural backgrounds and provincialisms are all very, very surface, but mankind at heart is basically one as an image-bearer of God, basically one in his fallen state, basically one in his desperate need of that which Jesus calls, the new birth. So in terms that are universal and inescapable, our Lord says, except one, that is, except you, mom, dad, fellow girl in this place, except you are born again, you cannot see, you cannot enter the kingdom of God. John Owen, that great master theologian of the Puritan period, observing as a pastor the great delusions with which men destroyed their souls, said that the two greatest errors in the world by which men damned themselves are these.

18:23 One, they think they may attain to heaven without the new birth, which is contrary to John 3, 3, 3, 5, and 3, 7, or they think they have experienced the new birth though they still live in sin, which is a contradiction of 1 John 3, 9. And he said those are the two greatest errors by which men undo their souls, to think they may attain heaven while they are strangers to the new birth, which is to contradict the words of Jesus, or to think they have experienced the new birth while they live in a course of willful, deliberate violation of God's standards and are not pursuing a course of universal holiness and obedience. And this is to contradict 1 John 3, 9, whosoever is born of God doth not make a practice of sin, for his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot practice sin because he is born of God. Oh, my friend, mark it down as something that will never be altered until he who is truth incarnate ceases to be, that except you are born of the spirit you cannot see, except you are born of water and of the spirit you cannot enter the kingdom of God. And so it is an emphatic necessity Secondly, a universal necessity.

19:52 But thirdly, our Lord teaches it is a consequential necessity. That is, it is a necessity arising as a consequence of certain conditions in man. Notice how our Lord underscores this in the face of Nicodemus' question. Verse 6, That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit.

20:17 Don't be amazed that I said unto you, ye must be born anew. Nicodemus, if you understood what these words mean, that which is born of flesh is flesh, that which is born of spirit is spirit, if you understood that truth, you would not be amazed that I say to you, Nicodemus, leader, teacher, separated one, religious one, you would not be amazed that I said you must be born anew. Because, you see, Nicodemus, the necessity of the new birth is a consequential necessity. It arrives out of or derives from this condition that Jesus called a state of fleshiness. Now, what is the flesh in this context? And here we must be so careful. There are certain biblical words that are used in a broad sense and in a diverse sense in the scriptures.

21:15 And the word flesh does not always mean flesh. Sometimes it means this physical, mortal frame. But here in this context, flesh obviously means what we are by virtue of our first birth. That is, the totality of human nature under the dominion and control of sin.

21:37 And our Lord says to Nicodemus, Nicodemus, that which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which fall in human form that which human nature begets partakes of the nature and qualities of that fallen human nature which has begotten it. Flesh it is and flesh it ever will be. That which is born of the flesh is flesh.

22:08 Now this has tremendous significance when we remember the one to whom our Lord is speaking. He is saying to this man, Nicodemus, this man who had all the benefits of the revealed religion of Israel. He had great knowledge. Our Lord says, art thou the teacher?

22:29 Not a teacher, as we have in the authorized version, but art thou the teacher? If you came into a section where Nicodemus lived on the weekend and said, who shall we go here to preach? We just have one weekend in Jerusalem. They'd say, ah, go hear the teacher.

22:42 Go hear the teacher. He was a man who had great measures of the knowledge of the things of God according to the revelation of the Old Testament. He had the form of knowledge, to use the words of Paul. Not only did he have the form of knowledge, he apparently had great facility in conveying that knowledge to others.

23:04 He was the teacher in Israel. He had been exposed to the miracles of Christ as the preceding context indicates. Jesus was in Jerusalem at Passover time and these miracles were seen and Nicodemus comes and says, I've come to this conviction. I've reasoned from this effect back to this cause.

23:22 Here are miracles. You must be a God sent man. Here was a man who was a Pharisee. He was one of the separated ones.

