The New Birth

Q: What does the Bible say about the New Birth?

The New Birth is an act of God that allows individuals to become the sons of God, as described in John 1:11-13. The New Birth, as articulated in John 1:11-13, is fundamentally an act of God, meaning that individuals cannot achieve it through human effort or lineage. Jesus speaks about being 'born again' or 'born from above,' emphasizing that this rebirth is not a result of human will, ancestry, or actions such as belief or repentance, but instead is solely a divine act. This concept is essential in understanding how one is brought into a relationship with God.

Q: How do we know the doctrine of the New Birth is true?

The doctrine of the New Birth is validated by scriptural passages that affirm it is God who causes rebirth, such as in John 3 and Acts 13. The veracity of the New Birth doctrine is firmly grounded in scripture. John 3 underscores that rebirth must occur prior to belief; without being born again, one cannot perceive the Kingdom of God. Additionally, Acts 13:48 explicitly states that 'as many as were ordained to eternal life believed,' indicating that divine ordination precedes human belief. Such scriptural affirmations point to the clear biblical teaching that regeneration by God is what enables belief in Christ.

Q: Why is the New Birth important for Christians?

The New Birth is crucial because it is the means through which individuals are enabled to believe in Christ and become children of God. The importance of the New Birth in the Christian faith cannot be overstated. It signifies the beginning of a believer's relationship with God; being born of God is what allows one to flow into faith in Christ. As stated in 1 John 5, belief in Jesus as the Christ is direct evidence of being born of God. Thus, the New Birth not only marks the transformative act of God in an individual’s life but also sets the stage for ongoing faith and obedience to the gospel.

Q: What does it mean to be born of God?

To be born of God means to receive spiritual regeneration by divine act, not through human effort. Being born of God entails a regenerative work of the Holy Spirit wherein an individual is granted new spiritual life. This rebirth is solely a divine act, as articulated in John 1:13, which specifies that it is 'not of blood, nor of the will of flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.' This means that no human effort or ancestry can initiate or sustain this new birth; it is a transformative act that allows believers to have faith in Christ and enter into a relationship with Him.

Sovereign Grace Chapel, located at 135 Annabel Lane in Beaver, West Virginia, invites you to listen to a gospel message concerning Jesus Christ our Lord. My subject for today and my title is The New Birth. And the passage I want to read is found in the Gospel according to John, in John chapter one. And John writes these words, John 1, 11 through 13, he wrote this. Speaking of Christ, he came unto his own, and his own received him not, speaking of the Jewish nation. But as many as received him, that's whether those of the Jewish nation or those amongst the Gentiles, 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, and notice the language, not get born, not are born, but which were born, not of blood, nor the will of flesh, nor the will of man, but of God.

So the title again is The New Birth. Now The New Birth, is an act of God. Thus it is described in some scriptures, even in our own text scriptures, it describes it as being born of God. Our Lord Jesus Christ spoke about being born again, or born from above, some say more appropriately, and that certainly is the case. Being born of God, being born from above, being born again, or the new birth. Now, I'll give you just a little bit of counsel, a little bit of advice. I'm a man who've been, I was once in man-centered religion once, but God called me out of that around 43 years ago. Here's the advice I give you, here's my counsel.

Most every book that you will find in the Bible bookstore on the subject of the new birth is heresy. It's wrong, it's dead wrong. They just are not right. Almost every one that I've ever seen, I've looked at a lot through the past years, it's heresy.

Most every preacher that you can hear preach, whether it's on the radio or on TV or in some religious gathering or in some church building or even online, They lie about the new birth. Now, I realize in many cases, they just don't know. They're basically not preaching what the word of God says, they're just repeating what they've heard all their life through other men who have repeated what they've heard, and the lie just keeps perpetuating over and over and over again. There's just so many lies out there about the new birth. Now, anyone, here's more of this advice, more of this counsel.

