A New Birth

Now we begin the study of the actual characteristics that I believe areessential to being a Christian. I realize that you may have different onesor even additional ones. Here are the seven that God has given me asnecessary to be associated with being a follower of Christ.

The first thing that must occur is a new birth. Jesus is talking toNicodemus, one of the ruling council (Sanhedrin) of the Jews. You cansee the story for yourselves in the Gospel of John, third chapter, verses1 through 7. I read it in the New International Version. Nicodemus wasone of the leading and most respected men of his time. The ordinarypeople, as well as the rest of the Pharisees, took great heed to what hehad to say. It is interesting to note that this respected teacher of the lawapproaches Jesus in the middle of the night.

Some have said that it was because he was so busy, that he had notime to meet with Jesus. Others proclaim that it was Jesus who was sobusy, that He had no time to meet with the ruling council. It is apparentfrom reading the scriptures that Jesus had had several encounters withthe Pharisees. I believe that Nicodemus came by night because he was soclose to becoming a believer, yet he was afraid for his position, becausehe saw the way other believers were treated.

Jesus began to relate to him the need for being "born again," whichwas totally confusing to him. Nicodemus even asked Jesus—can a manenter into his mother's womb the second time? I am sure that he askedthat question with a great deal of sarcasm. Jesus's response is classic andpresents a point of contention even to this day for those who have aproblem comprehending what He is saying. Look at John 3: 5-6. Jesusanswered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of Godunless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, butthe Spirit gives birth to spirit."

What exactly is Jesus saying to Nicodemus? Being born of watersimply means the natural birth process. For those of you who areparents, you understand that a man and a woman come together in amarital sexual union, and a baby is produced. When it becomes time forthe delivery of that child, one question or statement that is usually askedis, "Has your water broken?" You see, the child is carried in a sac of waterfor various reasons. Even Jesus was carried in the normal fashion, eventhough He was not formed out of a natural human sexual relationship.His was a divine intervention by a loving, caring God.

You must realize the importance of the sexual union here. The childthat is produced is a result of characteristics of both the mother andthe father. These traits are the result of what we now know as DNA.Traits such as eye color, hair color, general size and shape, and sometemperamental aspects, for example. In other words, we are born withhuman DNA. This human DNA does not change in the born againprocess. Some may ask why this is. In the rebirthing process, or beingborn again, does anyone fail to recognize you? Does your eye color orhair color change? Do you look like a baby again? The answer is no.None of these things change.

God has made human DNA as distinctive and unique as possible.From a drop of blood or hair follicle, scientists can identify individualsby sex and race, even down to family units. Each one of us has a peculiarDNA. Family traits or characteristics are found, but none exactly likeyours. Flesh gives birth to flesh.

The second part of John 3:6 is that Spirit gives birth to spirit. First,we must understand who we are, and more specifically what we are. InGenesis 1:26, God said, "Let us make man in our image." Here He isthe Elohim, the plural, triune God. There are three in the godhead—Godthe Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. When thestatement was made to make us in their image, it meant that we wouldalso be a triune being. First we have a body, and then we have a mindor soul, and, lastly, we have a spirit.

When God made Adam, the Bible says that He formed him out ofthe dust of the earth. He shaped man as He would have him to look. Atthat time we also know that God gave man a very good brain becauseGod paraded all of His creation before man to see what Adam wouldname them. Finally, God breathed into Adam the breath of life, and hebecame a living soul.

Man at this time carried two types of DNA. He carried humanDNA that would be used to procreate and populate the earth. Healso carried God's DNA, or spiritual DNA, so that he could have arelationship with God. God's DNA was imparted to man when Hebreathed into man. We see another example of godly DNA in use whenJesus healed the blind man by spitting on some dirt and placing it inthe man's eye sockets. Modern science can determine who someone isby their saliva. All the genetic markers are present. In the same way,Jesus, being fully man and fully God, used the genetics of His Fatherto create new eyes for this mere mortal.

When we are "born again" by accepting the atoning blood sacrificeof Jesus, our human DNA is not touched, but our spiritual DNA isre-created. This is necessary because when Adam and Eve fell intodeliberate sin their spiritual connection to God was broken. In essence,sin killed the divine DNA within us. You see, divine DNA needs a holyplace to reside. Humans can procreate human DNA, but they cannotput life back into godly DNA. This can only be accomplished by amember of the great triune godhead. That is why the scripture says thatSpirit (capitalized) gives birth to spirit (lowercase). Only God can bringlife where there is no life.

In Webster's New World Dictionary, Modern Desk Edition, copyright1979 the word born means: (1) to cause to be completely reformed, (2)to bring into existence again, or reestablish. Please note that in theGreek, born has several interesting definitions. It means to procreate(properly of the father), regenerate, beget, and be delivered of. Whereasthe first birth is of human parents, the second birth must come by theFather.

Let us now begin to look at some of the aspects of a new birth.The first thing we must notice is that it is of God. Isaiah 12:2 (MessageTranslation) says, "Yes, indeed—God is my salvation. I trust, I won'tbe afraid. God—yes, God!—is my strength and song, best of all, mysalvation." The meaning of the word salvation in Hebrew is deliverance,victory, and prosperity. Deliverance is being broken free from the snaresof the enemy. We have victory because greater is He that is in us, thanhe that is in the world. Prosperity means that you have all that youneed when you need it. It doesn't mean that you will be a millionaire,but rather my God shall supply all of your needs through Christ Jesus.

By the way, the Hebrew word for salvation is Yeshua. Have youever heard that name before? Yeshusa Hamashia, Jesus the Messiah!Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV) states, "For by grace are ye saved through faith,and not of yourselves; it is the gift of God; Not of Works, lest any manshould boast." You are saved by the grace of God. We cannot boastabout it, because we did not and...