Understanding the New Birth According to John 3

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Nicodemus came to Jesus by night with a question of being born again. Friends, you have come to this broadcast today, and let’s see that answer that’s coming up from the International Gospel Hour. Stay with us.

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Hi, this is Jay Webb for International Gospel Hour. Welcome to our broadcast today. For over 90 years, churches of Christ have proclaimed God’s Word through our broadcasts. Just ahead is another Bible-based lesson with Jeff Archie of International Gospel Hour. Let’s begin.

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Well, thank you always to our J-Web. Greetings to all of you. Delighted to have you with us once again to join us for our studies from the Word of God here from the International Gospel Hour. We’ve been on the air since 1934. Now, someone told me recently, Jeff, I don’t think you’ve been around since 1934, and that is true. But the broadcast has, and most importantly, the Word of God has, and continues to be brought forth. I think of the wonderful assurance we have from John 8, 31 and 32, when Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “‘If you abide in my word, you are my disciples indeed, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.'” Friends, can we think of a better place than to abide than within the Word of God, the truth that makes men free? As we begin today, dear listeners, would you not agree that our youth of today need to know the truth of God? From the Old Testament in Deuteronomy 6 to the New Testament of Ephesians 6, we see the importance of youth learning of the truth of God early in life, and especially the challenges that are faced in the teenage years. And with that said, here is our J-Web with something special for our youth, and then we’ll come back and begin our program and our study today.

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Our free publication today is Valor and Virtue, a Christian apologetics magazine for teens. It is a great resource, especially for the challenging teen years. Get your free copy today by calling toll free at 855-444-6988. Leave your name and address and just say Valor. And you can also request it through our website at internationalgospelhour.com. Click on the Contacts tab and leave us your name and address and put Valor in the message box. Our friends at apologeticspress.org have made this possible for you, our listeners. Get your copy of Valor and Virtue today.

