John Piper? What is the new birth?
1. What happens in the new birth is not a new religion, but a new life.
- Nicodemus didn’t need religion.
- Did he need life? Spiritual life.
- What happens in the new birth is that a life arises that did not exist before.
- A new life begins at the time of the new birth.
- It is not an activity.
- Discipline or religious decision.
- It is the emergence of a life.
2. What happens in the new birth is not simply an affirmation of the supernatural character of Jesus, but an experience of the supernatural in ourselves.
No one is saved by seeing signs and wonders and letting themselves be enchanted by them, nor by giving credit to the one who performed the miracles, claiming that he came from God. This is one of the great dangers of signs and wonders: I don’t need a new heart to be enchanted by them. [?] In other words, what counts is not the mere affirmation of Jesus’ supernatural character, but the experience of the supernatural within yourself. [?] Thus, Nicodemus, Jesus said: what happens in the new birth is not merely an affirmation of my supernatural character, but the experience of the supernatural in yourself. [?] In the new birth, the Holy Spirit supernaturally gives us a new spiritual life by uniteing with Jesus Christ, through faith, because Jesus is life.
3. What happens in the new birth is not an improvement of ancient human nature, but the creation of a new human nature?A nature that is truly you, a forgiven, purified, truly new nature formed by the Spirit of God, who dwells in you.
In the new birth, the Holy Ghost supernaturally gives us new spiritual life by uniting with Jesus Christ by faith. In other words, the Spirit joins us with Christ in whom there is purification of our sins (exemplified by water) and replaces our hardened and indifferent hearts with a tender heart that values Jesus above all and transforms. by the presence of the Spirit, in a heart that loves to do God’s will (Ez 36:27).
We ended with this post “Part I: What is the New Birth”. There’s certainly a lot to say, so to complete your learning of the new birth, we suggest:
? Read the first two chapters (the summary above is taken), available for free in Faithful Editor, even if you don’t win or purchase the book, it’s worth reading these two short chapters.
? Watch this video: Mark Driscoll? Born again
? And read this text: Hernandes Dias Lopes? The new birth, an indispensable condition for entering paradise