The Miracle Of Birth

"There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. 3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. (John 3: 1-8)

Nicodemus knew Christ was a worker of miracles. He knew he turned water into wine and healed the sick. But, he knew nothing about the miracle of the new birth and yet, as a teacher of scripture, he should have known of it. 

I see Christ as saying by way of paraphrase - "you speak of miracles, Nicodemus; let me tell you about a greater miracle, the miracle of being born again by the Spirit of God." 

People today anxiously seek a miracle, a healing, display of the supernatural. Many followed Jesus because they wanted to see the miracles done by Christ. Some of them believed in him as a result. Others simply remained curious yet did not believe. Others scoffed at them and claimed that they were done by the power of Beelzebub, the prince of demons. This difference of opinion is seen in these words of the apostle John:

"Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keeps not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them." (John 9: 16)

"Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man does many miracles." (John 11: 47)

"But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him." (John 12: 37)

It takes supernatural power to give birth to believers. Even physical birth, though now understood more than ever before, is still a great mystery. With all we know about it, we still are ignorant of it in many ways. But, if physical birth is a mystery, so much more is the birth of the Spirit. 

As it requires a natural birth to enter the physical world, so it requires a spiritual birth to enter the spiritual world. By natural birth we become part of a family. So too in spiritual birth. In it we become part of "the family of God." The birth "of the flesh" produces flesh, and flesh that is corrupted by original sin. The birth "of the Spirit" produces "spirit" that is cleansed of sin. The first birth was by "corruptible seed" but the second birth is of "incorruptible seed." (I Peter 1: 23) The first birth involves degeneration but the second birth involves regeneration. A person born once will die twice (first, physically, and secondly in the lake of fire which is the second death) but a person born twice will only die once (physically). In natural birth we bear the likeness of our parents. So too in spiritual birth do sinners take on the likeness of God and Christ the Son of God. In natural birth we became partakers of depraved human nature, in new birth we become "partakers of the divine nature." (II Peter 1: 4) 

How can we know we have been born of God? "Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ," said John, "is born of God." (I John 5: 1) Said the hymn writer:

"Faith is the brightest evidence 

Of things beyond our sight, 

Breaks through the clouds of flesh and sense, 

And dwells in heav'nly light."

By faith the mystery of the birth of the Spirit is understood, though not comprehended. Those who have experienced the new birth know by experience what it is, what produced it, what are the effects of it.