The New Birth is the Lord’s Doing!
John 3:8 – “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.”
Psalm 118:23 – “This is the LORD’S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.”
The New Birth is Unexplainable
Having looked at the first seven verses of the third chapter of John, it now behooves us to examine the eighth. Here, the Lord uses an illustration of nature to describe how that the new birth is unexplainable. One may as well describe the wind as to explain the experience of a man being born again. The subject of the wind is meteorological, and most people in our society are well aware that the weather is not predicted accurately on a consistent basis, to say the least. So it is with the new birth! Man cannot predict WHEN it will occur; for it often occurs in the least expected of times. Man cannot foretell WHO will be born again; for many times it is the least likely of individuals who are saved by the grace of God. Man is incapable of determining WHERE a person may experience the blessed born-again experience; for lost souls have found saving grace at altars in churches, in automobiles, on jobsites, in living rooms, on street corners, in cornfields, and in many other unsuspected places. No one is competent enough to predetermine the SORTS of individuals who become born again – for this born-again bunch is composed of pauper as well as the wealthy; the bankrupt as well as the banker; the janitor as well as the judge; the defamed as well as the distinguished. The various backgrounds of born-again believers are derived from all walks of life – atheists have come to the common sense of salvation; third-generation drunkards have staggered their way to God, finding new life in Christ; coldhearted, abortionist murderers have repented of their murders and have found the grace of God to be sufficient for them; sportsmen, businessmen, convicts, drug dealers, and prostitutes have found their way to God. Muslims have had their eyes opened to the Jesus Christ, the King of the Jews; Buddhists have confessed Christ as the Saviour; there have even been professing Christians who saw that they had not been born again, who have trusted Christ to completely save them from their sins. Americans, Africans, Asians, Europeans, and individuals from every tribe, nation, and ethnic group under the heaven will join together in unison, declaring that they have been redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. The new birth, in many aspects, is unexplainable.
The New Birth is Undeniable
While the miracle of the birth is unexplainable, it is yet undeniable. Like the wind, which no man can consistently and accurately predict, the new birth contains many aspects that cannot be explained. These aspects, however, in spite of our inability to explain them, cannot be denied. While there are many things about the wind we cannot describe, who will walk through New Orleans Joplin
So it is with the new birth! While we cannot explain many of its aspects, neither can we deny its powerful ability to change lives! I know people personally, who were drinking alcohol when they were born again, and never took another drink! I know people personally, whose marriages were on the brink of divorce, when they found the Prince of Peace, resulting in the reconstruction of their broken marriage. I know people personally, who were drug dealers, but when Christ found them, He instantly gave them a new life! While a person of reason cannot explain the new birth, he can neither deny it!
The New Birth is the Work of God
“The wind bloweth where it listeth!” There is one remarkable attribute of the wind – man has absolutely nothing to do with it! “So is every one that is born of the Spirit!” In all our technological advances, man is still helpless in controlling winds, waves, and weather. All we can do with regard to coming storms is prepare for them; we cannot stop them!
I am amazed at how much is INCLUDED in God’s great plan of salvation. He included justification, redemption, imputation of righteousness, peace with God, adoption, regeneration, forgiveness of sins, joy unspeakable, a friend in Jesus, a place in the body of Christ, and a promise of never being forsaken by Him! However, there are times when we get so preoccupied with declaring what is INCLUDED in salvation that we forget to mention what is EXCLUDED from the plan of salvation! Look at what the scripture declares:
Romans 3:24-27 – “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. WHERE IS BOASTING THEN? IT IS EXCLUDED. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.”
Ephesians 2:8, 9 – “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, LEST ANY MAN SHOULD BOAST.”
“Where is boasting then? It is excluded!” When you are born again, it is completely His work, and it is the result of nothing you have done. I have heard people brag about their sinlessness, declaring that it is their sinlessness that has saved them. This is not the salvation of the Bible! I read a man’s post on Facebook, where he bragged about going twenty-seven years without committing a single sin. A woman commented on his post, stating that it has been seven years since she committed a sin! Others boast that they have been baptized in Jesus’ name, and they are trusting in their baptismal experience to save them! This is not the salvation of the Bible! Others boast in their good works and sacraments! This is not the salvation of the Bible! In the salvation of the Bible, Jesus Christ is solely the Saviour. Our works do not help Him save us! Our method of baptism does not help Him save us! I am saved by God’s grace, and there is not one square of inch of room for me to boast of anything, other than what Jesus did on the cross to save me! The Lord made sure that when He saved us, He left boasting out of it completely! We have nothing to boast of; we simply trust what Christ did, believing solely upon Him. This is not our work, or our doing; it is the Lord’s doing!
John 6:29 – “Jesus answered and said unto them, This is THE WORK OF GOD, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.”
Ephesians 2:8-10 – “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are HIS WORKMANSHIP, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
Philippians 1:6 – “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
Philippians 2:13 – “For IT IS GOD WHICH WORKETH in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”
If you believe that you are saved because anything of which you can boast, then dear reader, you need to be born again!
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