We find als that Jesus Himself so clearly taught that it is the Holy Spirit
that does the working in the bringing of a sinner to God. "It is the spirit
that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that
I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life". (John 6:63)
Here, Jesus is the speaker, and He declares that it is the Holy Spirit
who quickens, or makes alive, the previously dead sinner. It is a supernatural
work of God. But He also says that the Spirit uses the words that
Jesus speaks as the means of pronouncing that life. God does the work,
and He uses the means of the proclaimed gospel in that work.
An examination of the encounter between Jesus and Nicodemus will produce
further indisputable evidence that it is the true teaching of all the Scriptures
that God saves sinners, and the work is the work of Himself alone. There
is harmony throughout the whole of Holy Writ, and the truth is found everywhere
one looks, so long as the looking is confined to The Book.
Notice that Jesus insisted upon a strict truth when He said, and affirmed
a second time the necessity of a new beginning that is, a new
birth. In verses 3 and 5 of John, chapter
3, Jesus declared the imperative, and then emphasizing,
"Ye MUST be born again" in verse 7, as if to solidify what He had
declared previously. Note this: "...Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except
a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God", and "...Except
a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom
of God". And then, as I said, verse 7 nails it down as to its absolute
necessity. A new birth is required in order that any further benefit can
accrue.
While we are considering this matter, let me comment further on verse 5,
wherein is the declaration that this new birth is "of water and of Spirit".
There are some opposing views as to the meaning of this expression, "of
water and of Spirit", and I want to speak for a moment on those various
views.
Some hold that the "water" in this expression refers to the natural birth
that Nicodemus, and all others have already experienced. And perhaps there
is some validity in that view, for indeed a natural
birth has preceded
any reference to a spiritual birth, or of a being born again, or from above.
Those who teach this position can correctly remind us all that there is
a factor of "water" when a natural birth is involved. That fact is not
denied, nor is it sought to be "taught away".
I submit that this is not the
true meaning that Jesus is emphasizing here, however.
A natural birth is truly pre-supposed, for there is no need for a
second birth where there has been no first birth. Again, remember, we must
not allow our minds to lead us in a direction that seems so
logical and so sure, to the point at which we feel
confident that we have found the truth, and thus, cease to look further
into what The Book teaches. And we are all, you and I, prone to do this
very thing. When we convince ourselves that we have found the meaning of
a passage, we stop searching for truth. And many times, we do this much
too soon, even before we have begun to see the whole truth.
Also, I must be sure to speak against the false doctrine of baptismal
regeneration, as some would seek to use this verse to teach that the water
here is the baptismal water. This is not the case, and either imagination
or dishonesty would lead one to read baptism into the context of what Jesus
is declaring to this learned man, Nicodemus. The context demands that we
stay with the thought of regeneration, or a new birth, which is
an actual and real occurrence, and not a symbolic representation
of such an event. Baptism is not the issue here. A new birth is what is
in view, and I submit that it is more likely dishonesty that leads
one to inject baptism into this discussion.
Deliberate refusal to properly interpret the Scriptures seems to me to
be pretty evident, and the practitioners of such tactics gather no
acclaim, or recognition from God. God deals only in truth.
There are also some who read this passage and conclude that those who do
not equate "water" to a natural birth, are presenting the case for three
births, and not just two. The expression from these runs
something like this:
"If water does not refer to the natural birth, then you have a natural
birth; a separate birth "by water"; and still a third birth by the Holy
Spirit". This is incorrect interpretation however, as I hope to show by
the following explanation.
The natural birth is recognized. There is no question that Jesus acknowledged
that this man, Nicodemus by name, is a real, live, human being who exists
because he has been begotten of his earthly father, and borne by his earthly
mother. He is a natural man. But this fact is not under consideration.
It is a fact, and Jesus and Nicodemus both are fully aware of it.
Nicodemus imagines that Jesus is referring to a repeat natural birth. But
the Lord Jesus is NOT referring to a natural birth. He insists upon a birth
from above; a spiritual birth.
What Jesus insists upon, and what this learned Jew, Nicodemus, does not
understand is that a second (not a third) birth is a vital, essential,
imperative transaction that must precede any sight of, or entrance
into the kingdom of God. "Ye MUST be born again".
The "water" here is emblematic of the word of God. And the word of God
is always shown to be the instrument that
God uses in the regeneration of a dead sinner. When ever you read of the
instrument that is used in the new birth, and is spoken of in Scripture,
it is the word of God that is brought into view. "This is my comfort in
my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me". (Psa. 119:50)
And here also: "For though ye have ten thousand
instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers:
for in Christ Jesus have I begotten you through the gospel". (I
Cor 4:15) And finally: "Being born again, not of corruptible seed,
but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth
forever. (I Pet. 1:23)
So, we may properly conclude that it
is the Spirit that quickeneth, and that the instrument
that the Spirit has chosen to use in this awesome transaction is the word
of God; the gospel of the grace of God as manifested in Jesus Christ.
