First I'm going to read Ecclesiastes
11 and verse 5. Thou knowest not what is the
way of the Spirit, or how the bones do grow in the womb of
her that is with child, even so thou knowest not the works
of God that makes all. John chapter 3, 1 and through
11. There was a man of the Pharisees
named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. The same came to Jesus
by night, said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher
come from God, for no man can do these miracles that you do,
except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto
him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again,
he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him,
How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second
time into his mother's womb and be born? Jesus answered, Verily,
verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and the
Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which
is born of the flesh is flesh, That which is born of the Spirit
is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee,
ye must be born again. Watch verse 8. The wind blows
where it listeth or pleases or desires. Thou hear the sound
thereof, but cannot tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth.
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 a master of Israel, and knowest not these
things? Verily, verily, I say unto you,
We speak that we do know, testify that we have seen, and ye receive
not our witness. It is amazing at how close regeneration
is to the new covenant. Because the Lord promised to
take out the old heart, put in, or give a new heart, take out
the stony heart, and put in a heart of flesh. Now, here in John 3,
we notice that there are two births that are mentioned, are
brought up in this discussion in the third chapter. That's
the spiritual birth by Nicodemus, and rather the physical birth
by Nicodemus, and the spiritual birth by our Lord Jesus. The physical and the spiritual. One of the flesh, one of the
spirit. one upon the earth or from earth
and the other from God in heaven. One puts one among the sons of
men and the other puts one among the sons of God. Now the words
of our Lord to Nicodemus again and again are, except unless
a man, anyone, except a person be born again, they cannot see,
they cannot enter into the kingdom of God. You have that in verse
3, and you have it again in verse 5. And the Lord saying in verse
7, marvel not that I say unto you, you must be born again. So let it be noted. where the
word again occurs here, at least in the King James Version, verse
3 and verse 7, the margin gives the meaning of as being from
above or of God. Now, such a being born of God
Being born of the Spirit of the Lord dazzled the mind of this
Jew, this teacher, Nicodemus of the Jew. He, as Ryle said,
puts the carnal meaning above the new birth. equating it with
a second physical birth, thinking that our Lord in some way was
speaking of a second spiritual birth. And so the man said, can
it be that one can enter again into his mother's womb and be
born a second time? Now, let's consider this a minute.
Nicodemus actually asked two questions, showing that he was
ignorant of the nature of the new birth, though it was taught
very clearly in the Old Testament Scripture. Then you ought to
look at this, in this passage of the Scripture, in dealing
with this man, in answering him that our Lord does not prescribe
anything for Nicodemus to do or to perform that would result
in him being born again. He said, how can it be? He said,
can it happen a second time? And yet the Lord never prescribes
anything for him to do. The Lord does not lay any duties
or acts before this teacher of the Jew, which he might easily
have done if any act of man or condition of man were required
under the new birth. If such were necessary, he might
well have mentioned it under Nicodemus. The Lord does not
even say, on this occasion, believe on me, accept me as your personal
savior, bow your head and say the sinner's prayer, or go down
the Roman road, things that we've heard all of our life. He does
not say, open up your heart, crown me as the Lord and Savior
of your life. And He does not say, be in services
on the Sabbath and go forward and make a public profession
of me. He does not say to the man, get
baptized in water or seek the baptism of the Holy Spirit. But our Lord would bring this
before Nicodemus in its mystery form, and therefore because of
his ignorance not open unto him the fullness of it. Now Nicodemus
stand in absolute amazement, but our Lord said to him, so
is everyone that is born of the Spirit. He does not give, he
speaks of it in a mysterious way, not giving the details of
it, but saying that, that I just said, so is everyone that is
born of the Spirit. I noticed that my Marshall's
interlinear rendered it this way. So is everyone having been
born of the Spirit, as it were, in the past ten. Now, to speak
of the mystery of regeneration, I want to share a quote found
in A.W. Pink's commentary on the Gospel
of John chapter 3 and verse 8. Brother Pink wrote these words,
I quote, God has thrown an impenetrable veil over the beginning and the
process of life." That's what Solomon was talking about. Let
us acknowledge this is true both of the physical and of the spiritual
birth. Both are mysterious in their
beginning. How life is conceived, and how
it comes forth, and how it comes to be. So let's consider, if
