How Can I Change?/Where it All Begins

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At this point Nicodemus needed two Tylenol. Adding to his difficulty was a sense of humiliation, especially when Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?” (vs. 11-12).  
At this point Nicodemus needed two Tylenol. Adding to his difficulty was a sense of humiliation, especially when Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?” (vs. 11-12).  
-
{{LeftInsert|"The new birth is not only a mystery that no man understands, it is a miracle that no man can undertake.<ref>Quoted in R.C. Sproul, ''Born Again: Leader Guide, ''Chapter III, p. 20.</ref> <br>'''—Richard Baxter'''}}It’s easy to look down on the humbled scholar, but let’s subject ourselves to the same examination: Do we understand what Jesus was saying about being born again? Are we surprised at Jesus’ statements? Unless we’ve reached the place where, like Nicodemus, we ask “How can this be?”, it’s unlikely we have fully understood the mystery and miracle of regeneration.
+
{{LeftInsert|"The new birth is not only a mystery that no man understands, it is a miracle that no man can undertake.<ref>Quoted in R.C. Sproul, ''Born Again: Leader Guide, ''Chapter III, p. 20.</ref> <br>'''—Richard Baxter'''}}It’s easy to look down on the humbled scholar, but let’s subject ourselves to the same examination: Do we understand what Jesus was saying about being born again? Are we surprised at Jesus’ statements? Unless we’ve reached the place where, like Nicodemus, we ask “How can this be?”, it’s unlikely we have fully understood the mystery and miracle of regeneration.  
-
''(Article in progress.)''
+
=== Nothing to Contribute ===
 +
 
 +
{{LeftInsert|<big>2</big> Does focusing on the individual parts of Jesus’ remarkable statement give you any fresh insights?
 +
 
 +
''You
 +
 
 +
must
 +
 
 +
be born
 +
 
 +
again''}}What Jesus intentionally omitted was any suggestion that Nicodemus was personally responsible for being born again. In fact, he said the opposite: “Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit” (Jn 3:6).
 +
 
 +
{{RightInsert|'''For Further Study: '''How does Abraham’s fathering of Isaac and Ishmael show the contrast between our efforts and God’s? (See Genesis 21:1-13 and Romans 9:6-9)}} It’s not hard to see why Nicodemus would find Christ’s comments so con- fusing. Having misunderstood and misinterpreted the law, the Pharisees sought to establish their own righteousness before God. Nicodemus would have assumed that being born again (whatever that meant) involved some effort or contribution on his part. Most of us would assume the same. And it is exactly that assumption Jesus was challenging.
 +
 
 +
“You must be born again” is not a command to believe in Christ; it is a statement clarifying what hemust do in us. “Regeneration is a change wrought in us by God,” writes C. Samuel Storms, “not an autonomous act performed by us for ourselves.”<ref>C. Samuel Storms, ''Chosen for Life ''(Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1987), p. 108.</ref>
 +
 
 +
Pause a moment to consider the staggering implications of Christ’s words:
 +
 
 +
■Though absolutely essential to the Christian life,
 +
regeneration cannot be achieved by human effort.
 +
 
 +
■God is the sole author of the new birth; it is not a
 +
cooperative effort.
 +
 
 +
■Regeneration is an experience we must have but
 +
only God can provide.
 +
 
 +
It’s not because Nicodemus lacked intelligence that he
 +
found the Lord’s words so perplexing; it’s because they
 +
required a paradigm shift in his thinking. They revealed
 +
how helpless and dependent he was on the mercy of God.
 +
 
 +
Before we continue, let me clarify one point. I’m not
 +
minimizing the importance of repentance and faith. These
 +
must characterize our response to regeneration, and they
 +
are essential to conversion and our ongoing sanctification.
 +
But from my perspective they are the result of the new
 +
birth, not the cause. Theologian A.A. Hodge cautions us to maintain Scripture’s perspective: “Whatever man may do after regeneration, the first quickening of the dead must originate with God.”<ref>Quoted in R.C. Sproul, ''Born Again: Leader Guide, ''Chapter III, p. 19.</ref>
 +
 
