Born of The Spirit

Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, ‘”Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.’

Nicodemus said to Him, ‘How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?’ Jesus answered, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.’” John 3:1-6

A.W. Tozer wrote: “The once born die twice; the twice born die once.” The physical birth is every man’s experience. But his death, apart from faith in Christ for forgiveness of sin, is two-fold: physical death and eternal death (eternal separation from God). The man who is born-again by faith in Christ dies physically, but lives forever in the presence of God.

The agent of the new birth, which restores man to everlasting fellowship with Christ, is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God. He gives man the God-kind of life, which is eternal life. That is why good works, moral uprightness or vague belief in a higher power can never impart eternal life.

Once we trust in Christ and His work on the cross, the Holy Spirit invades our humanity; setting up permanent residence. The gift of eternal life lies solely in the hands of God. It can be received only through personal faith in Christ. It is executed exclusively through the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit.

Have you been born-again by God’s Spirit?

“...by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit.” Titus 3:5