Anyone who teaches, you hear anyone teaching, well, I don't care whether it's your pastor or whether it's a Sunday school teacher, whether it's a theologian, I don't care. Anyone who teaches you that you must believe, or anything else for that matter, that you must repent and believe. Or some say, maybe you need to believe and then repent. Some say you need to believe and be baptized. Others say you need to turn over a new leaf and live better and believe in Jesus. It's just anything. It's just anything. Anyone who teaches you that you must believe or do anything, that after you do that, then you are born again, it's nothing more than a filthy lie. Again, look at what it says.

He, that is Christ, came unto his own. and his own received him not. But as many as received him, so some did. Some did receive. Some received him of his own people, his own nation, amongst the Jews. And there were some Gentiles. They were very few at first, as few and far in between as we say at first, until after the day of Pentecost. But there were some Gentiles. But as many as received him, to them gave he power that is the right to become the sons of God. And they're described now, here's this receiving, here's this receiving, even to them that believe on his name. But who are they?

Why is it that this one group of people didn't receive him, But this other group of people did receive him. Why is it that we, as we see this word is receive, is to believe on him, to trust him, to rest in him, to acknowledge him, to bow to him, to worship him? Why is it that this one group did not and the other group does? It's certainly not because the group that did receive him were better, were more holy.

Not even that they were more religious. Some that received him were not religious at all. One man that received him was a demoniac, infested by a legion of demons and was naked out in tombs and cutting himself and scratching himself and screaming and yelling for, we don't know, months or years. Just a madman. Why is, what is the difference? Here it is.

And he came into his own, his own received him not. 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. So the receivers here are those who believed on him. But who are those that believed on him?

What makes the difference? Which were born? Do you see the language? Now this is important. Exactly what the Bible says is vital. You cannot switch this around to suit your own opinion. Which were born, and it's gonna tell us how they're not born, and then tell us how they were born, which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. They were born of God. That's why they received him. That's why they believed him when others were not, because the ones who received him were, he said, past tense, were born of God.

So again, I'm telling you, Don't go out there looking for the books and the messages from all of these denominations on the new birth. You'll get just about as many explanations of the new birth as there are denominations. It's just right here in this book is where we get the only, the only true record of the new birth.

And again, I tell you that anyone who teaches you that you must do anything, then after you do that, whatever that specific thing is, after you do that, then you're born of God, they're filthy liars. They're not telling the truth. Now I just have four thoughts for you this morning.

One, the new birth must precede the old birth. believing okay it must proceed believing and we have a i will call it a a indication of that a i don't care for the word hint of that because it can have a very negative connotation but we we have that testified to or illustrated or referred to by Luke in the book of Acts.

And in Acts, we find out that the new birth must proceed believing. And we see that in Acts 13, verse 48. Listen to what it says. And you go back and look at the context. Make sure I'm not bringing in my own opinion or my own ideas on this. Look at verse 48 of Acts 13.

And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad. and glorified the word of the Lord. But now they're going to be defined as to who they were. And as many as were ordained, that is appointed, and the ordainer is God. There is no other one that ordains, why? Because not of blood, nor the will of flesh, nor the will of man, but of God, okay? And as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. So which came first? The ordination to eternal life? or the believing. It's clear that the ordination comes first. And as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. We also have our Lord Jesus Christ's own words.

His words to Nicodemus where he taught Nicodemus this about the new birth. In John chapter three there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, a very religious man, a very moral man, a man who respected, read, and revered the scriptures.

The same came to Jesus by night and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God, for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. And I want you to note that Jesus Christ, he was flattering Christ. I believe he meant what he said, I have no doubt about that. But he was flattering Christ, and notice Christ didn't take the bait, as we say. Notice what he said, this very religious man, this very moral man.

