The rebirth or new birth of the Christian is an essential process and an absolute prerequisite for the promised salvation to eternal life. Unfortunately, the term “born again Christian” is often misunderstood.
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“Born again Christian” is common
The new birth in Christianity is a very common term. Only the regenerated person has the opportunity to experience salvation through Jesus Christ to the promised eternal life at God’s side. But there is also a lot of cheating with the teaching about the need for rebirth. From a trivial matter, to a unique selling point for salvation, to mystical-sounding secrets, rebirth is presented in all its facets. Only rarely does one come across the depiction of rebirth as described in the Gospel.
The rebirth of man is definitely much more than just a simple act with a guarantee of salvation and much less than it seems in some esoteric cosmic energy field philosophies.
Only the Bible gives clear information
The only reliable information about the actual new birth and the background can be found in the Bible. There are numerous statements in the Word of God that very precisely describe the rebirth of the Christian.
In the Gospel of John, Chapter 3, there is a whole passage that shows rebirth using a model example. Jesus Christ meets a high-ranking Pharisee named Nicodemus. He testified that he believed that Jesus Christ was sent by God. Jesus Christ immediately pointed out to the Pharisee the necessary new birth of man, John 3:3:
“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.“
At this point, as is often the case, it is worth taking a look at the basic Greek text. The phrase “gennaó anóthen” (“γεννηθη ανωθεν”) is included in the passage “born again”. This means something like “witnessed from above”.
This makes it clear that it cannot be a literal rebirth, which is what Nicodemus also assumed. He complained that a person cannot return to the mother’s womb to be born repeatedly. Rebirth is an act of “witnessing”. In addition, the human being is “washed clean” after his (spiritual) rebirth. (Info)
Jesus Christ’s answer also followed promptly. He explained to the Pharisee what regeneration or new birth actually means, John 3:6:
“That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.“
Rebirth is not a biological process in which the body plays a role, but rather a spiritual process. This spirit of man is reborn, which means nothing else that a spiritual renewal is taking place. The old must go and be replaced with the new. A new heart, a new attitude, a new character.
New birth is the beginning of a process
However, this “all-round renewal” of the human being does not happen, at least in the rarest of exceptional cases, in the blink of an eye. For one person who has actually been reborn, this process happens faster, for another person it happens more slowly. Since man cannot change himself or his character, only God alone can, this change is also in God’s hands. Why sometimes faster and sometimes slower? Only God knows that. He knows each individual person better than they know themselves. The Creator knows exactly what is the best or only correct process for each and every one of His creatures.
But one can be sure that changes will soon be observed in a person who has actually been reborn.
Rebirth has prerequisites
However, positive changes require that the person has actually been reborn. So you believe with your heart, body, soul and mind and – very importantly – are willing to place this change in the hands of God. Man in his fallen state is anything but good (Info). That is why man is not capable of leading a life that pleases God.
Jesus Christ Himself briefly and succinctly described the characteristics of the human heart, Matthew 15:19:
“For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:“
Surrender of one’s own will
The surrender of one’s own will, with the desire to live a righteous life, is the prerequisite for the process of “positive character change” to be carried out by God. God could “do it” that way, but He relies on love. A completely voluntary love and not based on a programmed quality. That’s why God also gives people free will. He offers to guide his fallen creature onto the right path. The person simply has to accept this offer.
This desire could also be expressed according to Psalm 51:12:
“Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.“
With the new birth or rebirth, people voluntarily open themselves to the work of God through the Holy Spirit (Info). The (intermediate) results of such a character change, which is also called “sanctification”, are shown in Galatians 5:22 auf:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,“
Understanding the path of salvation
The prerequisite for the actual and ultimately “effective” rebirth of man is the understanding of the path of salvation. It doesn’t help if people are willing to open themselves up to God’s work, but have no idea what it’s all about and what the goal is. Here too the Holy Spirit provides powerful help, but the bottom line remains that “man himself is”.
