The New Birth
On one occasion, Nicodemus, one of the chief officers of the Jewish religion, came to visit Jesus at night. He greeted Jesus with these words, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him” (John 3:2).
In response to this confession Jesus replied, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). This statement surprised Nicodemus since he had never heard of the new birth. He responded, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born” (John 3:4)?
But Jesus was not referring to the physical birth. “Most assuredly, I say to you,” He responded, “unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:5, 6). In order to be a true Christian, every believer must experience the new birth. We touched on this in Lesson 7, but in this lesson, we will consider the full significance of the new birth, something that is essential to salvation.
01. What must take place before one can see the kingdom of God?
John 3:3
Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
02. Of what two things must one be born in order to experience salvation?
John 3:5
Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
Note
Being born of water is the experience of baptism, which we considered in Lesson 7. Being born of the Spirit is referring to our spiritual birth. In baptism, we participate by faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In this experience, the life of sin we were born with is surrendered to the cross of Christ and in exchange, we receive the life of Christ through the Holy Spirit. This is the new birth experience.
Concluding Question
On one occasion, Nicodemus, one of the chief officers of the Jewish religion, came to visit Jesus at night. He greeted Jesus with these words, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him” (John 3:2).
In response to this confession Jesus replied, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). This statement surprised Nicodemus since he had never heard of the new birth. He responded, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born” (John 3:4)?
But Jesus was not referring to the physical birth. “Most assuredly, I say to you,” He responded, “unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:5, 6). In order to be a true Christian, every believer must experience the new birth. We touched on this in Lesson 7, but in this lesson, we will consider the full significance of the new birth, something that is essential to salvation.
01. What must take place before one can see the kingdom of God?
John 3:3
Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
02. Of what two things must one be born in order to experience salvation?
John 3:5
Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
Note
Being born of water is the experience of baptism, which we considered in Lesson 7. Being born of the Spirit is referring to our spiritual birth. In baptism, we participate by faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In this experience, the life of sin we were born with is surrendered to the cross of Christ and in exchange, we receive the life of Christ through the Holy Spirit. This is the new birth experience.
Concluding Question