Born of the Spirit

Born of the Spirit

Nicodemus had no idea what Jesus meant when He said,

“You must be born again.”

Do you and I know what Jesus meant?

 

 

Jesus told a man named Nicodemus

that there are two types of births….

A natural birth of the flesh,

that brings us into this world.

The second birth is of the Spirit.

Jesus said this birth is a must

in order to see the kingdom of heaven.

Our first clue to this new birth

is found in verse 16 of John 3,

when Jesus says to Nicodemus,

 whoever believes in Jesus shall not parish.

Paul describes the contrast between

the two births in Romans 8

and makes a surprising statement.

15 For you did not receive a spirit

that makes you a slave again to fear,

 but you received the Spirit of sonship.

 And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."

16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit

 that we are God's children.

17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs.

When we are born of the Spirit,

we can now call God, “Abba or Father”.

But what is also just as remarkable is

the Spirit of God testifies with our spirit.

God’s Spirit and our spirit have an ability

to communicate with each other.

When Paul was writing to the Corinthians,

he says only the spirit of a man

can understand his thoughts,

and only the Spirit of God

knows God’s thoughts.

So when the Spirit of God and our spirit get together

they are able to communicate on a spiritual level;

our thoughts and God’s thoughts.

How well do we understand our spirit

and how well do we understand the Spirit of God.

If God’s way of communicating to us

is through our spirit,

than we need to develop a better understanding

of this part of our triune nature.

The spiritual realm is frightening to some

and is not as easy for us to understand

as the things we see, touch, taste, smell and hear.

Therefore, we should take the Bible’s instruction to

“prove all things and hold fast to that which is good.”

If you and I are going to know more about God

and grow in the things of God,

we have to learn how to develop the relationship

between our spirit and the Spirit of God.

Scripture Reading

John 3:1-8 NIV

3:1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus,

a member of the Jewish ruling council.

2 He came to Jesus at night and said,

"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."

3 In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth,

no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." 

4 "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked.

"Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"

5 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth,

 no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.

6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.

7 You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.'

8 The wind blows wherever it pleases.

You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going.

So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." 

Romans 8:1-17 NIV

8:1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 

 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life

set me free from the law of sin and death.

3 For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature,

God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering.

And so he condemned sin in sinful man,  

4 in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us,

who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.

5 Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set

on what that nature desires;

but those who live in accordance with the Spirit

have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.

6 The mind of sinful man is death,

but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace;

7 the sinful mind is hostile to God.

It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so.

8 Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.

9 You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit,

if the Spirit of God lives in you.

And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ,

he does not belong to Christ.

10 But if Christ is in you,

your body is dead because of sin,

yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.

11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you,

he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies

through his Spirit, who lives in you.

12 Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation

— but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it.

13 For if you live according to the sinful nature,

you will die;

but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body,

you will live,

14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear,

but you received the Spirit of sonship.

And by him we cry, "Abba,  Father."

16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.

17 Now if we are children,

then we are heirs — heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ,

if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.