To understand what it’s all about, all you have to do is pick up the Bible and read it. Man must do this himself in faith. The Holy Spirit helps you understand what you have read. In any case, it is helpful to understand the sanctuary (Info) and the striking difference between righteousness by works and righteousness by grace through faith (Info). An understanding of God’s eternal justice, which is often negligently “forgotten” today, can also be a source of support (Info).
Acceptance of Jesus Christ
Such information can at best serve as clues. In general, you should study the Bible yourself and check everything you read and heard against the Bible. This applies to what you read here as well as to the words of a pastor or priest.
Faith in Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, and His given blood as a sacrifice for our sins, as well as His resurrection in flesh and blood, are essential features of the Christian faith. This is witnessed and expressed in John 1:12-13:
“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: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.“
This refers to the people who accept Jesus Christ in faith and do not follow the “opinions” and rules of human ideas, but do the will of God, as it is written in the Gospel.
The rebirth of man and the acceptance of Jesus Christ as the only Savior and Advocate is also found in Galatians 2:20 ausgedrückt:
“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.“
It is obvious that here too the crucifixion is not meant literally, but purely spiritually. The regenerated person, on whom the Spirit of God is at work, increasingly reflects Jesus Christ with his change of character and essence. This becomes more similar to the nature of Jesus Christ. And this again exclusively thanks to God’s grace and His help, 1. Peter 1:3:
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”
Summary
The actual rebirth can be explained using a few Bible verses. In principle it is about (true) faith, the study of the Word of God and the renewal of water and the Spirit.
Renewal by faith
Faith is the prerequisite for rebirth. Mark 16:16:
“He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.“
The Word of God leads to renewal
Faith and studying the Word of God are interrelated. Both presuppose each other for the realization of the new birth. 1. Peter 1:23:
“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.“
The “Living Word of God” is nothing other than the written word of the Bible. The attribute “alive” is neither decoration nor an exaggeration, for Hebrews 4:12:
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.“
Renewal from Spirit & Water
Jesus Christ explained to the Pharisee Nicodemus that the new birth must take place by water and the Spirit, John 3:5:
“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.“
The water here represents the baptism carried out in faith (Info). Diese Water baptism by immersion symbolizes the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Emerging from the water represents rebirth, Romans 6:4:
“Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”
The Spirit stands for the Holy Spirit and His incessant work for the renewal of man and his being. Baptism (without faith) does not admit the Holy Spirit and is therefore meaningless. The new birth of man is therefore always to be understood as a “two-way combination” of baptism and the Holy Spirit, Titus 3:5:
“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;“
Conclusion:
The actual new birth or rebirth is true belief in the gospel, acceptance of Jesus Christ as one’s only advocate and savior, surrender of one’s will to God for the free work of the Holy Spirit, public witness through baptism, and unceasing study of the living word of God.
The result of this is that God, through His Spirit, causes people to lead a life that pleases God. This means, among other things, automatically refraining from sins and doing good works towards one’s fellow human beings (“fruits of true faith”).
Jesus Christ himself once again promised the reward for this, Matthew 19:28:
“And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.“
The old always has to go first
The principle “the old must be removed and replaced by the new” can be seen in other examples in the Bible. Jesus Christ spoke about “new wine in new wineskins,” because otherwise old wineskins would burst (Matthew 9:17). In a figurative sense this means: The truth of the pure gospel must not be filled into a corrupt person. Here man must be renewed, i.e. reborn.
This principle of renewal only after the old has been completely removed applies in particular to the announced new earth and the new heaven (Revelation 21).
God does not place anything on something old and, above all, unclean. This is an important reason why there cannot be a kingdom of peace on earth for 1000 years and then create a new one. The old must go and therefore the earth, as actually described in the Bible, will be completely destroyed (Info). A large proportion of the evangelical churches adhere to this error of a promised kingdom of peace on earth.
The Bible speaks of a new earth and not a repaired earth:
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
Revelation 21:1
Bible verses from King James Version