23:29 He was a Jew within Jewry. He was an Israelite within the nation. He was part of that separated sect, the Pharisees. Now had our Lord said to the woman at the well in the presence of Nicodemus, this Samaritan, this half-breed Jew, had Jesus said to this woman, who right then was living in a state of adultery, who was of this half-breed nation, the Samaritans, had he said to her, you must experience a spiritual renovation so pervasive, so radical, so all-encompassing as to be called a birth from above, I'm sure Nicodemus would have been his Amen Connor.

24:08 Yes, it's true. Half-breed Samaritans, they must be born anew. But to say to the separated one, to the Jew, head full of knowledge, life externally, blameless, involved in communicating that knowledge to others. But Jesus says to him, Nicodemus, that which is born of the flesh is flesh.

24:34 And all of your proximity to the truth of the Old Testament Scriptures, all of your external ablutions and washings and ceremonies, all of your activity in conveying knowledge to others, Nicodemus, you are flesh still. That which is born of the flesh, is flesh. The necessity of the new birth is a consequence of this fleshy state, which when we turn elsewhere in the Word of God, we find described as a state in which man is polluted by his own native corruption. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.

25:16 For from within, out of the heart, proceed, and Jesus describes those manifestations of that pollution of our nature. That's what the flesh is. Polluted in its native corruption. It's in a state of enmity in its inbred rebellion.

25:33 The carnal mind, the fleshy mind, is enmity against God. It is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be. And remember, the word can is a word of ability. The carnal mind, it has a set of antipathy to God's authority.

25:51 It is not subject to His law. Neither indeed can it be. To be of the flesh is to have nothing but that pollution of native corruption, that enmity of inbred rebellion, that blindness of spiritual perception. 1 Corinthians 2.14, The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God. Why doesn't he receive them? That is, take them to himself with relish and delight. Because, it says, they are spiritually discerned, and he has no faculty to perceive them, and his non-reception is due to his non-perception.

26:30 The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, and he cannot know them. Now this condition is the condition in which Nicodemus found himself, though he was utterly ignorant of it. And I wonder, as you sit here tonight, if the revelation of your fleshiness has ever come home to your heart by the power of the Holy Ghost. Has God the Holy Spirit ever borne down upon your conscience so that the words of Jesus strike a note of deep and inward response as I read them?

27:12 That which is born of the flesh is flesh. And though you, like Nicodemus, may have been hedged about with many influences to keep your fleshiness from finding its natural and full expression in external acts of uncleanness, and vileness, impiety, and irreligion, though through the influence of the truth of God in the home and in the Christian church, God has been pleased, as it were, to put a stopper on that artesian well of your fleshy heart, if once the Holy Ghost has shown you what it means, that which is born of the flesh is flesh, you'll never be found saying, you know, I wish I'd gone into sin a little bit more, then I'd be able to appreciate the Lord's salvation a little more. No, no, my friend. When God gives you eyes and spectacles to see what this means, that which is born of the flesh is flesh, you'll know you're a sinner, not because some high-pressured personal work conned you into admitting it in an inquiry room when he came at you with so many verses that you were afraid to argue with him. It's one thing to admit I'm a sinner under the pressure of a well-meaning personal worker who conns me into the admission.

The Source of the New Birth: God the Holy Spirit

28:35 It's quite another thing to cry out my leanness, oh, my leanness, because with Job I can say, I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth thee, and I abhor myself. The necessity of the new birth, our Lord underscores it as an emphatic necessity, a universal necessity, and a consequential necessity. Now we move quickly to consider, in the second place, some of the essential elements of the new birth as given by our Lord. You will notice, first of all, that our Lord gives strong emphasis upon the source of the new birth.

29:20 Then, secondly, we shall consider the character of the new birth, thirdly, the result, fourthly, the pattern, and if we have time, one or two other things. All right? The source, then, of the new birth. Now, who is the source, or what is the source of the new birth?