Look, Jesus answered and said unto him, verily, verily, or that is truly, truly, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, He cannot see the kingdom of God. Christ did not say, except a man see the kingdom of God, he can't be born again. That's not what it says, yet that's what many teach. These books you'll get, they'll teach you, you do this for God, then you'll be born again. You'll have the new birth, you'll be born of God. That's not so. Except a man be born again, he cannot see, that word means to understand, to comprehend, to perceive, to be enlightened concerning, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

So this act of God has to come first. Christ went on. Nicodemus saith unto him, how can a man be born when he's old? Now Nicodemus had no idea. Nicodemus was a Pharisee, a teacher, a ruler in Israel, and he didn't know this. Hmm? Is that ring a bell? Huh? 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, truly, truly, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

So there you see the two parts of the new birth. We have regeneration, and I'm not going into all this, but you have regeneration, so you can see it, an actual gospel conversion that you can enter it. That's what it's all about. That, now look, Christ goes on, verse six, 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.

The wind bloweth where it listeth, where it pleases. He's illustrating this new birth, this born again, this born from above, this born of God, the new birth. The wind bloweth where it listeth, where it pleases. And thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whither it cometh. Quince it cometh, and whither it goeth. Then he says what? So is everyone that is what?

Born of the Spirit. You see, this new birth must come first. So that's the first of the four things I wanted to give you. The new birth must precede believing. And there are many other passages, I mean many other passages that teach this, but here's the second thought. The new birth.

It's not by our ancestors or our ancestry, okay? It's not by our ancestry. In other words, you're not born of God. Let me put this in the vernacular of the layman as we say, you're not saved. You're not regenerated. You're not a child of God. You're not born of God. Simply because your mom and dad were Christians. It's just, it's not the way it works. It doesn't happen that way. It's not a blood. The new birth is not by our ancestry. It's not by our own will, nor by the will of another son or daughter of Adam, but it is which were born, not of blood, nor of the will.

I mean, there's so much hype today about man's will. Some even call it free will. Some even write that on there. That's their denomination of free will. Can you imagine? And here it says this birth, this new birth, this being born of God, this being born from above is what?

It's not a flesh, nor of the will. You're not born of blood. You're not born of the will of the flesh. Now stop a moment. Did not our Lord say in John 3 to Nicodemus, that which is born of the flesh is what? Flesh. That which is born of the spirit is what? It's spirit. So you're not born in the flesh and have something spiritual about you. That must come from outside. That must come from God alone. Your will as you are born is flesh.

Did that ring a bell? that all of a sudden God turned the lights on for you, which were born not of blood, nor the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. So again, I say the new birth is not by our ancestors. It's not by our will. It's not by any will of any other son or daughter of Adam. Again, I say men speak of their free will. It's just astounding. But it's only astounding to me now since God opened my eyes, opened my ears, and opened my heart. I used to swallow it hook, line, and sinker myself. Free will.

I mean, what's amazing is some of these folks that have it as their denominational title, they don't even spell it correctly. They spell free will in their denominational tagline. You see it on their church signs, free will. It's all one word, because they're getting that from the Old Testament, the word free will, one word. The doctrine of free will is two words, free will, not free will, which means this in the Old Testament, voluntary.

That's what it means. It was a free will offering that is an offering that went above the tithe, or an offering that went above the normal demanded, commanded sacrifices. It's something you offered over and above what you had to do by law. But they're hucksters now. They write it, free will is one word, and the doctrine is free will, two words. What's this say?

The will of the flesh and the will of man has nothing to do with it. And you got to be born of God before you'll ever receive him. If you don't, if you're not, if you never are, you'll be like those others. In verse 11, he came unto his own, and his own received him not.

So again, I say men speak of their free will. Now listen to me. According to our text, according to what I'm reading you from the Bible, now if, even if, and I'm just giving that for the sake of argument, as we say, even if you had a free will, now you don't. I'm not trying to give a little bit on that, I'm just saying, for the sake of, even if you had one, it's not of any will, but God's will.