 +
{{LeftInsert|"One week-night, when I was sitting in the house of God, I was not thinking much about the preacher’s sermon, for I did not believe it. The thought struck me, ''‘How did you come to be a Christian?’ ''I sought the Lord. ''‘But how did you come to seek the Lord?’'' The truth flashed across my mind in a moment—I should not have sought him unless there had been some previous influence in my mind to make me seek him. I prayed, thought I, but then I asked myself, ''How came I to pray? ''I was induced to pray by reading the Scriptures. ''How came I to read the Scriptures? ''I did read them, but what led me to do so? Then, in a moment, I saw that God was at the bottom of it all, and that he was the Author of my faith, and so the whole doctrine of grace opened up to me, and from that doctrine I have not departed to this day, and I desire to make this my constant confession, ‘I ascribe my change wholly to God.’"<ref>Charles Spurgeon, ''Autobiography, ''1 (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 1962), pp. 164-65.</ref>
 +
 
 +
'''—Charles H. Spurgeon'''}}Consider this carefully. Appreciate what a radical transformation is required, and how incapable and impotent you are to produce it. Regeneration is the distinct work of God alone. As J.I. Packer says, “It is not a change which man does anything to bring about, any more than infants do anything to induce, or contribute to, their own procreation and birth.”<ref>J.I. Packer, ''God’s Words ''(Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1981), p. 151.</ref>We are not born “of human decision ...but born of God” wrote John (Jn 1:13).
 +
 
 +
A new, righteous nature has been imparted, of which God is the sole author. In addition, we have the assurance that “he who began a good work in you [regeneration] will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Php 1:6). That should produce some serious rejoicing!
 +
 
 +
{{LeftInsert|'''Meditate on Titus 3:4-7. '''Recognizing the source of our salvation (v.5) strengthens our hope for eternal life (v.7).}}We no longer need to worry whether our will power and self-discipline are sufficient. They’re not. Being conformed to the image of Christ is not ultimately dependent on our ability. Rather, we can be confident concerning our growth in godliness because of God’s definitive work. He has put within us a new disposition, a passion for righteousness. “This,” says J. Rodman Williams, “is the greatest miracle that any person can ever experience.”<ref>J. Rodman Williams, ''Renewal Theology, Volume II: Salvation, The Holy Spirit, and Christian Living ''(Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1990), p. 37.</ref>
 +
 
 +
=== Let There Be Life ===
 +
 
 +
What actually occurs when one is born again?
 +
 
 +
J.I. Packer says the word regeneration “denotes a new beginning of life...it speaks of a creative renovation wrought by the power of God.”<ref>J.I. Packer, ''God’s Words, ''pp. 148-149.</ref> When God regenerated you, he called into being something that did not previous

Revision as of 18:15, 29 May 2008

 

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Not many years ago the rumor began circulating that a popular rock star had been “born again.” Reaction from the Christian community was predictably enthusiastic. But when he learned of his alleged conversion, the rock star quickly put an end to the rumor: “It was reported that I was born again. That’s not true. What I said was that I was into porn again.”

One little letter can make quite a difference.

I find myself skeptical when I hear that public figures have been converted. Even if the individual does acknowledge a commitment to follow Christ, his or her lifestyle rarely seems to reflect a corresponding change. There is often no evidence of repentance. There is no involvement in a local church. As ordinary citizen Joe Six-Pack observes this apparent contradiction, he inaccurately concludes that this is what it means to be born again.

Meditate on 1 Peter 2:2-3. What is the “milk” described here? Why is pure milk essential for spiritual growth?

Charles Colson is a notable exception to the pattern. A former attorney and presidential aide in the Nixon administration, Colson was convicted and imprisoned for his role in Watergate. It seemed suspicious when, during this period, he claimed to have submitted his life to Christ. But this was no scheme for reducing his sentence. Colson’s conversion was genuine, as evidenced by his new lifestyle. His book Born Again gives an eloquent and powerful account of his authentic encounter with the gospel.