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Our study today is The New Birth. We are deeply grateful for such a fine audience always, and as we study this subject together, we hope it will be of help to you. We are discussing the new birth, as described by Christ in John 3 and verse 5. From the outset, kind friends, water means water in John 3 verse 5, and that it actually refers to baptism. And it is my purpose to show from God’s book the truth on this subject. Do you know why so many preachers are fighting and rebelling against this truth? The devil knows that since water refers to baptism, it therefore makes baptism a necessity for salvation. For John 3 verse 3 says, Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except one be born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Then in John 3 and verse 5, Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto you, except one be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. Now the devil knows that there is no difference in these two statements. We know it too if we believe the Scriptures. The devil knows, as well as anyone else, that no man is ever saved until he is born again. He also knows that no man is ever born again until he is buried in water in the name of Christ for the remission of sins. We are commanded to give diligence to present ourselves approved unto God, workmen that need not to be ashamed, handling aright the word of truth, 2 Timothy 2.15. And Christ said, as noted earlier, You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. You remember, of course, that he also said in John 5, 39, You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life, and these are they which bear witness of me. And in Acts 17, verse 11, we read, Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether these things were so. So at this time, I will call to our attention John chapter 3, the first twelve verses. Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. The same came unto him by night, and said to him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except one be born unto you, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus said 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 one be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter 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 said unto thee, You must be born anew. The wind bloweth where it will, and thou hearest the voice thereof, but know not whence it comes, and whither it goes. So is every one that is born of the Spirit. Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Are thou the teacher of Israel, and understand not these things? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that which we know, and bear witness of that which we have seen, and you receive not our witness. If I told you earthly things, and you believe not, how shall you believe if I tell you heavenly things? These passages are very familiar to many of you, and I want us to analyze carefully the passages, especially John 3, 3 and John 3, 5. Our Lord pointed out the absolute necessity of the new birth when He said, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except one be born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Since water refers to baptism in this passage, Christ is simply saying that except a man be baptized. Of course, it includes the part that the Holy Spirit plays through His law, the New Testament. The Spirit uses His sword, which is the word of God, Ephesians 6, 17. Christ, in verse 3, points out the necessity of the new birth. And in verse 5, he points out that it has two component parts, water and of the Spirit. Many people are perverters of these scriptures. I remember when a man learned that the late Brother N.B. Hardiman was a preacher, he said to him, Sir, I want to ask you a question. What do you think the word water means in John 3, verse 5? Brother Hardiman said, I think it means buttermilk. The man was greatly amazed, and he said, I have never heard anyone say that before. I don’t think it means that. Then Brother Hardiman said words about like these, Sir, if water doesn’t mean water in John 3, verse 5, how do you know that it doesn’t mean buttermilk? If it doesn’t mean water, then you have no way of knowing to what it refers, and therefore I think it means buttermilk. Now, Brother Hardiman then proceeded to point out that he did not really think that it meant buttermilk, but that water meant water. I have heard denominational preachers act as if it would choke them even to quote John 3, verse 5 correctly. I have heard them via radio quote it time and time again and pervert it by leaving water out and saying, “‘Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God,’ completely leaving water out of the quotation.” They observed, as it were, the Passover. They just passed right over the word water and left it out. The truth is the word water means water. If it does not mean water, how are they always so sure that the word spirit means spirit? I have never heard any of them in my life who doubted that fact. Spirit means spirit. Well, if water does not mean water, how do they know that spirit does not mean something else? If water means something else, then spirit means something else. The truth is, water means water and spirit means spirit. Now, let’s look at three passages that are parallel. They are John 3, verse 5, Ephesians 5, 26, and Titus 3, verse 5. Let’s first look at them and consider them. John 3, 5, Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Ephesians 5, 26, that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word. Titus 3 and verse 5, not by works done in righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy he saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. Note in John 3, verse 5, that Christ points out the new birth consists of two parts. One must be born of water and of the Spirit. This is a good place to point out also that no one has been born again if he has had water sprinkled or poured upon him. This would be an utter impossibility. One cannot be born of that which is smaller than oneself. It is admitted by all that a thimble full of water is too little to effect a birth. Therefore one cannot be born of water when he has had a little water sprinkled or poured on him. Now I want to prove this, as Paul said in Colossians 1, verse 18, And he is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence. As you remember, our Lord died and was placed in a borrowed tomb. You also recall that on the third day he burst the bars of death and hell, and that he came forth victorious and led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men when he ascended on high. Our Lord died and was buried and was covered from sight. A great stone was rolled against the door of the tomb. Now please note this carefully. Did you know that our Lord’s resurrection from the tomb is referred to as a birth? Some years after this wonderful event, Paul wrote about it in the words of Colossians 1.18, and note the expression, the firstborn from the dead. Our Lord, when dead, did not have just a little dirt sprinkled or poured on him. He was put into Joseph’s new tomb. He was buried out of sight, and a great stone was rolled to the mouth of the grave, and on the third day he came forth, and the Bible says that was a birth from the dead. Therefore one, when born of the water, is immersed, is buried, as was our Lord. In fact, Paul says that baptism is a burial. In Colossians 2 and verse 12, Having been buried with him in baptism, wherein you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. Romans 6 and verse 4 says, We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death. that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life. Born of water, therefore, of necessity, requires an immersion in water for the remission of sins. Now let us now look again at John 3 and verse 5. Christ says that when one is born again, he is born of the Spirit. In John 3 verse 8 he adds, The wind bloweth where it will, and thou hear the voice thereof, but knowest not whence it comes, and whether it goes. So is every one that is born of the Spirit. I sometimes hear people say that the only part of the new birth members of the Church of Christ believe is that we are born of water. No, we are born of water and of the Spirit. Now, the Holy Spirit operates, of course, through His law, as He teaches us in Romans 8 and verse 2, For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and death. In James 1.21 we read, Wherefore, putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with meekness the implanted word which is able to save your souls. Therefore, the Holy Spirit participates. The word from which we get the word spirit occurs 386 times in the Greek New Testament. 