It's not of the will of the flesh. It's not of the will of man. It's not by human ancestry. It's not by blood. It's by the will of God. Why is it? Why is it that men are so, they talk about doing God's will, but their major hope is their free will. Now you tell me if that don't ring a bell of heresy for you. Even if you had a free will, and you do not have one, it's still not of any human will. God says so. And that has, that birth, that new birth has to happen before you'll ever receive or believe him.

You see it? God's word is clear on this matter. I mean it is so clear on this matter, yet by nature, you and I both, I was the same way. You and I by nature will read this book and it just does like this. Just goes right over our head as we say. Now listen, that God's book says it's not by any will but his will, that settles it. It's over. There is no debate. Years ago someone wanted to debate my dear brother and fellow pastor, now Joe Galusik, and it's just no. It's not about debating this.

They're born how? Not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but they're born of God. And you could say born of the will of God. born, we might say, by the blood of God, which blood resided in the person of Jesus Christ our Lord. See, even again, I say, even if you had a free will, and you do not, it's not of any human will.

God says so, that settles it. Claim anything else, and you call God a liar. That's what it all boils down to. And I say that, I'm not trying to be mean or harsh to anybody, because men lie on God. They'll lie and make merchandise of your soul. They'll use you just like buying a bag of candy in the store to get what they want, to push their agenda, to push their religion, to push their denomination, to push their perverted gospel on you. Uh-uh. Claim anything else, you call God a liar. And you know what? That's not just a shame on you. If you believe all that stuff, that's not just a shame on you. It may well be damning to your soul. it may well be damning to your soul. That's right. Number three, number three.

I want to turn to 1 John chapter five and I'll make this statement and we'll read it from the word of God. Because when God's word says it, that's it. Now that's it for God's people. Maybe it's not it for this religious world. I understand that, but that's it for God's people. When God's word says it, it's settled.

It was already settled before the word was even written because God is eternal and of one mind. No one can turn him. Again, here's number three, number three. Believing is the result of the new birth and it is the only evidence given in scripture as the proof of the new birth. First John chapter five, John puts it this way.

Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is, do you see it, is, not gets, not is immediately, but is, and in the Greek, I'm not going into the Greek in it, but it's already, it's a past act, it's a past event. Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is. born of God, and some say it can't be translated has been, and that certainly is the case in the Greek. Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. That's how you know you're born of God, and that's exactly what John said over in 1 John 1. Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. And we certainly know that faith worketh, how about, by love, by love. So again, I say this, this believing. It's believing.

It doesn't take place by our ancestry. It doesn't take place by the will of our flesh. It doesn't take place by the will of God. This believing comes by an act of God in the new birth, in God doing something for a man or a woman. And this new birth, it must proceed believing. Believing is the result of the new birth.

Now, here's the fourth thing. I'll spend the last of my time on this. Now, I want you to think about this. Let me turn to the passage that clearly teaches this, and I want to read to you some things that I pray that if God just has just now opened your eyes, it'll be astounding to you. Think about this. Disbelieving. Now, hear what I'm saying now.

Remember, The new birth must come first. You've got to be born of God before you can ever see and be born of the water and the spirit before you ever enter the kingdom of God. The new birth comes first. But this believing, now here's, you got there, same thing again. You got there, these Bible bookstores and you buy all these books written by men and women on believing and on faith. Most of them are a pack full of lies.

Listen to this. This believing is a specific believing which comes by a specific act of God. Now did you hear what I just said? I said this believing is a specific believing which comes by a specific act of God. This works, well I believe. I believe in Jesus, I believe in God, I believe in the Holy Spirit, I believe in the church, and all those things are Bible things, right? I believe in prayer, I believe in believing, I believe in faith, I believe in repentance, I believe in being kind. Believing, believing, okay, they're a believer, they must be okay. They must have been born of God.

