WHAT IS THE NEW BIRTH? NO III.
By George W. Sinquefield
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By George W. Sinquefield
John 1:6 through John 1:13 (KJV)
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
I. It Is An Experience With Jesus.
One experiences the new birth when he believes (trusts, surrenders to) in Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour.
John 3:14 through John 3:18 (KJV)
Salvation is in a person -- not in works, not in character or morality, not in a church or church membership, not in the externals of religion, but in a person; and that Person is Jesus Christ. Paul said, "I know whom..." Get it: the word is not "what." Salvation is not a "what." "I know whom I have believed (trusted), and am persuaded (fully convinced) that he is able to keep that which I have committed (entrusted) unto him against that day." Notice he did not say, "I know what I have done," or "what kind of life I have lived." but simply, "Whom I trusted."
John 14:6 (KJV)
Acts 4:12 (KJV)
Dr. A. W. Tozer said, "We never need to put a comma after Christ or a plus sign or a dash, as if we were waiting for something else, for Christ is enough. It is not Christ plus science or Christ plus philosophy or Christ plus civilization but Christ alone. Other things have their place but we are not leaning on any of them. We are resting down on Him who is basic to the faith of our fathers."
Dr. K. Owen White said, "You see it is not the signing of a creed, it is not the learning of a catechism, it is not the memorizing of some scripture passages, it isn't baptism, it isn't going the church, it isn't tithing your income, it isn't doing the best you can, it isn't being active in religious affairs. A man can do all of these things and go straight to hell. A man can engage in all of these things and never see the kingdom of God."
He continues, "But there are a world of people who do not realize this and many of them are not outside the church, they are inside the church. We can never place too much emphasis upon the need for this personal experience with Jesus." This experience results in a changed life."
As one put it, "I can't help believing in the regeneration of man when I see men that have been reformed. Haven't some of the very worst men been regenerated -- picked up out of the pit and their feet put upon the rock and a new song put in their mouth? It was cursing and blaspheming and now it is praising God. Old things have passed away and all things have become new. Not reformed only, but regenerated -- a new man in Christ Jesus."
Carl Jung, the famous psychiatrist, spoke of Christianity. "It has produced on earth a new creature who lives a new way to which the natural man can no more attain than a crawling thing can fly." "We can describe it," Jung said, "by no other terms than birth."
At a Salvation Army meeting in St. Joseph, Missouri a great giant of a man got up and bore his testimony. "A time ago I was a drunkard, huge in body as you see, and gifted with strength. I was a walking danger. No two policemen could handle me, but would give me wide room. I was a brute. My children ran and hid like scared birds when I came home. My wife was pale and dressed in rags. Scant bread was on our table. My house was a hovel and not a home. One night, half drunk or more, I came along this street and heard these instruments going. I stopped. A man rose and began talking -- something about salvation. He told how God could make drunkards men. I listened in a poor way with my addled brain, but said to my heart -- "That's what I need."
The man closed, saying, "All of you who want to hear more about salvation come down to the barracks. I went, sat on a back seat, heard about Christ, sought Him and found Him. Neighbors, I knew then what salvation was. Friends come down and see me now. I've got a home now, and a tidally dressed wife. My children do not run from their father anymore, but run to meet him and kiss him. My wife has color in her cheeks and laughter in her eyes. My daughter has an organ now and plays gospel music, and all of you come to my house and see what salvation did for me."
2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)
Dr. Ed Solemon of Florida, related the following as a true incident in a revival he had conducted. At the beginning of the meeting he asked who was the meanest man in town. He was told it was one, Jake Wakefield, who among many other evils had killed the former sheriff, George Williams, while drunk. After much prayer and effort, Jake Wakefield attended the meeting and was gloriously saved. After he was saved, Wakefield asked for membership in the church. He was voted in as requested but there was much concern about the organist, Mrs. George Williams, widow of the sheriff as to how she would react to the action of the church. The first to shake hands and welcome Wakefield into the church was Mrs. Williams, later she was asked how she could do such a thing to which she replied, "It was not the old Jake Wakefield that killed my husband; it was the Jake Wakefield made over by Jesus whom I welcomed into the church."
II. The New Birth Is A Mystery.
It was to Nicodemus, He asked, "How can these things be?" Jesus didn't explain it but He compared it to the wind. He was saying that the new birth is something to be experienced, not explained. Many things in life are a mystery to man.
Yes life itself is a mystery and life is full of that which is mysterious. As one said, "It is a mystery why walls are so thin when you want to sleep and so thick when you want to listen."
Dr. Herschel H. Hobbs says, "I do not understand how the swallows, having no calendars, always return to Capistrano on the same date every year. I do not understand the flight of the birds through the air, or the ways of the fishes through the sea. I am puzzled by seed time and harvest, by birds and flowers, by honey bees, plants and atoms, by caterpillars and butterflies, by tides and earth tremors, by electricity and sunbeams, by sweet apples and sour apples, by lilies and onions, by ocean liners and air liners, yet I believe in them all because experience has taught me that these things exist."