384 times it is translated spirit or its equivalent, ghost. One time it is translated life, Revelation 13, 15. In John 3, verse 8, it is translated wind. Some translations render it this way. The spirit breathes where he will and thou hearest the report of him. Well, how does that report come to us? In Romans 10, 17 we read, So belief comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. Sometimes there are those who read this statement and imagine that when the Holy Spirit speaks, that He speaks miraculously, directly, and mysteriously. They even have a song they sing which states, Something got hold of me. I do not doubt something got hold of some of them, but it was emotionalism and misguided zeal that though I do not doubt their sincerity in many cases. But I want to raise this question and hope you will remember the answer to it. How were the voices of the Old Testament prophets heard every Sabbath day? Here’s the answer. Acts 13.27 For they that dwell in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfill them by condemning him. Now what did he say? He said the voices of these prophets were heard every Sabbath. Well, how did they speak? They spoke by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, as stated in 2 Peter 1.21. For no prophecy ever came by the will of man, but men spake from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit. But Acts 13.27 says that when their writings were read and when the prophets heard them read, these were the voices of the prophets that were heard each Sabbath. Therefore, we do not deny that the voice of the Holy Spirit is heard. But the question is, how? The Bible says that it is by His law in Romans 8 and verse 2. Ephesians 6.17 says, And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. I might cut down a tree with an axe. Now the axe did not do it by itself, and I would not attempt to do it with my bare hands. There are two things true in this illustration. Number one, an axe was used. That was the instrument. Number two, there was someone on the other end of that axe exerting a force and bringing that force to beat on the tree. I want to make this especially clear because sometimes people do misunderstand. I once preached a sermon in which I suggested that I wanted to preach a lesson that was very specific. I pointed out that preachers talk in generalities, and since Paul had said, having therefore such a hope we use great boldness of speech, that I wanted to be very specific. I said that I intended to call on the name of a person involved in their sins before I finished. I’m sure that no one went to sleep during that sermon. All through the sermon I quoted passages and pointed out that this person is a liar and a slanderer and that, in fact, he has participated in and encouraged others to commit all types of sin. Near the conclusion, since I had promised to call this person by name, I quoted John 8, 44 and pointed out that I had made reference to the devil. The devil was a murderer and a liar and the instigator of all sin. That sermon had such a good effect that I repeated it at another congregation several But alas, one lady was about half asleep and evidently awakened about the time I used the word devil, and she went away and told that I called all the people there devils. Well, my point here, I do not want anyone to go to sleep and misunderstand. I want to make the point very clear that no person has ever been converted nor ever shall be converted without the participation of the Holy Spirit in that conversion. Let me emphasize that point once again. I don’t know how many people that I have heard say, Oh, you don’t believe in the Holy Spirit, do you? I know that these older brethren have had far more experience in this matter than I, but I have talked with many people about this matter, and even since this series of studies began, someone here has said to me, Oh, you don’t believe in the Holy Spirit, do you? That was even said after we had studied the plan of salvation. In every case when a man is converted, the Holy Spirit operates. But how does He operate? In Ephesians 6, 17, Paul says, And the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. That is the way He operated upon the hearts of the people on the day of Pentecost. For in Acts 2, verse 37, we read, Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brethren, what shall we do? The Holy Spirit was indeed using his sword, his word, through Peter, the gospel preacher, and when they heard the powerful and convincing words, they were pricked or cut in their hearts. The Holy Spirit always participates in the conversion of an alien sinner, but he never operates in any fashion other than in using the New Testament, his word, the sword of the Spirit. Now someone might say, I would like for you to prove that. I repeat a passage that I have already referred to, which is James 1, verse 21. Wherefore, putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. Now that he said the word is able to save your souls, I asked a preacher this question some time past. Since the Bible says that the Word is able to save, why do you say that the Holy Spirit must operate independent of and distinct from the Word of God and in a mysterious, better felt than told fashion? I could never get him to answer, and I know why. He would have to give up his doctrine or deny the Bible. Dear friends, we hope that this study of the new birth has been of help to you as we have discussed John 3 and verse 5 concerning the Holy Spirit and concerning being born of water and the Spirit. Due to our time restraints, we want to give due justice to the conclusion of this study and we will do so in our next broadcast. Let me state something about the lesson that you have heard. Our friend and encourager, Paul Sane of Pulaski, Tennessee, and his business, SanePublications.com, reprinted a book of sermons titled The Savior’s Way close to 30 years ago. These sermons were proclaimed by the late Garland Elkins in 1965 at the Morrison, Tennessee, Church of Christ. And this is why you will hear me refer to meetings or when we were together this evening or something along that line, that I’m trying to adhere as close to the manuscript as possible. And rather the transcript, I should say. These messages are still relevant and worthy even to this day because the Bible is relevant as it ever was. And so it is a joy here at International Gospel Hour to bring forth lessons of the past that are as scriptural and powerful today that we may have the future as we look toward heaven and the Lord Jesus Christ. And so we will continue this study of the new birth. Due to the length of Brother Elkin’s lessons, a lot of our topics will be handled on two or three parts, but it is our aim to divide those parts evenly for them to be understood promptly. So we are truly blessed and we are thankful that we can do this today. And we can bring forth these lessons. Now, friends, we’ve talked about being born of water and of the Spirit. And we will continue this study together in our next broadcast. I want to pause and say that here at International Gospel Hour, we are blessed to offer a variety of free materials for you and your study. We mentioned earlier of the free publication called Valor and Virtue for teenagers. Maybe you would like to get a copy for your grandchildren or children. I will mention that once again. The free publication is called Valor and Virtue. And you can get your free copy by calling toll free at 855-444-6988. And leave your name and address and just say Valor. That’s all you have to do. You can also request it through our website at internationalgospelhour.com. Click on the contact tab and leave us your name and address and put Valor in the message box. We appreciate our friends at apologeticspress.org who have made this possible. May I mention a couple of other things? Then I’m going to defer to our J-Web for our free online study from the World Bible School. Let me mention a couple of things. First of all, Feel free to go to ApologeticsPress.org and peruse their website, and you can see all editions of Valor and Virtue, and you can access them free, along with other materials. And also, we are grateful that we can offer these materials, and we appreciate their support and their encouragement. Please also, when you call or when you send us a message, let us know where you have heard our program. This helps us to determine where we need to focus our work in the areas that we are currently serving. And if you’ll let us know the station of which you’re listening, if nothing else, the call letters or just tell us what town, just give us some indication and that will be of help to us as well. Maybe you’re listening to us through something other than radio. Let us know that as well. And now, friends, maybe you would like to continue your Bible studies through an online option. And here is our J-Web with those details of how you can receive and how you can go online with your studies at the World Bible School.