we might, the mysteriousness of both of these kinds of life. First, that passage in Ecclesiastes
11 and verse 5, which just seems to leap off of the page at us,
as it were. So it says, as thou knowest not
the way of how the bones are formed in the womb of her that
is with child. Solomon is giving here an example
of man's ignorance of the work and the ways of God, that he
cannot even know or see the beginning and the growing of the bones
of her that is with child. We know not the works of God
who makes all, is the thought that here is before him. There
are wonders in these things. There are wonders in the creation
in providence that swallow up our understanding. Or God's ways
are high above ours and our paths finding out. And especially Is
this true in our own beginning and in our own existence? For
we know not the way of the spirit nor how the bones do grow and
increase and come together in their symmetrical form in the
womb of her that is with child. Now while it is true the same
Hebrew word is dozens of times in other places translated wind,
as it is here in Ecclesiastes 11 and verse 4, dozens of times
also translated spirit, which we have in the fifth verse of
that chapter. Now I agree with those who think
that Solomon spoke of the human soul and of the spirit in verse
5. For in verse 4 the wind can be
observed, though both of these words are from the same Hebrew
word. Solomon uses it for spirit, chapter
3 and verse 21. The point is, how can we know
or behold the human being or the human soul in its origin? And how can we say how and when
it is formed? How the soul and how life and
how the being and the constitution of man is founded by the Almighty
God? Found it, it is, and in its mystery
until it comes forth into its manifestation. Now where is the
person who is willing, who will claim that they were aware of
their embryonic stage aware of it at any time or to any degree,
or worse, that something done by them resulted in their being
conceived and developed and born. On the other hand, God claims
perfect knowledge of it, that His eye is upon it, that His
hand is the fashioner. to form one in the womb. He did Jeremiah, chapter 1, verse
5. Before I formed thee in the womb,
I knew thee, sanctified thee, and ordained thee. Oh, there's
that wonderful passage in the 139th Psalm. We won't turn there
and read. But it's in verse 13 through
verse 16 where David speaks of the wonder of God knowing him
when as yet his substance was uncreated. When he was yet being
formed out of sight in the womb of his mother. Here are some
expressions that David makes in absolute wonder. You possessed
my reign. You covered me in my mother's
womb. I am fearfully and wonderfully
made. My substance was not hid from
Thee. You covered me in my mother's
womb. I am fearfully and wonderfully
made." what I was saying on the part of the summit. Now this
is mysterious and it is wrought in secret where we cannot behold
it or we cannot see it, which in the due process of time is
made into a full-fledged person and they are brought forth in
birth into the world and in delight. Though we know not the way of
the Spirit, nor the way that the bones do grow in her that
is with child. But, that in mind, let's return
to the third chapter of the Gospel of John and chapter 3 verse 8. Does it not seem a point beyond
dispute that the purpose of God in this verse is to give the
manner of the new birth? In fact, In addition to saying
that the new birth is from above and of the Spirit, the Lord gives
Nicodemus the essence of being born from above, which ends with
the words, So is everyone having been born of the Spirit. Well, let's look at the first
half of the verse, where it is here that the manner or the nature
of the new birth is explained. We must fasten our attention
here upon that word, wind, as it is rendered in the King James
Version in John chapter 3 and verse 8. It is hard for me to
know why the translators rendered this word wind here in the King
James Version. Because it is the word here in
John chapter 3 and verse 8, it is the only time, if I'm not
mistaken, that it is translated or rendered wind in the New Testament,
this particular word. Because it is the word that is
always in other places translated spirit, our Holy Ghost, as well
as unclean spirit, we find that word. Mark 5 in verse 8, angels,
as in Hebrews 1 and verse 14, are the spiritual, are the immortal
part of man, as in Acts 7 verse 59, where he said, Lord Jesus,
receive my spirit. Perhaps the translators rendered
the word as wind from the meaning given of the word to breathe
or occur or a blast or a breeze. Even if we accept the rendering
here of wind and ascribe the thing said unto the wind, It
glows where it pleases and is inscrutable in its action. Even then, what you have is a
picture of sovereignty and of irresistibility and of unfathomable
thing, not dependent on human acts or human desire in any way
or fashion. But again, consider a couple
of points. The word is some 370 times in
the New Testament, never meaning the physical wind. It is not
translated in those places, rendered as the physical or natural wind. Then number two. The two words
in John 3 are almost identical, wind and spirit, and therefore
may be rendered alike. Thus some translate the word,
the spirit that breathes where he desires, where he wishes,
or where he pleases, the spirit of God that moves when, where,
and how he will. You do not know where he comes
from. You do not know where he goes.