The great Christian statesman, William Jenning Bryan once ate a delicious slice of watermelon which he enjoyed so much that he retained and dried out a handful of seeds for planting in his garden. The same night as he was thinking of material for a coming speech, the idea of the melon came to his mind, and he did some calculating on it. He discovered that it would take about 5000 watermelon seeds to make a pound. He estimated the melon to be about 40 pounds. Then applying some old math he came up with the following:
"A few weeks before, someone had planted a little seed in the ground. Under the influence of sunshine and shower that little seed had taken off its coat and gone to work. It has gathered from somewhere two hundred thousand times its own weight, and forced that enormous weight through a tiny stem and built a watermelon. On the outside it had put a covering of green, within that a rind of white and within that a rind of red and then it had scattered through the red, little seeds, each one capable of doing the same work over again."
What architect drew the plan? Where did that little watermelon seed get its tremendous strength? Where did it find its flavoring extract and its coloring matter? How did it build a watermelon?
Until you can explain a watermelon, do not be too sure that you can set limits to the power of the Almighty, or tell just what He would do or how He would do it. The most learned man in the world cannot explain a watermelon, but the most ignorant man can eat a watermelon and enjoy it."
How can you find life? How can you become a new man? Accept the gift of God. You do not understand the wind, but if you open your window it will blow in your face. You don't have to settle the mystery of God and his redemptive grace. Just open your life to God. He will come into your life.
John 3:8 Jesus compared the new birth to the wind. By doing so He was saying that the new birth is a mystery. We don't understand the new birth any more than we understand the wind.
"I can't understand all about the wind. I may go up a few hundred feet and find the wind blowing in a entirely different direction from what is down here. I can't explain these wind currents, but because I can't explain them and don't understand them is certainly no proof that they don't exist. Suppose I should say, "There is no such thing as the wind." Why any child here would say, "That man doesn't know as much as I do. The wind blew my hat off the other day. I felt the effects of the wind, in my face. I saw trees being blown about by the wind. I know that the wind is a reality."
The new birth is a reality. We don't understand it but we feel it in our hearts, we experience it. Christ opened the eyes of a blind man one day. The Pharisees found the man and asked how it happened. "I don't know," replied the man. "I can't explain it, but this one thing I know, I once was blind but now I see." If you've been saved, you too must say, "I don't understand all that happened but I do know this, when I put my trust in Jesus, He came into my heart and made a new creature out of me."
The new birth is not to be explained but it is to be experienced. Ask the little humming bird, "Do you understand all the parts of the flower?" He'll answer, "No." "Then why do you drink the nectar?" "Because it is what I need, it satisfies."
The story is told of a girl in the highlands of Scotland who came before the church to make her confession of Christ. In those days they put a person through a period of questioning before he was allowed to join the church. As they asked her hard questions, she floundered, and blushed and at last burst into tears. But the tears brought her relief and courage, and looking up she said, "Oh, sir, I cannot explain it, but I know it. It seems to me it is like the washing of the sheep in yonder brook. We take them into the flowing stream and hold them there till all the dirt has been cleansed from the wool. We cannot tell where the water comes from or where it goes, but we know that the fleece is cleaned. I can't explain it, but I know the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth me from sin."
The new birth is not to be explained, but experienced. A. C. Archibald said, "Let us not suffer confusion because we cannot measure the depth of God. We cannot think that He who is from everlasting to everlasting, He who "taketh up the isles as a very little thing," can be compassed by finiteness. Beyond controversy "great is the mystery of godliness." But the mystery is part of the credentials. If it were without mystery, it would not long command our allegiance. What we can easily understand we can easily discard. God's coming in the flesh is the mystery of all mysteries, but that does not hinder our receiving it. If I could understand it, its shallowness would repel me.
III. The Agency Of The New Birth
It is clear from the words of Jesus that the new birth was to be effected by the means of the cross. The references to Moses and the serpent in the wilderness was clear enough in their meaning to Nicodemus. They meant that God had provided a way of life for the bitten Israelites. So the Son of Man was to be lifted up on the cross, "that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
Acts 4:12 tells us that "there is none other name under heaven given men whereby we must be saved." Jesus qualifies for the work of saving lost souls because He is both God and man. He is both Creator and Redeemer.
John 1:1 through John 1:3 (KJV)
Colossians 1:16 through Colossians 1:17 (KJV)
Hebrews 1:2 (KJV)
The cross teaches that salvation through grace is the only hope for man. Thank God, we do not have to observe rites and ceremonies, depend on tradition or superstition, go on pilgrimages, or join a crusade in order to be saved, but simply believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. It was by His death as payment for our sins that He became the Savior of man.
Acts 20:28 (KJV)
Romans 3:23 through Romans 3:24 (KJV)
Ephesians 1:7 (KJV)
1 Peter 1:18 through 1 Peter 1:19 (KJV)
Revelation 1:5 (KJV)
In creation Jesus did not need to defeat His enemies. In accomplishing our salvation He defeated sin, satan and death. On the cross Jesus said, "It is finished." All that needed to be done in order for sinful lost mankind could be saved was finished. Nothing man can do but accept what Jesus has done for man and accept Him as Savior.
Believe on Jesus and He'll save you.
John 3:16 (KJV)
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
