The Spiritual Birth
By Voy Wilks
November, 1981
(Revised 6/89)
It should be of interest to every believer to give some thought to the following questions:
(1) When are we born of the Yahweh?
(2) When are we born of the Holy Spirit?
(3) When do we become Spiritual Beings?
Actually, these three questions are really only one question, which can be phrased in this way:
"When does the Spiritual birth take place?"
Since Yahweh is Holy, and is a Spirit (a Spiritual Being), to be born of the Spirit, we then become Spiritual Beings - sons of Yahweh, who is the Supreme Being.
There seems to be at least three differing opinions as to when the true believer is born of the Spirit. These three opinions can be stated in this way:
Opinion No. l - We are born of the Spirit at the moment we believe and accept the Messiah as our personal Savior.
Opinion No. 2 - We are born of the Spirit in the act of baptism as we come up out of the water.
Opinion No. 3 - We are born of the Spirit at the first resurrection.
As you see, we have a choice. All three cannot be correct, of course, since they differ. Now let us study the Bible and see which one of these opinions (if any) is the correct Biblical doctrine.
Yahshua answered him, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of Yahweh. Nicodemus said to him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?
Yahshua answered, Truly, truly, I Say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of Yahweh. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that l said to you, "You must be born anew." The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit (John. 3:3-8).
Let me ask. Did you notice verse 8 above?
The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes: so it is with every one who is born of the Spirit.
Can anyone of your acquaintances (even the most devout), move about as does the wind? Can any make himself invisible to the human eye, as is the wind? Can any go at will, anywhere he chooses to go on planet earth, and travel (as does the wind) without any transporting vehicle?
These are some of the identifying characteristics of those who have been born of the Spirit (and of the angels who have been spirit beings all along). The honest person will not claim to be able to do any of these things at this time, of course. Spirit beings, however, are able, and actually do these very things. Remember Balaam of Peor? The angel of Yahweh met him in the way on three occasions, and Baalam did not see him, even though his donkey did. Later, Baalam saw the angel, and was afraid (Nu.22:21 to 35). The angel was invisible, so Balaam did not know he was there until he chose to reveal himself.
Again, the angel of Yahweh appeared to Gideon and after conversing with him, vanished from his sight (Judges 6:12 to 21). Gideon could not tell from whence he came, or whither he went.
Then there is the greatest of all persons the Messiah himself. After his resurrection, he too, appeared and vanished whenever he chose. He... "vanished out of their sight" (Luke 24:31).
On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Yahshua came and stood among them ... (John 20:19 & 26).
Even though the doors were shut (shall we say locked?) the Master suddenly presented himself to his disciples. But how? How did he get in? Where did he come from? Where did he go afterwards? They could not tell. After rising from the grave Yahshua appeared (miraculously) to his disciples on two other occasions (John 20:19 and 21:1 & 14). The Messiah had already predicted that it would be this way, for ....
So it is with everyone who is born of the spirit (John 3:8).
To repeat my question:
"Can anyone of our acquaintances become invisible, travel at will etc. without any transporting vehicle; or appear, then vanish?"
Your answer is no, of course. These are capabilities which are beyond the realm of flesh and blood: flesh which is born of flesh. These capabilities are for those who have been born of the Spirit.
In view of the foregoing evidence, we can safely conclude, it seems, that Opinion No. l and Opinion No. 2 are both ruled out as possible answers to our basic question:
"When are we born of the Spirit?"
That leaves Opinion No. 3 as a consideration. In studying further about this Opinion, however, we will discover additional evidence against the first two Opinions as well.
It is true that many of us have been begotten of the Spirit (or begotten of Yahweh), even though we have not yet been born of the Spirit. Please let me call attention to the great difference in being begotten and in being born. The difference can be easily seen by calling attention to the fact that for child to be begotten, both the father and the mother must be present. Not so at birth. A child can be, and often is, born when the father is absent. The dictionary points out the difference.
Born - means to be brought forth (into the world); into being (as an individual person).
Beget - means to procreate; be the father of; to cause to exist.
As we see, there exists a vast difference in the two English words, both grammatically and biologically. Let me add, however, that in both the Hebrew and the Greek languages there seems to have been no such grammatical distinction made. Perhaps the way that the word was used in the sentence determined whether it meant begetal, or birth.
The Hebrew word, yalad, is used approximately 505 times, and is translated about equally as "beget" and as born".
The same is true of the Greek word, gennao. It is used bout 97 times, and is translated as "beget" about as often as is translated as "born".
So, in looking carefully at John 3:8, we must conclude that we are not truly born of the Spirit as long as we consist of flesh and blood. Instead, we (as flesh) are at this time, born of water by the waters of baptism after having believed, repented of sins, and confessed the Messiah before men. And just as in biology, the birth (of the spirit) comes later, as we will see.
In his discussion with Nicodemus, the Messiah explains, That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit (John 3:6).