So is everyone having been born of the Spirit. It is, in other
words, and inscrutable work of God in an individual. One did describe it in these
words, I'm quoting, the mystery cannot be penetrated simply because
it lies beyond or out of our observation, unquote. And none
are aware of the first motion of the spirit as he breathes
into the spirit or the breath of eternal and everlasting life. None can tell when that first
came or when that first commenced or the movement which he bestowed
in the first movings of the grace of regeneration. In line with
that, the Lord said to Nicodemus in John chapter 3 and verse 8,
and the words from W.T.C., W.T.C., William G.T. Shedd, I'll get
it right in a minute, on the doctrine of regeneration. And
he wrote these words. Quote, regeneration as a work
of God in the human soul that is below consciousness. There
is not at any time an internal sensation caused by that first
stirring, unquote. He goes on to say, no man is
conscious of that instantaneous act of the spirit whereby he
begins the work of bringing forth a new creation. To say that the
elect are, in regeneration, totally passive, even as the child is
totally passive in his conception and in his birth. And this is
to say that the spirit works regeneration, that it is irresistible
as to its work. He breathes where he will. The Spirit of God moves as he
will. Kuyper, Abraham Kuyper wrote,
he comes with regeneration to all of the elect and the non-elect
he passes by, unquote. This means that no person has
the power either to begin regeneration or to refuse it, or to resist
it. It is not in the ability of any
sinner to say, I will or I will not be born of the Spirit. This is not a choice that one
makes, not even the elect of God. Have we noticed there are
no exhortations in the scripture to instruct sinners to actively
seek to be regenerated? To believe, to turn, to repent,
yes, again and again. But to become regenerate, no. There are no such exhortation. This is because I think it is
a sovereign work of God and it is not affected by means or by
human acts or human ability or the human will. Have we noticed
again that the Lord Jesus Christ in speaking with Nicodemus declares
to him that regeneration is a first and foremost necessity in that
except, unless, until one is born from above He can neither
see nor enter into the kingdom of God. Yet regeneration is both
the foundation and the forerunner of all subsequent works of grace
in the elect individual. John the Baptist was the forerunner
of Christ to prepare the way for him. So regeneration is the
forerunner of conversion and of repentance and sanctification
and perseverance and so forth. So as to prepare the way for
conversion, regeneration is a work of God. In fact, regeneration
is the one and only remedy for spiritual death. It's the only
cure. It is the only antidote for our
spiritual death. Job asked an important question.
