The concept of the "new birth," also known as being "born again," is a fundamental doctrine in Christian theology, emphasizing the transformative work of God in the life of a believer. This spiritual rebirth is not a result of human effort or will but is effected by the sovereign work of God through the Holy Spirit.

Biblical Foundation

The term "born again" is most prominently found in the Gospel of John, where Jesus explains the necessity of this spiritual rebirth to Nicodemus, a Pharisee and member of the Jewish ruling council. In John 3:3, Jesus declares, "Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." This statement underscores the essential nature of the new birth for entering the kingdom of God.

Further elaboration is provided in John 3:5-6, where Jesus states, "Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh is born of flesh, but spirit is born of the Spirit." Here, Jesus distinguishes between physical birth and spiritual birth, emphasizing that the new birth is a work of the Holy Spirit.

Divine Initiative

The new birth is initiated by God, as highlighted in John 1:12-13: "But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God—children born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God." This passage clearly indicates that becoming a child of God is not a result of human lineage, desire, or effort, but is a divine act.

The Apostle Peter also affirms this divine initiative in 1 Peter 1:3, where he writes, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy, He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." The new birth is attributed to God's mercy and is made possible through the resurrection of Christ.

Role of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in effecting the new birth. In Titus 3:5, Paul explains, "He saved us, not by the righteous deeds we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit." This verse highlights that salvation and the new birth are acts of divine mercy, accomplished through the regenerative work of the Holy Spirit.

The transformative power of the Holy Spirit is further emphasized in Ezekiel 36:26-27, where God promises, "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes and to carefully observe My ordinances." This prophetic promise points to the inward transformation that accompanies the new birth, enabling believers to live in accordance with God's will.

Evidence of the New Birth

The evidence of the new birth is seen in the transformed life of the believer. In 1 John 3:9, it is written, "No one born of God practices sin, because God’s seed abides in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God." The new birth results in a changed nature, characterized by a departure from habitual sin and a desire to live righteously.

Moreover, the fruit of the Spirit, as described in Galatians 5:22-23, serves as evidence of the Spirit's work in the life of a believer: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." These attributes reflect the character of one who has experienced the new birth.

Conclusion

The new birth is a profound and mysterious work of God, essential for salvation and entrance into the kingdom of God. It is a divine act, initiated by God's mercy, accomplished through the Holy Spirit, and evidenced by a transformed life. The new birth underscores the necessity of God's intervention in the human heart, bringing about spiritual renewal and a living hope through Jesus Christ.John 1:13
Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 Peter 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy has begotten us again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
Torrey's Topical Textbook

The New-Birth
... on our part, towards the raising and bringing forth this new birth in us ... a possibility
of being God's creature again; this was effected by God's treasuring up ...
/.../law/the grounds and reasons of christian regeneration/the new-birth.htm

Regeneration the Work of God.
... our election, foreordination, justification, and glorification precede the new birth. ...
when regeneration was to be effected in us ... but so far as God was concerned ...
/.../kuyper/the work of the holy spirit/xxi regeneration the work of.htm

He Further Very Appositely Expounds the Meaning of the Term "Only ...
... all that new creation of men which is effected by the ... He saith, And let all the angels
of God worship Him ... pains of death [336] , so that His new birth from the ...
/.../gregory/gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/section 8 he further very.htm

Now from this Longing on Both Sides, Nature Wanting God...
... in nature, the union of both is effected; which is ... fire must kindle, nothing can
hinder it; God will then ... natural life, into a sweetness of a new birth of rest ...
/.../law/the way to divine knowledge/way-3-52 now from this longing.htm

Necessity of the New Birth.
... For what we seek is only effected when that which, as ... however, only means that the
grace of God brings it ... it only by means of an entire change and a new birth. ...
/.../schleiermacher/selected sermons of schleiermacher/iv necessity of the new.htm

The Work of Regeneration.
... inclination, making the unwilling willing to conform to the holy will of God. ... of
his nature, is possible; and this restoration is effected by the new birth. ...
/.../kuyper/the work of the holy spirit/xxii the work of regeneration.htm

Sunday after Easter
... Now, since these ceremonials contributed nothing to man's purification in God's
sight"a thing to be effected by nothing short of a new birth"Christ came ...
//christianbookshelf.org/luther/epistle sermons vol ii/sunday after easter.htm

Baptism, a Divinely Appointed Means of Grace.
... of a child as absolutely necessary, is the new birth. Ordinarily this is effected,
by the Holy Spirit, through ... cannot be applied, the Spirit of God can effect ...
/.../the way of salvation in the lutheran church/chapter iv baptism a divinely.htm

1 John ii. 29
... as the eternal, original source of the new life imparted ... can only be attained through
a birth from God ... the flesh needs the moral transformation effected by the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/neander/the first epistle of john/1 john ii 29.htm

"But," it is Said, "This Change in Our Body by Birth is a Weakness ...
... If the first movement, which we call birth, is not a ... union of the soul and body is
effected, is a ... intellectual to the sentient nature, the new principle freely ...
/.../gregory/gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/chapter xvi but it is.htm

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