Although the phrase “born again” is commonly used in today’s culture, its theological implications have been obscured. For example, when retired heavyweight boxer George Foreman returned to the ring, sportscasters spoke of his career being “born again.” Politicians who experience a setback and then regain popularity are sometimes referred to as born again. And many people think of born-again Christians as a hyperactive fringe group within the Church, unaware that the new birth is a biblical prerequisite for being a part of the Church at all!

"Becoming a Christian is not making a new start in life; it is receiving a new life to start with."[1]
-Thomas Adams

Even the mature Christian can fail to understand this critical phrase. Yet if we ever hope to change as God intends,we must begin with an understanding and experience of regeneration—the new birth. Here’s where the whole process of sanctification begins.

1 Which of the following phrases best describes, in your opinion, what it means to be born again?

(Answer is printed at bottom of page)

❏Making a decision to start living a better life

❏Renewing a long-lost commitment to Christ

❏Asking God to forgive your sins and live in your heart

❏Telling all your former friends they’re going to Hell

❏None of the above

The Education of a Pharisee

The phrase “born again” didn’t originate with President Jimmy Carter. It originated with Jesus Christ. Let’s discover where he introduced it and how he meant it to be understood as we eavesdrop on a brain-bending conversation in the third chapter of John.

Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a member of the Jewish ruling council, the Sanhedrin. He commanded great respect in Jerusalem as a theologian and teacher of the law. In light of his position and prestige, it’s surprising that Nicodemus would pay a private visit to Jesus. After all, Jesus lacked the formal training Nicodemus and his peers valued so highly. Besides, this blue-collar rabbi had just wreaked havoc in the Temple and insinuated he had unique authority from God (Jn 2:13-22). But Nicodemus was intrigued by Jesus’ teaching, and he could not deny or dismiss the miracles taking place. So, with a certain degree of humility, the prominent religious insider called on the uneducated carpenter from Galilee:

Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him. (Jn 3:2)

Answer: None of the above. For a biblical definition read on.

One thing could be said for the Pharisees—they knew the importance of etiquette. By addressing Jesus as “Rabbi,” Nicodemus was expressing respect for his status as a teacher and a willingness to learn. But his next statement was one he would quickly regret: “Rabbi, we know....”

Not the recommended way to begin a conversation with the Son of God.

Jesus could have confronted Nicodemus for his arrogant attitude and ended the conversation there. Instead, he chose to help Nicodemus see how limited his knowledge really was. His method? A quick game of Biblical Jeopardy. Category: Regeneration, for $200.

"We rarely take this teaching [that man cannot enter the kingdom of God] sufficiently seriously, perhaps because it cuts from under our feet the last vestiges of our natural self-sufficiency. It highlights the biblical teaching that our salvation is all of grace. The one thing necessary is the one thing we ourselves cannot perform![2]
—Sinclair Ferguson

“I tell you the truth,” Jesus replied, “no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again” (vs. 3).

The Lord’s statement perplexed Nicodemus. “How can a man be born when he is old?”he asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!” Nicodemus could not comprehend what Jesus meant, nor was he accustomed to being addressed this way. It was typically his place to give the answers, not grope for them. He may even have been in the Temple when Jesus, as a 12-year-old boy, amazed the priests with his questions. But Jesus was no longer an adolescent.

For Further Study: Read Matthew 19:23-26. What are the odds, apart from God’s intervention, of a person entering the kingdom of God?

“I tell you the truth,” Jesus continued, “no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit...You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again’” (vs. 5,7).

But Nicodemus was surprised. In fact, he was shocked.

“How can this be?” he asked.

At this point Nicodemus needed two Tylenol. Adding to his difficulty was a sense of humiliation, especially when Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?” (vs. 11-12).

"The new birth is not only a mystery that no man understands, it is a miracle that no man can undertake.[3]
—Richard Baxter

It’s easy to look down on the humbled scholar, but let’s subject ourselves to the same examination: Do we understand what Jesus was saying about being born again? Are we surprised at Jesus’ statements? Unless we’ve reached the place where, like Nicodemus, we ask “How can this be?”, it’s unlikely we have fully understood the mystery and miracle of regeneration.

