What is the New Birth?
by David B. Vanarsdall

The following twelve scriptures have to do with the new birth, and each explains a different phase of the new birth or explains it in a different way. However John 3:3 is the only one which contains the exact words: "BORN ANEW".

WHAT IS THE NEW BIRTH?

  1. BORN OF WATER AND THE SPIRIT- Jn. 3:3

    "By far the vast majority of scholars consider the word water in this verse to refer to Christian baptism. The Cambridge Bible says, "The outward sign and inward grace of Christian baptism are here clearly given." This becomes still clearer when we consider that John the Baptist said, "I indeed baptize in water unto repentance; but . . . He shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit" it also helps in the understanding; of this passage to consider four other scriptures in which water and Spirit are joined: Mat. 28:19; Acts 2:38; 19; 1-7; and Titus 3:5." * But, perhaps a bettor explanation of Jn. 3:3 can be obtained by comparing other scriptures on the "new birth" which follow.

  2. A NEW CREATURE-ll. Cor. 5:17

    "Wherefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old things are passed away: behold they are become new." See also: (Gal. 3:27) "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ did PUT ON CHRIST" (Eph. 2:10) "FOR WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS for good works, which God afore prepared that we should walk in them."

  3. WASHING OF REGENERATION-Titus 3:5

    "Not by works done in righteousness, which we did ourselves but according to his mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit." . . . See also 1 Pet. 3:21) "Which also after a true likeness doth now save you, EVEN BAPTISM, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the interrogation of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ." (Eph. 5:25 and 26) "husbands, love your wives, even as Jesus also loved the church, and gave himself up for it; that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the WASHING OF WATER WITH THE WORD.'

  4. BEGOTTEN BY THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST-I Pet. 1:3

    "Blessed be the God and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy begat us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." See also (Rom. 6:4,5) "We were buried therefore with Him through baptism into death: that LIKE AS CHRIST WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD through the glory of the Father, SO WE ALSO MIGHT WALK IN NEWNESS OF LIFE, for if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection." (Rom. 8:29) "For whom He foreknew, He also foreordained to be conformed to the image of his Son, that He might be the FIRSTBORN AMONG MANY BRETHREN:"

  5. BEGOTTEN AGAIN BY THE WORD OF GOD-l Pet. 1:23

    "Having been begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which liveth and abideth."

    Begetting takes place before birth, whether physical or spiritual, and faith is unquestionably necessary to the "new birth". These two, the 4th and 5th scriptures, tell us that we are begotten by the resurrection of Christ and also by the Word of God. In the 6th, l Jn. 5:1, we are begotten by faith. However there is no conflict for faith comes by the word of God which explains the gospel; and the gospel is the death, burial and resurrection of Christ-thus the resurrection makes the Gospel complete for: "Because He lives, we shall live also:' (Note also Rom. 10:17) "So belief cometh of hearing and hearing by the word of Christ:'

  6. BEGOTTEN OF GOD-(by faith) I Jn. 5:1

    "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is begotten of God: . . . "Am. Stand. Ver. reads, 'BEGOTTEN', while King Jas. Ver. reads 'BORN'. To be begotten, but not completely born, by the word of God is evidently the true meaning, for "Faith without works is dead"- Jas. 2:26-(Still Birth). Mk. 16:16 also shows that more than faith is necessary for salvation: "he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that disbelieveth shall be condemned."

  7. PUT AWAY THE OLD MAN; AND PUT ON THE NEW MAN-Eph. 4:22 and 23)

    ". . . Put away as concerning your former manner of life, the old man, that waxeth corrupt after the lusts of deceit; and that ye be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new man, that after God hath been created in righteousness and holiness of truth." Paul uses the expression, "be renewed in the spirit of your mind" here, and a similar expression: "Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind" In Rom. 12:2. Since these verses imply that something is necessary for man to do in the way of repentance, let us note also, Acts 17:30: "The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked, but now He commandeth men that they should all everywhere repent: . .