29:36 And the answer of this passage is, who is the living God himself in the person of the Holy Spirit? And our Lord, knowing our denseness, underscores this in three ways. First of all, when he speaks of the direction from which this birth comes. Verse 3, Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except one be born anew, or as the marginal reading has it, born from above.

30:06 Now, when you come to words that have various meanings, you must let the context determine how it should be translated in that particular setting. And throughout the book of John, and again in the book of James, the primary translation or usage of this word, anothen, is from above. Notice its usage in the very context of John 3 and verse 31. He that cometh from above is above all.

30:33 Same word. John 19 and verse 11. The Gospel of John, chapter 19 and verse 11. Jesus answered him, Thou wouldst have no power against me, except it were given thee from above.

30:47 John 19, 23. Again, it speaks of direction. Woven from the top. Woven from above throughout.

30:57 And we find a similar use in James, chapter 1, verse 17. Every good and every perfect gift is from above. John, James 3 and verse 15. And so, unless there is good reason to translate it another way, I believe it is right to translate it, except a man be born from above.

31:17 From above. What is our Lord saying? When he emphasizes this, he's telling us that the source of the new birth is not within you, Nicodemus, in the energy and in the cleverness and in the so-called ability you have as a rational creature. No, no, Nicodemus.

31:37 If you are ever to be the recipient of this spiritual renovation, the direction will be from above. It's not to come from within you, nor, Nicodemus, is it to come without in the ceremonies of religion, ceremonies you have by the dozens. Every time you come in from the marketplace, lest you pick up some defilement from the sneeze of a Gentile or from the dust of a Gentile's foot, you wash yourself, you cleanse yourself, but, Nicodemus, you need a spiritual renovation that goes where the water of ceremonial cleansing can never go. The source of the new birth is the living God, underscored, first of all, by the direction from which it comes.

32:22 Secondly, the very term used to describe it. The word to beget can refer either to the paternal function in conception or to the maternal function in bringing forth the child. It is perfectly proper for me as a father of three children to say I have begotten three children. It is perfectly proper for my wife to say I begot or begat three children if she's going to talk old Elizabethan English.

32:51 But in either case, the analogy is clear. That which is begotten or born owes its existence to factors totally outside of itself. The very use of the term born shows, to use the theological terminology, that we are dealing with a strict monergism as opposed to synergism. The great issue that Paul fought with the Judaizers, that Augustine fought in his day with Pelagius, the issue that was thrashed out by the reformers, that was thrashed out again in the debate between Whitefield and Wesley, that was thrashed out between the general and particular Baptists, that was thrashed out in the division of Presbyterianism back in the 1800s. This issue, what is the source of the new birth? And our Lord says it is a birth. And the analogy utterly breaks down unless this concept comes through with absolute clarity.

33:55 In birth, that which is begotten owes its existence totally to factors outside of itself. We are as totally dependent upon the sovereign activity of the Spirit for our second birth as we are upon the action of our physical parents, our physical parents in our first birth. As Professor Murray has so aptly said, we were not begotten by our father because we decided to be, and we were not born of our mother because we decided to be, we were simply begotten and we were born. And then our Lord emphasizes the source not only by pointing the direction from which it comes, the very term which he uses, but thirdly, the person to whom this work is ascribed explicitly. This is our Lord's words. Verse 5, Jesus answered and said, except one be born of water and of the Spirit. Here is a birth which derives from the activity of the Spirit.

34:57 Verse 6, that which is born of the flesh, that is, which derives its existence from the activity of flesh, is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. The person to whom this work is ascribed is nothing less or no one less than the third person of the Triune Godhead. As the birth out of the flesh excluded all influence of the Spirit, so the birth out of the Spirit excludes all influence of the flesh.

35:30 It is his work and his work alone. You see, the key words in Christian theology are the words only and alone. The fatal number in theology is two. The key words are only and alone.