That's not it. That's not it. Now, listen to 2 Thessalonians 2. I'm going to kind of jump in the middle of the context, but you go back and read. Make sure I'm not telling you something wrong, my own opinion. Listen, 2 Thessalonians 2. Paul speaking of the Antichrist, the Antichrist that will one day be revealed, but the mystery of iniquity is already at work. It's already around us, folks. Everybody's looking for the Antichrist way down yonder somewhere, and the Antichrist is surrounding us everywhere. Now listen to what Paul says about people who follow after this Antichrist. Listen, verse 11 of 2 Thessalonians chapter 2. And for this cause, God, now listen to the language. I know it's strong language. I know it's difficult language. I know it's hard language, but it is the language of God. And for this cause, God shall send them a strong delusion that they should, what?

Believe. a lie, you see that? Here's a believer that's certainly not gonna get you anywhere but damnation that they all, listen to the next phrase, verse 12, that they all might be damned who believe not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

This religion today, they talk about having pleasure in unrighteousness. They're talking about all this immoral filth that's in the world. Lying, stealing, cheating, sexual molestation, rape, homosexuality, bank robbery, drug abuse, all these things. They think about that. This is talking about believing a religious thing, but it's the lie. It's the lie that they all might be damned who believe not the truth, but have pleasure in unrighteousness. But here is that one thing. Remember I told you this believing is a specific believing. We see it's believing the truth. It certainly ain't believing the lie. This believing is a specific believing which comes by specific act of God. Now look at it.

But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren. Same passage as I was just reading about the folks who God's gonna give a strong delusion that they would believe the lie, okay? But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren, as opposed to these other folk. For you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning.

Now somebody says, when was that? It was way back yonder. It was way back yonder when God created everything, the heavens, and even did go before that. God was even before that, so that wasn't the beginning. Tough one, isn't it, huh? But we're bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth. That's the way it comes. That's the way God not only chose to do it, but he chose the people he's gonna do it to, and he's gonna do it that specific way. Look, where unto he called you by our gospel, not any gospel, not the false gospel, not the perverted gospel, not the gospel that is a lie, believe the truth, sanctification of the spirit, and belief of the truth, notice which comes first, whereunto we called you by our gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you've been taught, whether by word or our epistle.

And listen to me, now all we have are the epistles. We don't have anything else with just in word. All we have is the epistles, and it's by their word, their word, the apostles. It's not, well, this is our traditions today. No, what they set up, and the only thing we have is this book, and it's enough.

It's sufficient. Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you've been taught, whether by word or our epistle. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God, even the Father, which hath loved us and hath given us an everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, establish you in every good word and work.

Now let me sum this up in my last minute here on this broadcast. Believing religious lies does not cut it. Do you hear what I said? You say, preacher, how do I know the truth? You will not until God what gives you the new birth. You will not. You'll stop. You'll shut up to God. Believing religious lies does not cut it. Just believing historical facts about Jesus does not cut it. James says the devils believe and tremble. Walking an aisle, praying a prayer to be saved, it does not cut it. I tell you what cuts it.

That is God Almighty breathing on you the breath of spiritual life and bringing the gospel to you by the power of the Spirit in power and assurance where you crowd, oh God, I have no hope but Jesus Christ. That's the proof of being born of God. Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. Amen.

The New Birth

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about the New Birth?

How do we know the doctrine of the New Birth is true?

Why is the New Birth important for Christians?

What does it mean to be born of God?

Sermon Transcript

Comments

Articles

Featured Authors

Podcast

Sermons

Featured Preachers

Books

Browse by Format

Music

Recent Comments

About

Legal

Subscribe

Account

Articles

Featured Authors

Podcast

Recent Comments

Sermons

Featured Preachers

Books

Browse by Format

Collections

Music

About

Legal

Subscribe

The New Birth

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about the New Birth?

How do we know the doctrine of the New Birth is true?

Why is the New Birth important for Christians?

What does it mean to be born of God?

Sermon Transcript

Comments

More from Walter Pendleton

Related Sermons

Same Scripture

Suggested for You

Where this book stands in the tradition

Plato

Augustine

The Western Christian Tradition

This Book