A New Life from God,
and Inward Working in the Soul
Its Necessity
John 3:7
"Do not marvel that I said to you, `You must be born again.'Galatians 6:15
For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.Ephesians 2:1-2 1. And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2. in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.
Its Nature
John 3:5-6
5. 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. 6. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."II Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 4:24 …..and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.
Its Agent
John 3:8
"The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit."II Corinthians 3:6 …..
who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.Titus 3:5-7 5. He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6. whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7. that being justified by His grace we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Its Instrument
I Peter 1:22-23
22. Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, 23. for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and abiding word of God.James 1:18 In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we might be, as it were, the first fruits among His creatures.
John 5:24 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life."
Its Means
I John 5:1
Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God; and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him.Galatians 3:26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
John 1:12-13 12. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13. who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Its Fruits
I John 3:7-10
7. Little children, let no one deceive you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; 8. the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 9. No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 10. By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.Romans 6:22-23 22. But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. 23. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Its Manifestation
I John 5:1-2
1. Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God; and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him. 2. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments.I John 3:16 We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.