35:54 And on the use of those words, precise theological definition and an accurate conveyance of the Scriptures often hangs. Now you say, isn't that squeezing an awful lot out of those words of our Lord? Well, if what we've sought to squeeze out of them were contradicted by the rest of the testimony of Scripture, that conclusion might be warranted. But when we turn elsewhere with this question, what is the source of the new birth?

36:24 Again and again God says, the source is in me and in me alone. Turn back to the first chapter of John for an explicit statement to this effect. Verse 11, He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become the children of God, even to them that believe on his name, who were born.

36:53 Now the negatives, not of blood. This new birth, the source of it is not that they happen to be born of the right parents. I say to many of my dear, godly, pedo-baptist friends who want God's electing grace to be utterly free with everything and everyone but their own seed, God is under no obligation to make my children vessels of mercy any more than he is to make the children of my neighbor, my neighbor's vessels of mercy. Now I believe there is much to encourage me to believe that my children may be, since where God puts means it is often because he ordains ends.

37:36 And the scripture teaches us that great numbers of God's elect are called in family lines. I'm fully aware of that and I derive great encouragement. But this text says the new birth is not rooted in the fact that a man had the right physical blood flowing in his veins. They were born not of blood, nor of the will of man.

38:00 I'm sorry, nor of the will of the flesh. Nor of the will of man, but of God. Now how can John state the thing more simply?

38:14 The force of this text is so clear that people have tried to say well that's a reference to Christ in his virgin birth. No, no. Those who receive him are those who have been born of the spirit. And the source of that spirit of the spiritual birth is not human lineage, nor is it human effort from without or from within, but it is God who begets them to spiritual life.

38:44 James underscores this testimony with his words in James 1 in verse 18. Of his own will begat he us by the word of truth that we should be the first fruits of his creatures. Of his own will he begat us. He brought us forth the instrument, the word of truth, but he brought us forth.

39:12 Who has begotten us if we have been born again? God has begotten us. Now if this be the nature of the new birth as to its source, then the question I press upon the conscience of everyone present in this building is this. What is there about you?

39:33 What is there about you as you sit there tonight? Man, woman, fellow, girl, teenager, some of you younger children here. What is there about you sitting where you sit tonight that has no explanation, that defies any other explanation than this? Almighty God in sovereign grace and in power has begotten you to newness of life in his Son.

40:05 Now what is there about you? What you desire, what you love, what you hate, what you choose, what you watch on the TV, what you don't, what you do with your money, what you don't do with your money, what you think when you come to church, what you don't think when you gather with God's people. What is there about you in your total lifestyle that defies any other explanation than this? You're the product of the divine begetting.

40:37 Now remember to whom these words were spoken. I believe the Bible, so did Nicodemus. Well, I even memorized Scripture, so did Nicodemus. Well, my outward life is not like people in the neighborhood, neither was Nicodemus'.

40:53 What is there about you that has no explanation other than the fact that Almighty God has begotten you to newness of life? Friend, if you can say I have within me, through no cause of my own, a longing to please the Son of God as is revealed in Scripture, I have an inner longing to know Him in greater experimental intimacy and knowledge. My friend, the flesh never produced that. If you can say, conscious of my failures and my waywardness, I long to hear the voice of my Shepherd.

41:34 I long to follow Him in what I think, in what I desire, how I act and react in the midst of the world and in the most secret places of my own deepest thoughts. The source of the new birth is God Himself. And my dear preacher friends, if we believe that, as our brother mentioned this afternoon, what a profound difference it will make in our preaching. We will be abundantly prayerful, crying to God to give life to the dead.

42:04 We'll be brutally honest with men, setting before them all the privileges of the Gospel in the freeness of the overtures of grace, but setting before them the stringent demands of discipleship, and convinced that if God begets them, they'll come on His terms. And we'll not need to alter the terms to suit unregenerate flesh and carnal desires. We'll be done with clever salesmanship, with personality padding and all of the rest. If we believe that the source of the new birth is God Himself, it will not be held in abstraction as a theological tenet over which we debate.

