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Rowland Wheatley

A spiritual birth - Its necessity, cause, and evidence

John 1:12-13; John 3:1-21
Rowland Wheatley • May, 24 2026 • Video & Audio
1,003 Sermons
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Rowland Wheatley
Rowland Wheatley • May, 24 2026
1,003 sermons
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12-13)

*1/ The necessity of a spiritual birth.
2/ The source and cause of the new birth.
3/ The means to the new birth.
4/ The evidence of the new birth.*

**Sermon summary:**

The sermon centers on the necessity, divine origin, and evidences of the new birth, emphasizing that spiritual sonship with God is not inherited, self-achieved, or humanly initiated, but solely the work of God through faith in Christ.

Drawing from John 1:12–13 and John 3, it underscores that regeneration is essential for entering God's kingdom, a mysterious yet vital transformation akin to natural birth, marked by a new spiritual life that cannot be forced or earned.

The preacher highlights that while the means of this birth may be varied—such as the preaching of the Word, personal encounters, or moments of conviction—the source is always God's sovereign grace, not human will or lineage.

Evidence of this new birth includes a genuine reception of Christ, heartfelt belief, submission to His authority, a growing love for fellow believers, and a persistent desire to follow Him, all of which reflect a life transformed by divine power.

The message calls both believers and seekers to recognize and cherish this spiritual rebirth as the foundation of true faith and eternal hope.

Sermon Transcript

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Seeking for the help of the Lord, I direct your prayer for attention to the Gospel according to John chapter 1. Reading for our text, verses 12 and 13. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name, which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. John chapter 1 verses 12 and 13.

A spiritual birth Its necessity, its cause, its evidence is set forth here. And we have set before us here that which God does to make a people to be sons of God. It's hard for us to comprehend the greatness of the blessing, the union that the Lord is bringing about in bringing a people from nature's darkness, from being alienated from him and enemies by wicked works, to be not only with them but to be counted as sons. Sons of God. Right through the Word of God who set forth a real privilege and blessing of sonship. And of course we know we We may be given children and we might see someone on the street, someone homeless, bring them to our home, look after them. and the law provides that there be a provision that there could be an adoption and they become our sons and the scriptures speak about being adoption the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father but the sonship then entitles to everything as the belonging to that family, to be belonging to that father, to be able to call in a spiritual way that God is our father, we have a father in heaven, we actually belong, we are not orphans and fatherless, but are brought to be with God. And the way to it is set before us in these verses, speaking of how they are born into that family, how they become sons.

We know in a natural sense, one born in a natural sense becomes a son, a daughter, but in a spiritual sense, that is what is set before us here. that with the spiritual birth, then we become those spiritual sons, real sons of God. The way to it is the new birth. George Whitefield, the one thing that he emphasized in his ministry was the new birth.

He must be born again. There is the account of him staying with a person and discerning that they lacked the new birth, so that he took, whether it was a soap or a diamond, and wrote on the mirror, you must be born again. When he was asked why was it that he kept insisting on the new birth, He thought a while, and then he said, because ye must be born again. And that's what he impressed upon his hearers.

For those of us who've known the new birth this evening may become afresh to value it and to prize what the Lord has given us, and that is withheld from millions. And those who yet not discern it or know it hear or shall hear the word or through the live stream. May you know that that one thing needful is to be born again, is to have spiritual life, a spiritual beginning. So I want to look at four points this evening.

Firstly, the necessity of a spiritual birth. the necessity of a spiritual birth. And then secondly, the source and cause of the new birth is set before us in these verses here and also, of course, in John 3. And then thirdly, the means to the new birth. And then thirdly, the evidence. of the new birth. But firstly, the necessity of it. In our text, it sets forth the sons of God, and then it sets forth which were born we may imply here without there being that birth, there is no sonship.

