Being born again is indispensible to membership of Christ's
BORN AGAIN
[: Is plain from the discussion between Nicodemus and
Jesus Christ (fohn itt. 1-12) that Nicodemus expected the kingdom of heaven, that is, the kingdom of the Messiah, now shortly to appear; is betimes aware of the dawning of that day; and, according to the common notion of the Jews, he expects it to appear in external pomp and power. He doubts not but that this Jesus who works such miracles, is either the Messiah or his prophet. Therefore he makes his court to Him, compliments Him, and so hopes to secure a share to himself of the advantages of that kingdom.
1. THE NEcEssITy OF A NEw BIRTH But Christ tells him that he can have no benefit by that change of the state unless there can be a change of the spirit, of the principles and dispositions, equivalent to a new birth. The matter is settled irreversibly, that "except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God". That is a fact even for a Pharisee, though a master of Israel.
What is it that is required? To be born again, which means: (a) We must live a new life. To be born again is to begin anew, as those that have hitherto lived either much amiss, or to little purpose. We must not think to patch up the old building, but begin from the foundation.
(b) We must have a new nature, new principles, new affections, new aims. We must be born both anew and from above. By our first birth we were corrupt, shapen in sin and iniquity. We must therefore undergo a second birth. Our souls must be fashioned and enlivened anew. But also this new birth has its rise from heaven (John i. 13) and its tendency to heaven. It is to be born to a divine and heavenly life, a life of communion with God and the upper world. For this purpose, it has to partake of a divine nature and bear the image of the heavenly.
2. CONDITION OF ENTRY INTO Gop's KINGDOM Being born again is indispensible to membership of Christ's kingdom. "Except a man"' (anyone that partakes of the human nature, and consequently of the corruption of that) "be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God"'—the kingdom of the Messiah, begun in grace and perfected in glory. Except we be born from above we cannot see this. That is, first, we cannot understand the nature of it. Such is the nature of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God, that the soul must be new-modelled and moulded; the natural man must become a spiritual man before he is capable of receiving and understanding them. Secondly, we cannot receive the comfort of it; cannot expect any benefit by Christ and His Gospel, nor have any part or lot in the matter.
Regeneration is absolutely essential to our happiness here and hereafter. Considering what we are by nature, how corrupt and sinful, what God is in whom alone we can be happy, and what heaven is to which the perfection of our happiness is reserved, it will appear in the nature of things that we must be born again. It is impossible that we should be happy if we be not holy (cf. 1 Cor. vi. 11, 12).
Nicodemus's objections to the great truth of the necessity of regeneration are characteristic of the attitude of all unredeemed men and women. Christ was speaking spiritually; Nicodemus understood after a corporal and carnal manner, as if there were no other way of regenerating and remoulding an immortal soul but by new-framing the body and bringing that back to the rock out of which it was hewn; as if there were such a connexion between the soul and the body, that there could be no fashioning of the heart anew but by forming the bones anew.
Nicodemus valued himself, as other Jews did, very much by his first birth and the dignities and privileges of that: the place of it, the holy land, perhaps the holy city; his parentage, such as that which Paul could have glorified in (Phil. iii. 5); and therefore it is a great surprise to him to hear of being born again. Could he be better bred and born than bred and born an Israelite? Or any other birth stand fairer for a room in the kingdom of the Messiah? Indeed, they looked upon a proselyted Gentile to be as one born again, or born anew, but could not imagine how a Jew, a Pharisee, could ever better himself by being born again. He therefore thinks that if he must be born again it must be of her that bare him first. They that are proud of their first birth are hardly brought to a new birth.