0907. The New Birth Is the Work of God
The New Birth Is the Work of God
"Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (Joh_1:13).
The Bible tells us that we must BE born again, the infinite "BE" is passive. It shows that it is something that must be done for us. No man can "born" himself; he must BE born. The new birth is wholly foreign to the will of the flesh. It is altogether distinct from bloods, that is, from the natural birth. Man and the flesh have nothing whatsoever to do with it.
The New Birth is a Divine Work. We are born of God.
We know that a big question mark always comes into many minds, when regeneration is discussed. We cannot understand how we can be born the second time. Even Nicodemus cried out, "How?"
The fact, however, that the new birth seems mysterious, does not make it untrue. We may not understand the "how" of electricity, but we know that it lightens our homes, runs our street-cars, etc. We do not understand the "how" of animal or vegetable life, but we know "how" to appropriate their blessings.
We do not know "how" the sheep grows wool, the cow grows hair, or the fowl grows feathers, but we know they do.
The new birth is inexplicable. Who by searching can find out God?
"Flower in the crannied wall,
I pluck you out of the cranny,
And hold you here, in my hand,
Little flower.
How can I tell what God and man is?"
If I can't tell what you are
Little flower,
Root, and branch, and all in all,
We do not understand the new birth, but we know that it is of God.
Illustration: We met an old darkey down South, his hair was white, his brow wrinkled. We asked him how old he was. He replied, "Boss, I don't know how old I is; the records has done been burned up; but, Boss, I was borned way before de war." We then said to him, "Well, Uncle, if you have lost the records, and you don't know when you were born, maybe you never were born." To our surprise he replied. "Yas, sar, Boss, I'se been born alright; all you got to do to know you are born, is jes to pinch yourself; yas, sar, boss, jes pinch yourself."
We may not know the incomprehensibilities of the new birth, but thank God, we may feel the throbbings of the new life.
Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR