John 1:13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” James 1:21 Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.
John 1:13 tells us that a believing person is not born (to belief or again) by the will of any man, but rather by the will of God. Jesus told us that without this new birth, a person cannot see or enter the kingdom of God. James wrote that the word must be received in humility. All of these points are utterly vital when considering the absolute and utter necessity of the new birth. A proud person will not look to God and cannot see the kingdom, so the proud person will not receive the word. There is an absolute necessity for the soul to be humbled in order for the soul to look away from self and look to God for the new birth. There is an absolute necessity for the soul to be delivered from the ravages of pride and self before it can in humility receive the word.
Matthew 18:3 and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
This verse from Matthew should also be taken into account when considering the new birth. In much the same language as John 3, Matthew records the words of Jesus as telling people that they must be turned and become like children or they would not enter the kingdom of heaven. John records Jesus as saying that a person must be born from above (or again) to enter the kingdom and Matthew says that a person must be converted and become like a child or that person will not enter the kingdom. These statements were given at different times and to different people, but they are not contradictory at all. Instead, they describe a great change that must take place in the soul.
The Greek word used in Matthew 18:3 (strafh/te) has the meaning of to turn, though in this text it is in the passive and so it is something else or someone else that must do the turning. The soul must be turned by another so that the soul would become like a young child or even an infant. What is the point of this? In the context Jesus was asked about who was the greatest in the kingdom. He basically told them that they must become like young children or infants, who do not worry about who the greatest is and simply receive all they obtain, to even enter the kingdom. Young children or infants do not worry about things like trying to obtain honor, they are very needy and receive all things that they have,
Man is born very proud and full of self, so the teaching of Jesus goes right to the point and is quite consistent with John 1:13; 3:3-8, and James 1:21. The soul must be turned (passive) which means that another must do the turning, which shows that God must will and do the turning because no one else can. For a soul to be turned from self and pride to become like an infant or young child, that is likened to the new birth. The soul that was born of self and pride (and as such a child of the devil), is now born from above and is now a humble child of the living God. This is not the result of a mere choice, but is the result of the work of God in changing the core of the person.
Matthew 18:3 does show the necessity of the new birth, but it also shows the necessity of a humbling before a person can be truly saved. James speaks of that humility that is necessary to receive the word. The new birth does not come to the person that decides of his or her own free-will, but instead it comes to those who are humbled by God and look to God alone to give it the new birth. The new birth does not come to those who think that they can essentially convert themselves by an act of their own will, but instead those who trust in their own will are not trusting in the will of God. Those who are proud and lean on self are not those who are humbled and lean on grace alone that is found only in Christ. Oh how hard it is for proud sinners to hear the words of Christ in John 3 and Matthew 18. The proud sinner not only has no power to save self, but the only power that s/he has is to resist Christ. As long as the sinner remains proud and full of self, that sinner has no hope of entering the kingdom. As long as the proud sinner tries to be humble in the power of self or tries to work up faith in self, that proud sinner is resisting and fighting true conversion. Men must be humbled and become as little children or they will perish in hell for all eternity. The words of Jesus can mean no less than that.
God Loves... Himself 
Leave a comment