Our Lord, when Nicodemus came to him by night, this is what he insisted on. Many times in the Word we have it here in John 3, we have it in John 6, where the Lord is using natural illustrations. to point to a spiritual meaning. And those that he spoke to struggled to receive the teaching because they were looking solely at the natural. But our Lord still insisted it even more. In John 6, the Lord said, except ye eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man, ye have no life in you. And when they said, how can this man give us his flesh to eat, the Lord still insisted upon it.

Later on, he says, the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life. But again, there's an insisting on something that we have a natural illustration of, we can equate with eating, how vital it is. If we don't eat, we die. If we're living, we have an appetite. We need to eat. And so the Lord insists upon it, and that there is a spiritual equivalent.

Man shall not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. The Lord insists that there be another birth, except a man be born again. That's what he's saying, another birth. But Nicodemus is stumbling at it. How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born? So our Lord enlarges it, verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of spirit, be he pointing to the same thing, the spiritual work, God's work, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

And now he's making that clear distinction between flesh and spirit. That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the spirit is spirit. But he's insisting on it. And if we just look at the natural first, if someone is going to be alive, they must be born. We know that. We know that in a natural sense. And we know that that person has had no hands. in their own birth whatsoever.

The parallels between a natural birth and a spiritual birth are very strong parallels. And the necessity of a spiritual birth is just as much as the necessity of a natural birth. When we think of it as being the beginning of all life, a beginning, when a newborn babe knows, you might say, hardly anything, but he's got every capability and every faculty there's, healthy born, that will enable it to rise to the highest what man can here below. We've never despised a child or think that there was not a birth taking place because they didn't know this or that or couldn't do this or that. We do not expect a newborn baby to do things that an adult or even a child that's growing can do. We need to bear this in mind when we're thinking of the new birth, we're thinking of the real beginning, coming down to the very start. That which the Lord sets before us here, that which is set before us in the epistles, he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ. This is the good work, this is a beginning, vital for a right beginning, a necessity that we be born again, a spiritual birth, a natural birth.

Our baby has eyes and ears and appetite. It has all its senses, if healthy-born, and spiritually so as well. One that is born will have a voice even if it's a cry, will have an appetite, and they'll have ears to hear what the Spirit said to the churches.

They'll have eyes to see. Those parallels are very strong. And if you and I were to know and realize that we are born again, don't go further past those first parallels. I believe there's many that are born again, but don't think they are born again, because they're looking for the features of an older person instead of the newborn baby. The birth is what is important.

And where that comes from, how it comes about, every one of God's children, every one that shall be in heaven, every one that are his sons, have all had this birth. There's no escaping it, there's no other way. No other way. And this is what the Lord insists upon. I want to look secondly at the source and cause of the new birth. Verse 13 of our text. John chapter 1 verse 13.

Which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. Three ways set before us, which was not how they were born. and then one of which they were. Very often in the word of God there is comparisons, and usually it is just one and one, like the Pharisee in prayer, or the publican in prayer. But here we have three that are not the right way, and one that is the right.

Not of blood. It doesn't come through the family line. You can't say because your father was converted and your mother was, therefore then you will be a child of God. It doesn't run in the blood. It's not inherited. The new birth is not that way. Nor of the will of the flesh. Our own flesh, our own will and our own desire to make ourselves to be born again, the same as a natural baby, It's not in its willpower to give it life and to bring it to the birth and to bring forth. Nor is in our own power that we should make ourselves to be born again. The minister doesn't set forth a whole list of things. You do this and you do this and you do this and then you'll be born again. The new birth is not, as is taught in some pulpits, a process. that is then at our own willpower to be bringing it about. And nor is it the will of man.

I may have mentioned this before here, probably have, but before I was called by grace over in Tasmania, my father was doing contract P work And the man that was organizing came to the door, and I answered the door. My father couldn't come straight to the door.