The Character of the New Birth: Spiritual Cleansing and Renewal

42:44 It'll be that which becomes the pulsing, throbbing reality in the very ethos and mood of our ministries. But then I hurry on to note the character of the new birth. As we look at some of the essential elements of the new birth, we see not only the source, but look at the character. Verse 5.

43:03 Our Lord describes it as a begetting of water and of the Spirit. Except one be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter. He cannot see the kingdom of God. Now, what is this born of water?

43:23 You say, you mean you actually dare to stick your neck out and take a position? Well, I'll be a coward and hide behind some others. But I'm convinced that our Lord is not speaking directly or explicitly of baptism. Either a full dunk, or a pour, or a little sprinkle.

43:50 And any who have questions about that, let me refer you, of all people, to an Anglican who says there's no water of baptism here. Bishop Ryle, in his exposition of the passage, and also Professor Murray, a godly paedobaptist theologian, in his redemption accomplished and applied in the chapter on regeneration. Remember, our Lord is talking to Nicodemus, who knew much about ritual cleansing. The Pharisee was forever ritually cleansing himself.

44:20 You remember what Jesus said? They don't go out to the marketplace, but when they come home, they wash themselves. They wash their clothing, they wash their belongings. They were constantly cleansing pots and pans, and their little rolled up couches.

44:34 Now, what would this convey to the mind of Nicodemus? Now, imagine how shocking this was. Here he is, the one who probably was freshly washed. He had gone through some ceremonial washings prior to his coming to Christ, and Jesus said, Nicodemus, you need to be born of water.

44:51 Nicodemus, you need a spiritual birth, which will do for you inwardly what all your washings can only do for you outwardly. Water being the constant instrument of ritual purification, our Lord is saying you need a purification that comes from above. And I'm personally convinced that when our Lord chides him and says, are you the teacher in Israel and aren't acquainted with these things? Our Lord had in mind the classic passage in Ezekiel 36 and verse 25, a passage, no doubt, which no doubt had often been read by Nicodemus.

45:31 Perhaps he had even made efforts at expounding it to others. In Ezekiel 36, this is the promise of God, verse 25, And I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness, and from all your idols will I cleanse you. And in the context of this is a new covenant promise. Our Lord is speaking of an inward cleansing.

45:59 I will sprinkle water that will cleanse you from your filthiness and from your idolatry. No amount of external ceremonial washings can cleanse from the pollution of idols and from the filthiness of sin. And so our Lord is saying the character of the new birth is first of all, it's a birth which effects a spiritual cleansing. Titus 3.5 is the best New Testament commentary.

46:26 Not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost. Nicodemus, though you're the separated one, you are still flesh. As such, you are defiled and polluted. You cannot see, you cannot enter the kingdom and you'll never see nor be fit for that kingdom until the Spirit comes to cleanse your heart and make it the fit dwelling for God.

46:55 But then the character of the new birth, the new birth is seen not only in the phrase born of water but born of the Spirit. A birth not only of spiritual cleansing but of spiritual renewal. As the animating life-giving Spirit he will come to implant a principle of obedience, faith and all the other graces. For God goes on to say in that Ezekiel 36 passage, a new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you.

47:26 And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh. And I will give you a heart of flesh and I will put my spirit within you. Now notice the next words. And cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep mine ordinances and do them.

47:46 This whole idea that you've got to convince Christians that they ought to obey the Lord and constantly be clubbing them over the head. My friend, the Holy Ghost does that work. Powerfully and graciously in regeneration. And brings the rebel sinner to a posture of basic though not perfect submission to Jesus Christ and to the law of God.

48:10 And so the character of this new birth is a birth of spiritual renewal. Implanting what John calls the divine seed. Moving a man in the way of obedience. Causing him to walk in the statutes of God.

