Born of God

        But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those         who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of         man, but of God.       John 1:12-13 

We see from an examination of different New Testament Scripture writers that each one has particular insights that others do not. For example, if you want to understand the role and importance of God’s grace, you will consult the Apostle Paul and his letters. James, the half-brother of Jesus had an understanding of the power of the tongue like no other author. The Apostle John is the one who provides the deepest understanding of the new relationship with God in Christ, being born of God. 

John testifies in Verse 13 that being born of God is not the result of anyone’s genealogy (i.e., born of Jewish descent) or human will (generation), or of human choice (decision). God’s will and only God’s will is the creator of this new relationship in Christ, by faith in what He did. Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). This means that each one born of God is individually a child of God; God has no grandchildren. John recognized that to be born of God is to be born from above. The account from John 3 of Jesus’s meeting with Nicodemus is not covered by any other writer. 

Born From Above by Faith

Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again [anoethen – from above], he cannot see the kingdom of God." Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born, can he?" Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and 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. Do not be amazed that I said to you, 'You must be born again [from above].' The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit."         John 3:3-8 

Although a seasoned Pharisee and well-respected teacher, Nicodemus had no clue what this new relationship with God would look like. The concept of being born from above was foreign to him. The Jewish perspective had been that being born Jewish and "keeping the law" was enough to guarantee an eternal relationship with God. But Paul testified that this approach falls short of the life defined by being born of God. In Galatians 3:23-24, But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. Therefore, the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. The Law is a transitionary step to eternal life in Christ. To be born of God is to be born of the Holy Spirit. 

In John 3:13, Jesus tells us that “no one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven, the Son of Man”. The spiritual life is the result of God coming to us and not man reaching God. This is the exact mistake that the people of Babel, led by Nimrod, made in trying to “make for ourselves a name” (Genesis 11:4). The tower of Babel was man's attempt, through a human effort to bridge the gap between earth and heaven. Man always tries to accomplish things, even religious matters, by human effort, without God's help. In this way, man can take credit for his work. This is why salvation is a work of God alone and it is the Son of God who delivers salvation to man by grace from heaven to earth. No matter how good man's efforts may be, they can never measure up to the standard God's justice demands (Isaiah 64:6). 

A Living Hope

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again [anagennaoe – to be reborn, regenerated] to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.              1 Peter 1:3-4

Peter speaks of this reality in the introduction of his first letter to Christians scattered throughout Asia Minor. He says that we are born of God to a living hope, connecting each believer to the life of Christ and all that it entails. It is Christ in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27); He is the blessed hope, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds (Titus 2:13-14). In 1 John 3:2-3, the Holy Spirit tells us that the believer is purified when his hope is fixed on Christ and, We know that when He appears, we will be like Him because we will see Him just as He is. 

Peter connects the new birth to the living and enduring word of God (1 Peter 1:23), an imperishable seed. He quotes Isaiah 40:6-8 in Verses 24-25, "ALL FLESH IS LIKE GRASS, AND ALL ITS GLORY LIKE THE FLOWER OF GRASS. THE GRASS WITHERS, AND THE FLOWER FALLS OFF, BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER." As Peter concludes, and this is the word which was preached to you. For the true believer, the new birth connects him to eternity by the eternal Word of the Lord. 

Walk by the Spirit

John introduces the relationship between the new birth and sin in 1 John 3:9-10. No one who is born of God practices sin because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother. Of course, this passage is very controversial, suggesting to some that a true believer has won the complete victory over the sin nature so he cannot sin. There are so many verses saying the very opposite that contradict this interpretation.

To understand the meaning, one needs to consider what took place at the moment of salvation. The John 3 passage above tells us that a synonym for being born of God is being born of the Spirit (Verse 8). The human spirit, dead or dormant in each person before salvation, comes alive and is now able to hear from and discern the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:14, Romans 8:16). According to Proverbs 20:27, The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all the innermost parts of his being. After salvation, the believer still must choose who will be the lord of his life, Jesus Christ and His Spirit, or someone else (the flesh). In Galatians 5:16-17, But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.

The conclusion we may draw is that man cannot sin while he is operating under the authority and leading of the Holy Spirit. The onus is on the believer to decide which force he will be subject to, the Holy Spirit or the flesh (see Romans 6:16-19). According to Barnes Notes, 1 John 3:9 can be understood in light of these two observations: 

1.      that the germ or seed of religion implanted in the soul abides there as a constant, vital principle so that he who is born of God cannot become habitually a sinner; and,

2.      that it will so continue to live there that he will not fall away and perish. The idea is clearly that the germ or principle of piety so permanently abides in the soul [spirit], that he who is renewed never can become again characteristically a sinner.

Victory Over the Evil One

If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death. We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.          1 John 5:16-19

John provides a further definition of the effect of sin on the believer's life in the above passage. He is addressing believers (brothers) and the power of sin in another believer’s life. John encourages the believer to pray for those who live in unrighteousness, which is sin. He also speaks of a sin leading to death. What John wishes to teach is that there is a power (law) of sin and death (see Romans 8:2) that works against the believer, but there is also a power that keeps or protects the believer (the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus). The world is a subject of the power of the evil one, but the one born of God has the protection of God working on his behalf. In 1 Peter 1:5, we are protected by the power of God through faith. 

God is Love 

The principle of agape (unconditional, self-sacrificing) love is directly connected to the one born of God. In 1 John 4:7-9, Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves [agapao] is born of God and knows [ginosko – determined or governed by love - Kittels] God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. By this, the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. The one born of God loves God and loves his neighbor (Matthew 22:37-39). Since God is love, the ordained relationship the believer has with Him is defined and governed by that love and results in a desire to keep His commandments. In 1 John 2:3-5, Now by this, we know that we know Him if we keep His commandments. He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him.

The new covenant relationship with God begins with faith in Jesus as the Messiah and this relationship is ruled by the love (agape) of God. That love produces a love for other believers as well as a desire to honor and keep His commandments. That love, manifested through the life of genuine believers, overcomes the world. Ultimately, this perfect position before God is the manifestation of faith, hope, and love, but the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13:13).

Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God when we love God and observe His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.          1 John 5:1-4