The Miracle of Salvation (Part Two)

In the new birth, a sinner is called out of spiritual death.

Because God brings about new life through His Word, the Bible is central in all our meetings and we bring the Gospel invitation to the children. Like Jesus at the tomb of Lazarus, we urge them to leave the “grave of sin” and come to Jesus. However, for a new birth to occur, the Holy Spirit must add His powerful internal call to the external call of the Gospel. Then the child understands that it is meant to be taken personally.

Who causes the new birth?

Jesus explained this in His conversation with Nicodemus: That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Human beings can pass on human life, but that ends in death. Only that which is born of the Holy Spirit is spiritual and lasting life. God alone causes the new birth!

The new birth includes a total cleansing from our sins.

Paul writes to Titus: He saved us … by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit (Tit 3:5). Here the new birth is compared with a cleansing bath. Jesus also mentions this to Nicodemus: Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God (John 3:5). Jesus is speaking here to a scribe and assumes that he understands the reference to Ezekiel 36,25f: I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses … And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you.

What else does the new birth bring about?

• New spiritual life. This is what the story of Lazarus illustrated and what Paul also explains: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. (2 Cor 5:17).
• A new perspective. Spiritual blindness is removed. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Cor 4:6). We then recognize and understand spiritual truths: how ugly sin is and that we must be rid of it; how precious Christ is and that we must have Him! We recognise what He wants to be for us, namely our Redeemer!
• A new attitude and inclination. We find Christ attractive. We want to come to HIM and we can and we come, like Lazarus came to Jesus from his tomb. (But that last part is actually already conversion.)

Our whole person is changed in the new birth: our mind is enlightened; our will is freed and we become alive.

What is the new birth?

The new birth is a work of God alone, in which the Holy Spirit, calls a sinner out of spiritual death through the preached Word, imparts new spiritual life to him and cleanses him from all uncleanness. A born-again person is also a new creation. God creates a new attitude in him, which was not there before and which is characterized by an interest in spiritual things and by love for Christ.