I write this further to an earlier post, “Four Conversations”. In it, I wrote a bit about Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus. So here I follow up and clarify, as much for myself as for you.
What does it mean to be a born again Christian? This is a study of John 3 where Jesus teaches Nicodemus that he needs to be “born again” in order to enter the kingdom of God (v 5). Nicodemus comes to Jesus at night and makes a statement
“Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher…”. (v 2, NASB)
Jesus replies with a quite different, or apparently unconnected, statement
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (v 3 NASB).
Perhaps Jesus is saying to Nicodemus that if you believe in Me as a teacher, this is what I want to teach you! Nicodemus picks up on the ‘born again’ term and replies,
“How can a man be born when he is old? …” (v 4, NASB)
Jesus replies,
5 … “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:5-8 ESV)
I believe Jesus is saying that a new spiritual birth in a person is effected by the Spirit (of God); we do not understand or know how this new birth has arisen. We can only see its effect in a person, thus the many verses of Scripture referring to new birth that describe it in terms of its effect on a person’s behaviour.
Bible commentator, Albert Barnes, believes as I do that Jesus uses the cause and effect metaphor of earthly realities to illustrate cause and effect in the spiritual realm. But, unlike our Calvinist friends who extrapolate way too much from these verses, Barnes makes a cautionary note to not deduce too much about God’s method of bringing about new birth. Following are Barnes’ notes on this passage.
The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. John 3:8
The wind bloweth … – Nicodemus had objected to the doctrine because he did not understand how it could be. Jesus shows him that he ought not to reject it on that account, for he constantly believed things quite as difficult. It might appear incomprehensible, but it was to be judged of by its effects. As in this case of the wind, the effects were seen, the sound was heard, important changes were produced by it, trees and clouds were moved, yet the wind is not seen, nor do we know whence it comes, nor by what laws it is governed; so it is with the operations of the Spirit. We see the changes produced. Men just now sinful become holy; the thoughtless become serious; the licentious become pure; the vicious, moral; the moral, religious; the prayerless, prayerful; the rebellious and obstinate, meek, and mild, and gentle. When we see such changes, we ought no more to doubt that they are produced by some cause – by some mighty agent, than when we see the trees moved, or the waters of the ocean piled on heaps, or feel the cooling effects of a summer’s breeze. In those cases we attribute it to the “wind,” though we see it not, and though we do not understand its operations. We may learn, hence:
1. that the proper evidence of conversion is the effect on the life.
2. that we are not too curiously to search for the cause or manner of the change.
3. that God has power over the most hardened sinner to change him, as he has power over the loftiest oak, to bring it down by a sweeping blast.
4. that there may be great variety in the modes of the operation of the Spirit. As the “wind” sometimes sweeps with a tempest, and prostrates all before it, and sometimes breathes upon us in a mild evening zephyr, so it is with the operations of the Spirit. The sinner sometimes trembles and is prostrate before the truth, and sometimes is sweetly and gently drawn to the cross of Jesus.
Where it listeth – Where it “wills” or “pleases.”
So is every one … – Everyone that is born of the Spirit is, in some respects, like the effects of the wind. You see it not, you cannot discern its laws, but you see its effects,” and you know therefore that it does exist and operate. Nicodemus’ objection was, that he could not “see” this change, or perceive “how” it could be. Jesus tells him that he should not reject a doctrine merely because he could not understand it. Neither could the “wind” be seen, but its effects were well known, and no one doubted the existence or the power of the agent. Compare Ecclesiastes 11:5.
Barnes Bible Notes, biblehub.com
12 If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? (John 3:12-21 NASB)
Jesus had just given in verse 8 a down-to-earth example of being able to see effects in the physical realm signifying a motivating force – the wind blowing but only being humanly perceived through its effects. So I think Jesus is saying that the effects of a born again person can be seen but not the motivating force behind them – the Spirit. In other words, Jesus is saying that the Spirit has brought about new birth in a person and humans can only witness the effects of this new birth – changed behaviour.
It seems clear to me that being born of the Spirit has to do with coming to the Light. Belief in Jesus Christ is coming to the Light. The efficacy of Christ’s death to save the world is how new birth can occur. This opportunity is given to everyone and only some respond. The reason for not responding, Jesus has given us – they do not want to come to the Light so that their evil deeds will not be exposed. We are told no more here by Christ.
21 But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.” (John 3:21 NASB)
There is no suggestion in the words of Christ, Paul or any other biblical writer of the fake separateness of works and faith that is so prevalent within some quarters of evangelicalism. Also, importantly, note the order of things: by practising the truth, people feel free to come to the light. Conversely, see:
20 For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. (John 3:20 NASB)
Acting in evil ways has the effect of making people want to hide from God. This is why living in a “Christian culture” is preferable to living in a rabidly evil culture that applauds evil and punishes good. It is a trivialising of both the faith and the culture that has Christians believing that conversion of individuals is what matters rather than the context in which individuals have to live their daily lives. Woe to us if we cannot see that it is our duty as Christians to be God’s means of extending His Kingdom through being salt and light. This has been achieved by previous generations of Christians in the West. But these ideas have been challenged by foolish arguments in the church that have been more informed by the world than by Scripture. The background culture matters!
Back in the 1950s and 1960s, before Marxism had really sunk its claws into the culture, my father would not have had a chance to witness the gospel as understood through a Protestant framework, through its being televised – televised within, and because of, a Christian culture. My father had come from Asia Minor because of Christian expulsion from that country now known as Turkey. My father would not have had the opportunity to respond positively to a Billy Graham rally that was then televised. What is being televised today? Not evangelistic crusades. It bears repeating; the background culture matters.
Next time we will look further at what Jesus is telling Nicodemus about being born again.
Our World Our Faith 