48:27 And to keep the ordinances of God. And so our Lord's words to Nicodemus concerning the character of the new birth were clear. Nicodemus there must be cleansing. Nicodemus there must be renewal.

48:41 There must be cleansing from defilement and pollution. Renewal to break sin's dominion and to impart a new principle of life. And that's precisely what our Lord says to us. If we would see and enter there must be a birth that comes from God.

The Result of the New Birth: A Spirit-Controlled Life

48:59 That source and in its character brings with it cleansing of the heart. Not just the outside of the cup and of the platter. The cleansing of the heart. And then another essential element of the new birth is the result of the new birth.

49:15 Look at verse 6. That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. In some sense parallel to the statement that which is born of the flesh is flesh. Now let's reason from the one that's evident.

49:31 To the one that our Lord is expounding. That which is born of the flesh partakes of the nature of flesh. That is unrenewed human nature controlled by sin. Can only produce what unrenewed human nature controlled by sin can produce.

49:49 And so the works of the flesh are manifest which are these. Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness. But not only gross acts of impurity. Anger, wrath, heresies, drunkenness.

50:06 Blasphemies. Flesh can only produce flesh. Now our Lord says the result of the new birth is this. That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit.

50:18 That is whatever is born of the Spirit partakes of the nature of the Spirit. It becomes now human nature controlled and dominated by the Spirit. So we have the classic statement of the Apostle Paul in Romans 8, 7 to 9. And I would ask you to turn to it for a moment.

50:40 The result of the new birth. The Apostle gives us this very clear exposition of this aspect of our study. Romans 8, 7. The carnal mind is enmity against God.

50:54 It is not subject to the law of God. Neither indeed can it be. They that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh.

51:04 That is ye are not in that natural state. Born of the flesh and nothing but flesh and controlled by flesh. Ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit. If so be that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you.

51:19 But if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his. You see what he is saying? Every man in whom the Spirit dwells is a man basically possessed by the Spirit. Whose life will evident in the presence of the Spirit.

51:41 The Spirit is never dormant in the one whom he has begotten to new life. That which is born of the Spirit. His Spirit is surely is that which is born of the flesh. His flesh was there ever a son of Adam in his fleshy state.

51:55 Who did not express that sonship in Adam by deeds of the flesh. Not a one. Was there ever a son of God born of the Spirit? Nothing but fleshiness and carnality and sin.

52:11 This abominable doctrine of the carnal Christian says there are not only one or two. But the majority of Christians. Are born of the Spirit but they are still flesh.

52:25 Not flesh as remaining corruption. Not flesh as a principle counteracting and fighting against the new life. But the teaching is they are still pervasively dominated by the flesh. But since they have accepted Jesus we must believe they are born again.

52:45 The teaching that runs counter to the whole drift of the word of God from Genesis to Revelation. The result of the new birth will always be. That the one begotten of the Spirit will characterize and manifest the fruit of the Spirit. And the book of first John is an excellent commentary on this very point.

53:05 He that is born of God Jesus John says does not make a practice of sin. Hereby do we know that we are born of God if we love those begotten of God. Hereby do we know that we pass from death unto life. Hereby do we know that we know him.

53:22 If we keep his commandments. If we follow first John and you find the birthmarks of every true child of God. The birthmarks not just of a consecrated few. A little elite core of the Spirit filled.

53:40 John says whoever is begotten of God overcomes the world. The result of the new birth will always be in the language of second Corinthians 517. Any man be in Christ a new creation. The new has come.

54:02 We must hurry on now to say just a word about the pattern of the new birth in verse 8. We've seen the source is God the character. A birth of spiritual cleansing and of spiritual renewal. The result of the new birth there will be the manifestation of the transformed life.

The Pattern of the New Birth: Sovereign, Certain, Mysterious

54:18 Now what is the pattern of the new birth verse 8. The wind blows where it wills. And thou hearest the sound thereof. But canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth.

