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The term “born again” is widely used among Christians, and the verse that says “You must be born again” (John 3:7) is often quoted. But many Christians don’t understand what it means to be born again, often because they begin by looking at what the epistles say, and fail to base their understanding on the words of Jesus. I was taught that when one is born again, it is “incorruptible” which was taken to mean that once you received it you couldn’t lose it. This is based on a misunderstanding of I Peter 1:23, “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” But this verse tells us that it is the seed that is incorruptible, not the person who receives it.

Others teach that the new birth is referring to the resurrection, because Acts 13:33 says, “God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.” The wording in the KJV seems to suggest that the day that he was begotten is the day he was raised from the dead. This, combined with Colossians 1:18 which calls him the “firstborn from the dead,” is taken to mean that Jesus was “born again” at his resurrection and we will similarly be “born again” when we are resurrected at Christ’s return. New Testament references to the new birth are then interpreted as being prophetic of the future, and not a present reality.

However, the word “again” is not in the Greek of Acts 13:33, and the term “raised up” does not automatically mean resurrection, if the words “from the dead” are not included. It can also mean to be raised up to prominence (as in Acts 5:36,37; 7:18). It is used this way specifically referring to God “raising up” Jesus as a prophet and high priest (Acts 3:22; Acts 7:37; Hebrews 7:11; Hebrews 7:15). The context in Acts 13 is talking about the entire body of prophecy concerning the promise to send the Messiah. Verse 33 refers to God raising Jesus to prominence, and is linked with “This day have I begotten thee” (Psalm 2:7). Only in the next verse (v. 34) is the resurrection from the dead specifically mentioned, and it is linked with two other prophecies, “I will give you the sure mercies of David” (Isaiah 55:3-4) and “Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption” (Psalm 16:9-10). There is no basis in Scripture for identifying the new birth with the resurrection.

What, then, is the new birth? In order to get the entire picture, one must consider all the Scriptures about a given subject. I Peter 1:3-4 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you.” Paul says that those in Christ are “a new creation” (II Corinthians 5:17) and were saved by the “washing of regeneration” (literally “washing of rebirth”) in Titus 3:5. These all refer to something that happens in this life, not just at the return of Christ.

This rebirth is based on “seed.” John refers to being “begotten by the Father” in his epistles, and states that God’s seed is in a person in I John 3:9. The above mentioned I Peter 1:23 refers to being born again of incorruptible seed. I used to believe that the seed mentioned here was a “new birth seed” which included God’s nature, which was implanted in me and was now a part of me. But is this what the “seed” refers to? Also, this verse says that we are born again “by the Word of God” and James 1:18 says, “Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth…” What is this “Word” by which one is born again?

I used to think that “the Word” was simply a synonym for the Bible. But in fact the Scriptures do not refer to themselves as “the Word,” they refer to themselves as “the Scriptures.” In the Bible, the term “the Word” refers to the overall message, that is, the wisdom and plan of God. Sometimes it refers to a specific message that a prophet was given to speak forth. When used in a general sense, though, it is the overall message about His coming Kingdom.

Too often the words of Jesus are interpreted in light of the later New Testament writers instead of the other way around. It is important that we understand the words of Peter, James, John and Paul in light of the Master. It is his words which are the standard for interpretation of the rest of the New Testament. Jesus Christ’s words, “You must be born again” are well known, but his other references to the new birth are often forgotten. He said the new birth was so vitally important that one could not see the Kingdom of God without it (John 3:1). But of the four Gospels, John’s is the only one that uses the phrase “born again.” How could something so important not be mentioned in the other Gospels? The fact is, Jesus did speak of it, but he used other terms.

Jesus identified the new birth as being essential for entering the Kingdom of God in John 3. In the key parable of the sower and the seed, Jesus likewise states that salvation is dependent on receiving the word.

Mark 4:
11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
13 And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?
14 The sower soweth the word.

Luke 8:
11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
12 Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.

Mark and Luke point out that if one does not receive the seed, which is the Word, they don’t get “converted” or “saved.” Matthew even more specifically defines what the seed is.

Matthew 13:
18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

The seed that the sower sows is the Word of God, which is the Word of the Kingdom. The devil steals that word away from those who do not receive it, like the seed by the wayside. Others receive the word and retain it for a short time, but fall away when tribulation or persecution arises, like the seed on stony ground with no roots. Some others receive the word but are distracted by cares and riches of this world, like the seed on the thorny ground. The last category is those who receive the seed on good ground and bear fruit. This parable is considered by Jesus to be the foundation of all the other parables (“Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?” - Mark 4:13). It presents the foundational truth of how to be saved, or have eternal life, which begins with the intelligent reception of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. The references to being born of seed in the epistles are to be understood in this light. The seed is the Gospel of the Kingdom, and believing that Gospel is the key to eternal life and the new birth.

To Be Continued…