In John 3:5-7, Jesus answered Nicodemus, “Most assuredly, I say to you, 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. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
The Apostle goes on to explain in John 1:12-13 that, “as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. Creator God is our physical Maker in the miracle of natural childbirth through a biological man and woman (aka the will of flesh and the will of man). Psalm 139:13 testifies, “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.” But, the natural man is in the fallen flesh of sin, which must be atoned for by Jesus for forgiveness, regeneration of the spirit and reconciliation with God.
John 3:16-17 tells of God’s plan of Salvation from sin and the Second death: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” Jesus Christ is the only Savior of the world. Believe, receive plus know Jesus and you will be sanctified, transformed and will know salvation, but do not believe, not receive and not know Jesus equals no salvation. As John 3:18 says, “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
"Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" is a beloved English Christmas carol that first appeared in 1739, written by Charles Wesley and George Whitefield and speaks to this being born again. The third verse of the song proclaims: “Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of righteousness! Light and life to all He brings, risen with healing in His wings: Mild He lays His glory by, born that man no more may die; Born to raise the sons of earth; Born to give them second birth. Hark! the herald angels sing, glory to the new-born King.” The Apostle Paul declares in Romans 10:9-10 “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”
2 Corinthians 5:17 affirms that, “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” The Prophet announced this message in Ezekiel 36:26-27 almost 600 years before Jesus’ birth, stating: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.” It’s a whole new you from the inside out, but not by you. Ephesians 2:8 explains, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.”
In God We Trust and In Jesus Christ We Believe, Brian
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