The necessity of the new birth is the central teaching in the passage, which begins by examining the encounter between Jesus and Nicodemus in John chapter 3. The sermon explains that the new birth is not achieved through natural generation, human will, or religious ordinances, citing John 1:12-13. It further argues that the natural man cannot please God or understand spiritual things because he lacks a spiritual nature, referencing Romans 8:7-8, 1 Corinthians 2:14, and Ephesians 2:1-2. Ultimately, the sermon concludes that individuals need a complete transformation, a new spiritual nature, rather than superficial religious improvements, likening humanity to a worn-out tent that requires replacement, not just patching.
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Welcome to the Emmaus Bible Hour. This is a program for you and your family. A time to open the Bible and see what God has to say to us through His Word. Greetings, Christian friends. It's a joy to be together again today for another study in our course, What the Bible Teaches.
We're on Lesson Six, and this is found on pages nineteen, twenty, twenty one, and twenty two. You have your manual before you, and I assume that it's open to page nineteen. And you're looking at this lesson number six, which is titled The New Birth. Now you'll see that it's not only Lesson six, but also Lesson seven that has to do with this subject. It underlines, of course, its tremendous importance. Now today we'll begin by addressing ourselves to the question of what the new birth is not, and secondly, why must a person be born again?
Just in case you're wondering what this is all about, perhaps we'd better turn to John chapter three. That's the Gospel of John chapter three. There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. The same came to Jesus by night and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God, for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again. He cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus sat unto him, How can a man be born when he is old?
Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I say unto thee ye must be born again." Now these are the first seven verses of the third chapter of the Gospel of John. And it's of utmost importance that each of us should have a clear understanding as to what our Lord meant and why his insistence upon man receiving a second birth.
In verse seven of chapter three the Lord evidently detecting a look of amazement on the face of Nicodemus said, Marvel not. Don't be surprised, Nicodemus, that I say unto thee, Ye must be born again. Have you ever noticed the three musts in the third of John? Well, there's one in verse seven, one in verse fourteen, and then there are two actually in verse thirty. In John three seven we have the sinners must. Ye must be born again. And in John three fourteen the Saviors must. Where he said, As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.
That's the Saviors must. But then in verse thirty we have the servants must. Where John the Baptist speaking on behalf of all of Christ's servants says, He must increase, but I must decrease. He must increase, but I must decrease." That's the servants' must. Now in order to clear the air, it's well, I think, that we look at this whole subject of the new birth, first of all, from the negative side. In other words, what the new birth is not. And for an explanation of this, as pointed out in the manual on page nineteen, we'll turn to John Chapter I, verses twelve and thirteen.
But as many as received him, that is, Jesus, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name, which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. You will notice that there are three negatives in verse thirteen. This explains how men are not born again, or born of God. John points out that they are not born of blood. That means, of course, that we do not become children of God by natural generation. My father was a Christian, but that doesn't guarantee that I am a Christian. Because I am born and reared in a Christian home doesn't guarantee my salvation by way of inheritance.
No, it's not of blood. Then again, it's not because of the will of the flesh. This simply means that we do not become Christians by self-determination. And finally, John points out that the new birth is not the result of the will of man. Not of blood, number one, nor of the will of flesh, number two, nor of the will of man, number three. That is, we do not become children of God by human mediation, by submission to religious ordinances and ceremonies. mediated to us by religious dignitaries, so much for the negative side of it.
Now again, why must I be born again? What is the basic reason for this? Well, we're taught in the lesson and from the Word of God that the basic fundamental reason for the necessity of the divine birth lies in the fact that man does not possess a spiritual nature. Now, by way of confirmation of that statement, look at Romans chapter eight, verses seven and eight. The carnal mind is enmity against God. Now, when Paul says the carnal mind, he simply means the natural mind, the mind of the flesh, what we inherited by reason of our association with Adam.
The carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God." That's a very strong, but it's also a very true statement of fact. Then take again First Corinthians chapter two, verse fourteen. Here's another reason why the new birth is imperative. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. And once again I turn in another declaration to Ephesians chapter two, verses one and two, writing to believers, the Holy Spirit through Paul says, And you hath he quickened, made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins.
Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the Spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience, among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. So that man by nature does not possess the new life. And again, because after all it's a spiritual kingdom into which we are introduced by the new birth. The first birth introduced us into the physical kingdom.
The second birth introduces us into a spiritual kingdom. By reason of my first birth, my natural birth, I entered the kingdom of man. But by the second birth, this miraculous birth from God, I enter a spiritual kingdom of which the Lord Jesus Christ is the head. Ye must be born again. No self-improvement, no submission to religious ordinances can affect this heaven-begotten change any more than scrubbing a mud floor will produce a beautiful floor. It only, as a matter of fact, makes the mud more obvious.
Some years ago a preacher was operating a large tent in which some evangelistic services were being conducted in a certain town. They were having great meetings, and until there suddenly, with little warning, came a small tornado. That sudden, very powerful storm burst upon the town and did considerable damage, and the tent was not left unscathed. As a matter of fact, a very large rip was found from the top of the tent right down the side. Well, the man went to the nearest tent firm, which was about ten miles away, and checked on it, and he was told that He could patch it.
So he returned the tents with some helpers, with a very large patch and certain adhesive equipment, and they patched the tent. The meetings were resumed. But you know what happened? A few days later another storm hit the town, just as severe, if not more severe, than the first. And this time it finished the tent. It removed the patch and made several other holes and did considerable damage. Crest-fallen and disappointed, the man returned to the tent manufacturers and told him the story. The man said, I'd like to see a sample of the cloth of the duck. Then he turned and said, Mr.
What you need is not a new patch. You need a new tent. The tent is worn out. Man by nature is like that old tent, and no amount of religious patches will ever make it A new tent. You see, that's what the Lord Jesus said to Nicodemus. It's not a religious patch you need. You need a new tent altogether. Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Now then I know that you'll study carefully this lesson, looking up all the references. And then I invite you to glance at lesson number seven.
Thus you'll be prepared for our study on the next occasion when we're together. May the Lord bless you now as you apply yourself to the exam covering lesson number six. my heart today.
Guide me, O Savior, though my thoughts I pray. there be a wicked way in me everything and every free.