If a man die, will he live again? And the answer, of course, is
not again on this earth. No, he will not. But then, if
a man be spiritually dead, Can he live again? If one is dead
in trespasses and in sin, can he live again? God put the question
to the prophet Ezekiel, son of man, can these dry bones, can
they live again? The prophet wisely answered,
only you know, Lord, only you are able to tell. But the question
is this, can those that are dead, in trespasses and in sin, can
they ever live again? Can they be made alive unto God? Can they have life in them? the
very life of God. Can such a one, years and years
dead, in trespasses and in sin, be given new spiritual life? The answer is yes, and the answer
is only by regeneration. Only God can quicken. Only God
can make alive. This God is the one who hardens
whom he will, and he has mercy on whom he will. We need to be
aware that there are several kinds or views of regeneration
in Christendom today that are being preached in the world,
such as a decisional regeneration. You find the Armenians saying,
oh, just make a decision. Decide to be born again. Give
God permission to work the new birth in you. And then, of course,
there's baptismal regeneration, that baptism is part and partial
of the regenerating process. Then there is gospel regeneration,
that one is regenerated by hearing the word of God. The problem
with all of these is they all, in part or in whole, deny the
reality and the extent of depravity and of spiritual death. Now let's make some point concerning
gospel regeneration. As it is very popular with many
today, it says that the truth, that the word of God, the gospel,
is the instrument of salvation and of regeneration. And so we
ask, If truth is the agent or the instrument of regeneration,
and if some says, yes, we believe this to be true, then how pure
must that truth be in order to affect the work of regeneration? If, as we think, Arminians, many
varieties of them do not preach the true gospel of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ, and if the gospel then is the instrument
as they expect it to be, then how are they able to be regenerated
by a gospel that is not the gospel? Why are the very same ones who
view truth as the instrument of regeneration Heard at the
same time to quote 1st Corinthians 2 and verse 14, the natural man
receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, they are foolishness
unto him, neither can he know them because they are spiritually
discerned. This being the case or the truth,
even the truth dispensed by Christ or by Paul cannot be the instrument
of regeneration. There needs to be a prior work
to enable one to hear to know, to understand, and to believe
the truth. So that regeneration comes not
because one believes the truth, but he believes the truth because
he has been quickened by the power of Almighty God. And these must be experienced
in their proper order. Regeneration and then conversion. Regeneration comes first and
then comes conversion. And again, we make the point
that there are no exhortation for any to affect or secure regeneration
to be found in the scripture. As one said, who believed that
regeneration is the sovereign work of Almighty God. If we could
advance or hinder it in any way, then the scripture would warn
us of the danger of hindering it as well as instruct us in
the way to enhance it or to further it in our life." One mistake
made by some is to speak as if regeneration and conversion were
one and the same thing, and they put them in the same wad, and
they do not make any great distinction among them. Christ, therefore,
will not be espoused by the elect until they have been made alive,
until they have had the stony heart taken away and the new
heart put in, and God has created faith in them and is calling
them away from their former way of life. In conversion, in effectual
calling, God's spirit is the guiding agent and the word of
truth is applied by that blessed spirit and draws forth that new
life and into exercise so that it espouses Christ by the new
life that has been implanted in it. Hence, the elect sinner
who was passive in regeneration becomes actively engaged in the
pursuit of the Christian life in conversion, perseverance,
sanctification, and such life. So, regeneration is a sovereign
work of God in the subconscious. It cannot be seen. It cannot
be observed. It cannot by any, even when it
is done, exactly tell. I think there might be a good
illustration of this in Mary, that no great sensation was in
her at the time that the humanity of our Lord was conceived. in her, but later came the evidence
and such like. The mystery cannot be searched
out. It's too deep. It's beyond our
observation and our understanding. We cannot tell which it comes
and how it was accomplished, only that a great change has
been wrought. Even before we were moved to
seek the Lord and to seek after Him, our hearts were changed. There came a great change over
us and in our life. And as we say with that man that
was born blind, I once was dead in sin, but now I am alive unto
God and I owe it. to a special work of God. So
is everyone that is born of the Spirit. It blows, it works where
it pleases, and that is the case with those born of the Spirit.