And he asked me, and he says, was I born again? Was I a Christian? No, I wasn't. And he asked me, what about my mother? No, she wasn't. What about my brother? No, she wasn't. When my father came to the door, He launched a verbal attack on him. He said, you profess to be a Christian, and you haven't made sure that your wife and your sons and your daughter were saved. As if it was in my father's power, by the will of man, to cause that we were saved. There was a time I did not know the Lord nor fear the Lord, but that so struck in my mind, how could Dad do that? And this word rules that out as well. So when we rule out those ways, how is it that they are born? How do they come to the birth? Just those few words, but of God, of God. God brings it about. He performs it. He which hath begun a good work in you. That is who brings it about. The Lord's doing. The Lord's instigating.

It is a work of God. As we finished our reading there, In the second one we read in John 3, we read in verse 21, that he that doeth truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God. God is the author of them. Thou only has wrought all our works in us. From me is thy fruit found. Paul says, I am what I am by the grace of God. And he knew how the Lord began with him on that Damascus road. Only that which is the Lord's work will stand. Only that which the Lord has begun will continue and will grow and will then be proved as the Lord's work and the Lord's performing. The gift of eternal life. I give unto them eternal life. They shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of mine hand. I pass by thee when thou wast in thy blood. And when there was in thy blood, I bid thee live.

That's how it began. The command of the Lord, like to bring Lazarus out of his grave. Lazarus, come forth. It is the Lord's work. That is the source. And that is the cause. The eternal love of God towards his people. And that power comes from God alone. We're in the third place, the means to the new birth. Does there need to be means? No, not at all. The Lord does not need means. He can pass by, He can quicken a soul without any means at all. But many of us, many of the Lord's people will be able to point to something that the Lord has used, that has been means.

Sometimes it is strange ways. A lot of times it will, especially if we've been brought up under the sound of the truth, be the Word itself. the preaching of the word, going home, and doing the work. And while I think of it in this way, remember the new birth is spoken of as the Spirit's work, and our Lord saying there in John 3, The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof. Thou canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth. So is every one that is born of the Spirit." So gentle, so quietly, not with fanfare, not with great words of blessing or saying that this has been applied to me or blessed to me, but just life given. and a heart open, and from that point there be the evidences of a new birth.

In my own case, fighting against the Lord, wanting to get away from the chapel, away from the things of God, and the Lord was pleased in the weed to send a Jehovah's Witness to the door. It wasn't what he said. It's more what I said, in arguing against him, showing him where he's wrong, and then what the Lord said to me afterwards.

You are a hypocrite. You don't know anything what you've been saying. You've been wanting to get away from chaplain. You hate it. You want to leave the ways of God. And yet this man thinks enough about your soul to come in the week, not even on Sunday, and you condemned him. And the Lord convicted me of my sinship, my ignorance of the things of God. And the effect was instant. Then, not wanting to get away from chapel, I wanted to go at every possible service I could, in the week, every service on the Lord's Day.

And then when my father said, well, we're going to sell up. We're going to move away from the chapel. We're going to go to Tasmania. I said, we're not going. I'm staying with the chapel, staying at the means of Christ. The difference was immediate. A couple of weeks later, when the Mormons came, I even let them in. Anyone that would show me the way of salvation, the appetite and desire there. Another. Straight preaching used to bring into the church, into the chapel. And then a tap on the shoulder, are you a Christian? Many excuses, yeah. Parents are. Dad's a minister. But are you a Christian?

And that simple question went home. The Lord used that as a beginning. Curiosity. Zacchaeus heard of the Lord passing by, went to get up in a tree to see him, because he was small in stature. And the Lord comes under that tree, and he looks up, and he says, Zacchaeus, come down. I must dine at thine house. An appointment, known by the Lord, not by Zacchaeus. But the Lord bring him to that very place. Lord using curiosity.

What about family ties? Ruth, the male Bightess. And she marries a lad that had come from Bethlehem. And then he dies. But she's given a real love to his mother, Naomi. And she cleaves to her. When did her life, spiritual life, begin? You probably couldn't put a time on it. But she loved Naomi so that she claimed to her, ended up going with her to Bethlehem, joined with Boaz, and then in the line to Christ. If ever there's one, you say you try and get a character like that and point where the Lord began.