  8. GOD ABIDES IN US AND WE IN GOD- I Jn. 4:15

    "Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God abideth in him, and he in God." (See Rom. 8:14, 15) "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God. For ye received not the Spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, abba, Father." [We abide in God because we are born into His family by adoption: (Rom. 8:29) "For whom He foreknew, He also foreordained to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren."]

  9. BE YE TRANSFORMED-Rom. 12:2

    "And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God." Paul said: (Gal. 2:20) "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live but Christ liveth in me: . . ." [Which surely expresses the idea of being transformed. (See also Col. 3:1 and 2) "If then ye were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things that are above, not on things that are upon the earth. For ye died and your life is hid with Christ in God."

  10. WE PUT ON CHRIST-Gal. 3:27

    "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ" [The fact that we "put on Christ" in baptism is explained by Rom. 6:4,5; which is discussed in No. 11. But we see again that we put on Christ by: (Rom. 8:29) receiving, "the Spirit of ADOPTION".]

  11. WE WALK IN NEWNESS OF LIFE- Rom. 6:4 and 5

    "We were buried therefore with Him through baptism into death; that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life, for if we have become united with Him in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection; . . ." [Baptism represents death to sin and resurrection to a new life of righteousness in Christ, in His body, the church.]

  12. THREE BEAR WITNESS (to the new birth, our salvation; or, in other words, to the fact that "we love God"): THE SPIRIT, THE WATER, AND THE BLOOD-l Jn. 5:8

    "For there are three that bear witness, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and the three agree in one." how do the three agree in one?

    All three witness in baptism:

    1. THE SPIRIT-The Spirit is received at baptism as is shown by Acts 2:38 "Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." The spirit is a witness because He is the "Spirit of Truth"-Jesus said, "My word is truth", so the Spirit witnesses according to the word of God. (See Rom. 8:27).
    2. THE WATER-Witnesses to our new life for "We rise", (from the water of baptism) "to walk in newness of life." And in Jn. 3:3 "we are born of water and the Spirit."
    3. THE BLOOD-Where does the blood come in? It is only mentioned in l Jn. 5:8, and there it is not explained. Yet we know that, (l Jn. 1:7): "The blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin." Also we find that: (Acts 2:38 and 22:16) say that baptism is "for the remission of sins."

"Both the blood of Christ and Christian baptism wash away sins"-two things equal to the same things are equal to each other. So the blood of Christ is applied in baptism. Let us see further how "the three agree in one"-Take the Bible texts on baptism and break them up and you will find the three parts:

Nowhere outside the waters of baptism is the blood of Christ applied to the alien sinner!

In conclusion: have you, dear reader, been born again: have you met the requirements of salvation?

The following scriptures on the "new birth" tell what a person must do to be saved.

  1. BELIEVE (Nos. 5 and 8) The first step, or, as in l Jn. 5:1, the begetting. (See also l Pet. 1:23; Rom. 10:17 and Mk. 16:16).
  2. CONFESS CHRIST AS SAVIOUR (No. 7) l Jn. 4:15, (also Mt. 10:32; and Rom. 10:10).
  3. REPENT (No. 6) Eph. 4:22 and 23. (No. 9) Rom. 12:2 and 6:4 (also see Acts 2:38 and 17:30).
  4. BE BAPTIZED (No. 1) Jn. 3:3; (No, 2) Gal 3:27; (No. 3) Titus 3:5; (No. 4) Rom. 6:4; (No. 10) Gal 3:27; (No. 11) Rom. 6:4; and (No. 12) 1 Jn. 5:8: Three bear witness": Water, (baptism), The Spirit, and the blood.

* Fourfold Gospel-S. W. McGarvey

* * From the book of sermons: "As Much As In Me Is", by the late James Earl Ladd, p. p. 69, 71: Printed in Portland, Ore. by Beaty and Co.

NOTE--All scriptures are from the American Standard Version.

For additional copies of this tract, order from the author, David B. Vanarsdall, Box 16604, Boise, Idaho 83715, USA. Ask about his books "The Perils of Paul" and "This is Life".

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