It is the gospel that is used in every single case of regeneration that
we know of, as recorded for our learning. Not recorded in the record books
of men, but in The Book.
Some one has asked, "Could God have saved one apart from the preaching
of the gospel? I cannot say that God could. not have worked this marvelous
transaction another way. But, this I can say with full assurance, "For
after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it
pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe."
(I Cor. 1:21) What I can say, and what I must say as emphatically
as I can, is that if God ever saved a single sinner by any other means
than by the preaching of the gospel, He did not record the event. I believe,
therefore, that it pleased God to save sinners through the foolishness
of preaching, and that it did not please Him to do it in any other way.
Ever!
From all that has been said to this point, there may still be those who
would read all this and say, "But does God actually call the chosen ones
to Himself, and does He do so in such a way as to insure their coming to
Him?" To which we answer: "Yes, God does actually call His elect to Himself,
and He does so in an absolute, unequivocal and unimpeachable manner". His
work is always effectual, in this, and in every other thing
that He does. He always works, and who can withstand His work? He succeeds
in all that He purposes. Always.
Listen as the Lord Jesus Christ speaks: "All that the Father giveth
me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out".
(John 6:37). As plainly and as forcefully as language can express,
the Lord Himself declares that those given by the Father shall come
to the Son. There is no supposition
of alternative action considered in the statement of Jesus
Christ. There is no possibility of failure, either on the part of God who
has given; on the part of God who has died substitutionally; on the part
of God who calls; or on the part of the object of the call. Neither God,
nor the sinner will fail. God is omnipotent, so is immune to failure, and
the sinner is impotent to come on his own strength or merit, as well as
impotent to successfully resist the irresistible. The transaction is guaranteed
to be fruitful.
Again, Jesus speaks: "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath
sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. It is
written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every
man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father cometh unto
me". (John 6:44-45)
These texts confirm at least three precious
aspects of the doctrine of grace. First, there is the
clear pronouncement that some men have been given to the Son, by the Father.
This is election. This is an act of choosing some men, by the Father to
be His gifts to the Son. Then, there is the depravity
of men, even the elect of God,
which incapacitates them along with all others. Thus, they are, by their
own sin rendered unable to come to the Son, even though they were eternally
given to Him as His very own. Sin infected God's elect as well as the non-elect.
We see here that the act of sin on man's part did not negate the elective
choice of God that had preceded sin, so as to make that choice of
God unattainable. Man cannot attain unto right standing before God, but
God can bring fallen man to life in Jesus Christ.
And finally, there is the absolute guarantee that each and every
one that God had chosen to obtain salvation, even though man's sin had
eliminated all possibility of man ever finding himself acceptable to God,
would, in the Person of their Surety and Substitute, be brought to life
and to salvation in all its fullness. There is the grand and full assurance
that each and every one whom the Father had chosen, and for whom the Son
had died, would be in time made to hear of the Father, and to be taught
of the Father, by the effectual work of the Holy Spirit, using the instrumental
means of the preaching of the gospel. This then results in the fulfillment
of this promise, "...cometh unto me". (John 6:45)
Does God call His elect? Does He do so consistently, both as to who, and
as to how? Unequivocally, He does! God does call, and He always calls,
and He calls by the preaching of the gospel. And the call that God issues
is a call that is never successfully resisted. Every sinner who is quickened
by the Holy Spirit is also called by the gospel. Not as a separate activity,
but as a most glorious and wonderful expression of God's love for His own.
Do you remember the texts that were cited at the beginning of this portion
of our study? Please read again: "The LORD hath appeared of old unto me,
saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore
with lovingkindness have I drawn thee".
(Jer. 31:3) And compare this with John 6:45, that says: "It
is written in the prophets, And they shall all be taught of God.
Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh
to me
How assuring it is then to know that they whom the Holy Spirit quickens,
He also makes known unto them the Father, and so they now learn of
Him whom they had previously not known. And being made to hear of Him,
and to learn of Him, they come to the Son.
But why does God the Holy Spirit quicken them at all, and then why does
He teach them of the Father? Why does He continue this work in them until
they learn of the Father and then come to the Son? Why? Have you never
wondered, WHY?
"Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness
have I drawn thee"
Oh, praise
the Lord! He has everlastingly loved His chosen people.
And it is upon the basis of His love for them that He acts favorably toward
them. Because God loves, lie acts. His work is the manifestation
of His love. Where, and upon whom His love rests, His
actions are to be seen. Always.
God does not love in a weak, or helpless, or futile manner. God does not
find within Himself any degree of weakness, nor loss
of desire to deal favorably. Where His love is, it has always been, from
eternity. And so, His actions toward His loved ones has always been in
full accord with His purpose.
So, does God always work so that His own glory is manifested, and His children
benefited? Yes. God so acts - and He shall forever act accordingly - for
He is ever the same.
If God loves you, He has, or will draw you by the gospel to His dear
Son. He will be faithful to accomplish His purpose. He will save His people
from their sins. (Matthew 1:21)