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Maybe you’d like an online study of the Bible. Sign up today. Tell them the International Gospel Hour sent you.

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And friends, we hope that that online study will be of help to you. And I also realize that we have a number of our awesome listeners who say, Jeff, I don’t have computer, internet, or anything of that nature. Do you have something else that you could mail out? Well, let me pause here, defer back to our J-Web, and he can tell you about the Bible study course available by mail. Once again, our J-Web.

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Our long-time free Bible study course by mail is always available. Have you tried it yet? Just call us toll-free at 855-444-6988 and leave your name, address, and just say Home Study. That’s it. You may also go to our website at internationalgospelhour.com, click on the Contact tab, and leave us the same information, name, address, and type Home Study in the message box. Study the Bible at your own pace. Again, it’s free from your friends here at International Gospel Hour.

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Well, friends, again, we give you some great options from our broadcast today. We’ve spent time in a study of John 3 concerning being born of water and of the Spirit, the new birth. And unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of heaven. Vital, important study. Vitally important, I should say. You have the free publication, Valor and Virtue, that can come your way. You also have an online study of the Bible that is available, as well as what our J-Web just mentioned, our free Bible study course by mail. We want to encourage you in a study of the Word of God, and we’re thankful each and every time that you join us here for our studies from the International Gospel Hour. We’d like to encourage you, once again, check out our website at internationalgospelhour.com And follow us on social media at either Facebook, internationalgospelhour.com, or internationalgospelhour, rather, Instagram, internationalgospelhour, and Twitter, or now known as X, at hour underscore gospel. We’ll continue these studies together at another time. And thank you for joining me today on our broadcast from the International Gospel Hour. I’m Jeff Archie, and friends, keep listening.

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God be with you till we meet again.

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Thank you for listening to our broadcast today and we hope you continue onward with your search and study of God’s Word. Please join us next time and visit our website at internationalgospelhour.com God be with you till we meet again.