54:33 So is every one that is born of the Spirit. Jesus said the pattern of the new birth is like unto that of the operation of the wind. Here's an analogy a comparison between the activity of the wind in creation. In the natural world and the work of the Spirit in the spiritual world.

54:54 And what are the three things that form this pattern. First of all there is unhindered sovereignty. The wind blows where it wills. Oh how many times I've wished the wind were not sovereign.

55:11 Now I know it's under the control of God. Yes but in the figure Jesus said the wind blows where it wills. Some of you on a hot night when the air has been so heavy it's sat upon you. How you wish you could have just gone like this.

55:23 Come wind. Seven miles an hour not too hard not too slow. Blow across my cheek. You have your windows all the way open.

55:33 And I don't know how many of us will be using our air conditioners next year with the energy crisis. You have the windows all the way open. I can remember one year when I was living in South Carolina there in Columbia. And we had some of that very very heavy humid weather one summer.

55:49 And looking up at a tree that was about a hundred feet above the ground. At the top most leaf in the middle of the night lying there in the bed trying to get some sleep. And the leaf wasn't even twitching. I think I'd had some consolation if I just saw a leaf twitch.

56:01 I'd known there was a little wind somewhere.

56:05 The wind blows where it wills. The sailor who least wants it who's out trying to make a living. And suddenly a terrible squall comes crashing down upon him and threatens life and limb and all he possesses. But no man has the wind at his control but the Son of God.

56:21 The wind blows where it wills. That's the pattern of the new birth. There is this element of unfettered sovereignty. You don't clap your hands and call the wind.

56:31 Only God controls it. Behold what manner of man you are. And is this that even the winds obey his voice. And so James says of his own will begat he us.

56:43 And thank God the work of the Spirit in regeneration is in his hands. Not to be effected capriciously. But in conjunction with the Father's own eternal purpose. And in conjunction with that which Jesus Christ did upon the cross.

57:01 But oh how he surprises us. If we had taken a roll or vote as sort of a straw poll. One day before Saul's Damascus road experience. And said to the Christians in Judea.

57:12 Who do you think is the least likely candidate to be a Christian in the next year? I know who would have won that poll. Saul of Tarsus. And the wind blew where it wills.

57:30 Released upon the man. Revealed Christ falls at his feet and cries Lord what wilt thou have me to do? There is unfettered sovereignty. But then the pattern is secondly absolute certainty.

57:46 Look the wind blows where it wills. The wind blows where it wills. Factuality. Certainty. Efficacy.

57:56 You feel it upon the cheek. You can see it in the trees. And when the Spirit operates in regeneration. He goes forth with creative power and efficacy.

58:07 To beget nothing less than new life. He goes forth to make people simply feel good. Have some kind of subjective religious experience. No, no.

58:17 The goings forth of the Spirit have direct reference to what the Son had in mind when he died. Why did he die? To redeem a people from all iniquity and purify them to himself. A peculiar people zealous of good works.

58:36 When the Spirit goes forth in his certainty. He blows. To do that in men's hearts. Which will see realized in them what the Son of God died to have in his people.

58:50 But then thirdly the pattern of the new birth involves the element of mystery. Look at the words of Jesus. Thou canst not tell whence it cometh. Or whither it goeth.

59:02 Where is the womb of the wind? Who can find it? Point to it? Don't know where it comes from.

59:11 Where it goes. The element of inscrutability. The element of mystery. And so it is with God's work in regeneration.

59:21 The element of mystery. Not spooky mystery. That which transcends human reason. And then there is observability.

The Instrumental Means of the New Birth: Proclamation of Christ

59:28 You hear the sound thereof. And now I must close with sounding this note. So that we may end where Jesus ended. What is the instrumental means of the new birth?

59:40 Look at verses 13 to 15. No one hath ascended into heaven but he that descended out of heaven even the Son of man who is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness even so must the Son of man be lifted up. That whosoever believeth may in him have eternal life.