But that he did begin is very evident by her cleaving, by her life, and the difference between her and Orpah. They were both married to two sons, one niece to a son. There was a difference. Who made that difference? God made that difference. God uses things. Perhaps a group holiday might have gone on a Christian holiday.

And they heard things. being challenged by others that knew the things of God. You realize you didn't. Or perhaps you realize you did know because of the things that they were saying. And you realize the Lord had given you light and understanding that they did not have.

When did the work begin? Perhaps you can't tell, don't know. But that it did, was made evident. by that holiday or those circumstances. The Lord can use anything as the means of bringing that first life or making that life first evident in the soul. And from that time, there's a difference. From that time, things are not the same anymore. Maybe very gradual at first, but it keeps going on, keeps increasing. The appetite, the longing, the desires, but the Lord has used some kind of means to begin it. Those of you that sit under the sound of the truth, Those of you who know the first point, the necessity of the new birth, and yet feel this is a secret you do not know yet, pray for it, ask for it, ask for the Lord's blessing.

As we know it is the Lord's work, I will for this be inquired of. by the House of Israel to do it for them. You say, but I don't know whether I'm of the House of Israel. No. None of the Lord's people, before he begins with them, know that they are the Lord's people. But the Lord will be inquired of.

And even in that inquiring, even in that desire, who knows that in that, is the beginning of that new birth, that first time you're brought into a concern, first time you heard something said from the pulpit or a text preached from maybe tonight, the first time this very aspect, this need of your soul becomes a burden and concern to weighing upon you that it must be, you must know this, that you are born of God. You are born again. And before ever you know it, then those evidence which we can look at are there.

Now there's times that I go for a walk when I'm praying to the Lord, Lord give me a text. Give me what to preach from the Lord's day. And I pray that as I go for a walk, the Lord will drop in His word. And as I'm walking, I suddenly realize I'm meditating upon specific text and words. I think, when did that come? When did that drop in? I don't know. Could it have been a street away? A house or two ago? I don't know. Why did it drop in? I don't know. Nothing I've seen or heard has brought it.

It's just there. And that happens many times. The new birth is like that too. And it's just distilled like the dew. Just comes as a spirit without any fanfare. And that soul now is living and will go on living because God has made it to live. The gift has been given. So what are the evidences of the new birth? If it is so gentle, if it is so unperceived in its actual beginning and more known by its fruits as there is that growth, then what are they?

Well, in our text, we can begin with, in verse 12, we are told of those here that they received him. as many as received him. Our Lord said that he that receiveth you, speaking to the ministers of the gospel, receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. And there's the opposite as well, that those that reject the Lord's servants, those that reject Christ and reject God, never overlook a receiving of the Lord's servants, a receiving of the Lord Jesus Christ. When the apostles went forth and preaching the gospel, this was a real mark. Where they were to receive, they were to stay and they were to preach, they were to bring the word. Where they did not receive them, Then they shook off the dust and they were to go somewhere else.

How have we received the Word? How have we received Christ? How do we receive the Word that is preached to us, the Lord Jesus, the living Word? Do we receive it? Are we like ground that is ploughed up and you put water on it? and the water just disappears into the ground, or like real hard ground, and you pour the water on it, it doesn't receive it, it just flows off and just runs away. The entrance of thy words giveth light. The word is received by those that are born again. Same verse. They believe in his name. You see, we all know these marks. They're not any great thing. They're not any wonderful things. It is Christ makes a believer and gives him his crown. Peter says, unto you which believe, he is precious.

It's not a small thing. to be a believer. Yes, many set it forth as a very simple thing, just an ascent of the mind, but a believing in the heart, receiving and believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. This is what was required by Philip of the eunuch when he wanted to be baptised. If thou believest, thou must. I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God and he was baptised on that profession, on belief. And yet, Philip had already had the disappointment of Simon the sorcerer who made out he was a believer, was baptised even, but then when Peter came and saw by the laying on of hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered money that he might receive that. And it's found out that wasn't a true work of grace. It wasn't God's work in the heart. And Peter is very severe with them. The root of the matter was not in him. Thou art neither part nor lot in this matter. Thine heart is not right before God.