Nothing to Contribute

2 Does focusing on the individual parts of Jesus’ remarkable statement give you any fresh insights?

You

must

be born

again

What Jesus intentionally omitted was any suggestion that Nicodemus was personally responsible for being born again. In fact, he said the opposite: “Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit” (Jn 3:6).

For Further Study: How does Abraham’s fathering of Isaac and Ishmael show the contrast between our efforts and God’s? (See Genesis 21:1-13 and Romans 9:6-9)
It’s not hard to see why Nicodemus would find Christ’s comments so con- fusing. Having misunderstood and misinterpreted the law, the Pharisees sought to establish their own righteousness before God. Nicodemus would have assumed that being born again (whatever that meant) involved some effort or contribution on his part. Most of us would assume the same. And it is exactly that assumption Jesus was challenging.

“You must be born again” is not a command to believe in Christ; it is a statement clarifying what hemust do in us. “Regeneration is a change wrought in us by God,” writes C. Samuel Storms, “not an autonomous act performed by us for ourselves.”[4]

Pause a moment to consider the staggering implications of Christ’s words:

■Though absolutely essential to the Christian life, regeneration cannot be achieved by human effort.

■God is the sole author of the new birth; it is not a cooperative effort.

■Regeneration is an experience we must have but only God can provide.

It’s not because Nicodemus lacked intelligence that he found the Lord’s words so perplexing; it’s because they required a paradigm shift in his thinking. They revealed how helpless and dependent he was on the mercy of God.

Before we continue, let me clarify one point. I’m not minimizing the importance of repentance and faith. These must characterize our response to regeneration, and they are essential to conversion and our ongoing sanctification. But from my perspective they are the result of the new birth, not the cause. Theologian A.A. Hodge cautions us to maintain Scripture’s perspective: “Whatever man may do after regeneration, the first quickening of the dead must originate with God.”[5]

"One week-night, when I was sitting in the house of God, I was not thinking much about the preacher’s sermon, for I did not believe it. The thought struck me, ‘How did you come to be a Christian?’ I sought the Lord. ‘But how did you come to seek the Lord?’ The truth flashed across my mind in a moment—I should not have sought him unless there had been some previous influence in my mind to make me seek him. I prayed, thought I, but then I asked myself, How came I to pray? I was induced to pray by reading the Scriptures. How came I to read the Scriptures? I did read them, but what led me to do so? Then, in a moment, I saw that God was at the bottom of it all, and that he was the Author of my faith, and so the whole doctrine of grace opened up to me, and from that doctrine I have not departed to this day, and I desire to make this my constant confession, ‘I ascribe my change wholly to God.’"[6] —Charles H. Spurgeon

Consider this carefully. Appreciate what a radical transformation is required, and how incapable and impotent you are to produce it. Regeneration is the distinct work of God alone. As J.I. Packer says, “It is not a change which man does anything to bring about, any more than infants do anything to induce, or contribute to, their own procreation and birth.”[7]We are not born “of human decision ...but born of God” wrote John (Jn 1:13).

A new, righteous nature has been imparted, of which God is the sole author. In addition, we have the assurance that “he who began a good work in you [regeneration] will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Php 1:6). That should produce some serious rejoicing!

Meditate on Titus 3:4-7. Recognizing the source of our salvation (v.5) strengthens our hope for eternal life (v.7).

We no longer need to worry whether our will power and self-discipline are sufficient. They’re not. Being conformed to the image of Christ is not ultimately dependent on our ability. Rather, we can be confident concerning our growth in godliness because of God’s definitive work. He has put within us a new disposition, a passion for righteousness. “This,” says J. Rodman Williams, “is the greatest miracle that any person can ever experience.”[8]

Let There Be Life

What actually occurs when one is born again?

J.I. Packer says the word regeneration “denotes a new beginning of life...it speaks of a creative renovation wrought by the power of God.”[9] When God regenerated you, he called into being something that did not previous


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