59:59 Now listen carefully. A man does not believe on the Lord Jesus Christ in order to be born again. He is born again in order that he may believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. He cannot believe upon an unrevealed Christ.

60:18 He cannot believe with a faith that involves the casting of his entire being upon all that Christ is. And all that Christ is presented to be in the gospel. He cannot see. He cannot perceive.

60:31 He cannot enter. Unless there is that divine begetting. But as the divine begetting works beneath the level of the consciousness. It always operates within the context of the proclamation of Jesus Christ.

60:44 As the unique God man sent from heaven. And that glorious message of his death upon the cross in the room instead of sinners. For Peter says we have been begotten again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the word of God. James says of his own will begat he us by the word of truth.

61:06 Whenever you see men regenerate as you read through the book of the Acts. It was always in conjunction with the proclamation of Christ crucified. The uniqueness of his person. The one sent from heaven who is yet in heaven.

61:20 Who is God and yet is man. And the one who in the perfection of his work is secured. All that is necessary that sinners might find full acceptance. And so our great delight as preachers is to declare what Jesus said in these verses.

61:39 Unless men are born again they'll never enter the kingdom. But then it's our great joy. To preach Christ. And to plead with God that as Christ is preached.

61:49 And men are summoned to repentance and faith. In a way that is mysterious to us. And yet in a way that is an unfolding before our eyes of God's own eternal purposes. He begets men to life.

62:02 And that person who has sat in that church months, years. Has been able to listen to you expound the word of God. Set forth Christ crucified before them. Plead and treat.

62:14 And warn and admonish. And they've been utterly unmoved. Suddenly one day you see the tears start out of the eye. And there's a new light upon the eyes.

62:26 And a new eagerness as they attend to the word. And perhaps in a short time or perhaps sometimes in a lengthier time. They come and appear before the pastor or elders. And they want to declare what God has done for their souls.

62:39 He's begotten them to life. And suddenly the Christ who was preached. In all the beauty of his person and the perfection of his work. But was despised and rejected and ignored.

62:50 Is suddenly embraced with spiritual relish and delight. And my friend one thing you know if you have an ounce of sense as a preacher. You didn't make the difference. Almighty God was pleased to beget them.

Conclusion: A Call to Self-Examination

63:07 But he used the instrument of the gospel. May God be pleased to take the truth. That we've sought to open up from the words of our Lord. And give to us all a new appreciation.

63:23 Of this great work of our God in begetting dead sinners. To spiritual life. I would close with pressing upon your conscience this final question. In the light of our Lord's statement concerning the necessity of the new birth.

63:42 The essential elements of the new birth. The source of it. And these other matters. A question that perhaps you were offended the first time someone asked you.

63:53 But I want to ask it again tonight. Have you been born from above? I'm not asking if you made a decision. Or two or three or twenty.

64:07 I'm not asking you do you believe the truth of the gospel. I'm not asking you any other question than this. Have you been born from above? Has the wind of God blown upon you.

64:21 Begetting you to newness of life. You say how can I tell. You go to the book of first John. And you read through that book with judgment day honesty.

64:31 And ask yourself. Is my life expressive. Of those birth marks of a true Christian. Is there a living faith in the son of God.

64:43 Genuine love for his people. An earnest pursuit after a life of universal holiness and obedience. Is there progressive sanctification. And my friend listen.

64:53 If you're determined to cling to your conviction that you're born again. There is no biblical evidence that you have been born again. You are willfully believing a lie. And it'll serve you right if God gives you up to that lie.

65:05 And you're damned in the belief of it. My friend don't you dare answer that question in the affirmative. I have been begotten of God. Unless there is the evidence of the divine begetting.

65:20 Both in the inward dispositions which grace alone can produce. Primarily of faith in Christ. And all the other graces that flow from it. And the evidence without.

65:33 In a transformed life. Amen.