But a true believer is a blessed thing. It is set forth here, the Scriptures. God's Word testifies it. As many as received Him, to them gave He power or right or privilege to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name. We had this morning the effect of the Spirit's work on the day of Pentecost, where immediately that pattern, under the preaching of the word, they were convicted of their sin, they were brought to repentance, they were brought to have hope in the gospel of mercy that was set before them, and as many Those that receive the word, those that gladly receive the word, they were baptized. Again, it's receiving that word.

Submission to the Lord's authority. Be doers of the word, not hearers only. The Lord, when he told the parable of the man that built on the sand and on the rock, And he says this, you call me Lord, Lord, but you do not the things that I say. If we truly believe, if the Lord is our Lord, then to be in submission to his authority, the effect that it was on Paul, Saul as he was, Saul of Tarsus, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? In other words, Under your authority, Lord, thou direct. I will show him what great things he must suffer for my name's sake.

No longer Paul in control, God in control. You're not your own. You're bought with a price. A newborn soul is learning that. They know that. They feel that. They've been born of God. They've been chosen. They've been quickened. And in time, they realize All what has been done for them on Calvary, all what has been done for them in eternity in the covenant, those things are not known at first. That's the knowing that all things are passed away, all things have become new. Those who have never had the spiritual birth never know something to compare it with. Those who have are able to compare when they were dead and no spiritual life at all, and when they have spiritual life, there's a difference, maybe over a long period of time.

And as we've said, so very gentle that it's passed by and not even really recognised that the Lord has actually done that and given that. Another token, again going to John's epistles, we know that we have passed from death unto life, in that we love the brethren.

He that loveth God must love him that is begotten of him. Those that the Lord begets and brings into his family, begets as his children, they have brought to love one another for the truth's sake, in Christ, discerning that they have been bought, chosen by the same God, through the same precious blood. through the same sovereign work of God.

A following in the way. The Lord said to those in John 8 that believed on his name. Again there's the believing in his name. And he said to them, if you continue in my word then you shall be my disciples indeed. You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. John 8, verse 31. And there is that following on to know the Lord.

Where there is a birth, there will be a growth. There will be a continuing. The Lord will perform that which he's begun. And the important thing is that there is. that beginning and the evidences of that new birth in the appetite, the hearing ear, the seeing eyes, the desires, the cries, the prayers, behold he prayeth. All of these things have a real echo to a natural birth and a spiritual birth that is so vital as these tokens too.

How encouraging, how, I was going to say, liberating it is, for one that may be under a bondage, that thinking that they have not this life, have not this blessing, to then come to the realization that they have, and to have that real wonder, and eyes open to see what the Lord has actually done. You might wonder how it is that God could do something with us and we not recognise as what it is. But we can, you know. We can with loved ones as well, especially when they're near and dear to us and we so want them to be saved and to be blessed. We overlook things that are actually being done. until the Lord opens our eyes, and then we can see, and then we can see very clear, then we're able to say, this is the Lord's doing, and He is marvellous in our eyes.

But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God. even to them that believe on his name, which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. The Lord grant that we each here might know that new birth, and that knowing it might go on to full assurance of faith, and to have the joy of the Lord in our own souls. Amen.
Rowland Wheatley
About Rowland Wheatley
Pastor Rowland Wheatley was called to the Gospel Ministry in Melbourne, Australia in 1993. He returned to his native England and has been Pastor of The Strict Baptist Chapel, St David’s Bridge Cranbrook, England since 1998. He and his wife Hilary are blessed with two children, Esther and Tom. Esther and her husband Jacob are members of the Berean Bible Church Queensland, Australia. Tom is an elder at Emmanuel Church Salisbury, England. He and his wife Pauline have 4 children, Savannah, Flynn, Willow and Gus.
Broadcaster:
St David's Bridge Strict Baptist Chapel
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