It is a fact that since we were born of the flesh, we cannot escape into anything more, or anything greater, while in this life.
This is why Yahshua said, That which is born of the flesh is flesh.
This is just as true as to say, "A dog that is born of a dog will continue to remain a dog as long as it lives."
As long as we are mortal humans, we can be nothing more, and therefore, we are subject to death. We see the truth of this every day, or at least hear of it. Just think of the people killed on our highways during the holidays. Many of them are good people, no doubt, but are very mortal just the same. Why? Because they are born of the flesh. In a sense we can be of the Spirit while in this life, but that is being spiritually minded, rather than actually being spiritual (a Spirit being). This indicates we are willing, and that we are trying to be righteous by keeping his commandments. Paul says it in these words:
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to Yahweh; it does not submit to Yahweh's law, indeed it cannot; and those who are in the flesh cannot please Yahweh. But you are not in the flesh, you are in the Spirit, if the Spirit of Yahweh really dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of the Messiah does not belong to him. But if the Messiah is in you, although your bodies are dead because of sin, your spirits are alive because of righteousness (Rom. 8:5-11).
Remember. To be born of the Spirit, is the same as being born of Yahweh, for Yahweh is a Spirit - the Holy Spirit. There is no certainty in this life, however: the promise of the Spiritual birth is provisional, as is shown in Rom. 8:16-17.
It is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of Yahweh; ... provided we suffer with him in order that we may be glorified with him.
That it is in the future that we become truly the sons of Yahweh (by means of the Spiritual birth) is shown in other statements of the Apostle Paul.
For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of Yahweh ... because the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of Yahweh. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in travail until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies (Rom. 8:19 & 22).
Paul included himself when he said that we wait to become sons of Yahweh. As you see, we will not, in the truest sense, become the sons of Yahweh until the redemption of our bodies!
For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it (Rom. 8:24 & 25 KJV).
Let us read verses 22 and 23 from the New English Bible, please.
Up to the present, we know, the whole created universe groans in all its parts as if in the pangs of childbirth. Not only so, but even we, to whom the spirit is given as first-fruits of the harvest to come, are groaning inwardly while we wait for Yahweh to make us his sons and set our bodies free.
Notice that? He will set us free from the bondage of decay and death - by changing us from mortal to immortal - by making us Spirit like himself - by giving us everlasting life.
A good question is:
"What about the scriptures which state that we are the sons of Yahweh now, at this time - such as Rom. 8:14, John 3:2, etc?"
Paul explains this for us in Gal. 3:26.
For ye are all the children of Yahweh by faith in Messiah Yahshua.
This does not indicate we are already sons of Yahweh, but that we are sons of Yah by faith. We hope to become sons of Yahweh. Faith is hope, remember (Heb. 11:1). So as Paul said, to this extent only, we are now the sons of Yah (by faith).
To learn when we are truly born of Yahweh - born of the Spirit- turn to Lk.20:35 & 36.
But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead neither marry, nor are given in marriage, neither can they die any more; for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of Yah, being the children of the resurrection (K.J.V.).
This pin-points the exact time when we become the children of Yahweh - at the resurrection. He is speaking of the first resurrection, of course. This explains both when and why we become the sons of Yahweh.
Now, please turn to 1 Cor. chapter 15. Those people did not fully understand about the resurrection and the Spiritual birth, so throughout this chapter, the Apostle Paul explains these things in great detail.
Verse 35 - But some one will ask, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?"
Verse 42 - So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory (meaning a glorious state or condition). It is sown in weakness (fleshly weakness), it is raised in power. It is sown in a physical body, it is raised a SPIRITUAL body.
Think of that! We are buried a physical body (that born of flesh), but we are raised a Spiritual body, a body like Yahweh has - a Spiritual being. Did you notice at what time this natural, fleshly, humanly body becomes Spiritual? At the resurrection, when we are raised from the grave. This is the Spiritual birth. We are born of Yahweh. Yahweh, a Spirit, giving life to another. This is a gift of Yahweh (Rom. 6:23).
1 Cor. 15:46 - But it is not the spiritual which is first but the physical, and then the spiritual.
Notice that. The physical is first and then the Spiritual; not both at the same time.
Verse 49 -Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall (in the future) also bear the image of the man of heaven.
Verse 50 - Mortal humans - flesh that is born of flesh cannot inherit the kingdom of Yahweh, nor can we, in the flesh, inherit the imperishable.
Verse 52 - We must be changed from perishable to imperishable in order to inherit anything which is everlasting.
Verse 53 - For this perishable nature must put on the imperishable, and this mortal nature must put on IMMORTALlTY.
Verse 54 - When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting?"
Verse 57 - This victory is through Yahshua, the Messiah ...
So don't you agree that Opinion No. 3 is the correct Biblical doctrine? Remember that it is the one which says:
We are born of the Spirit at the first resurrection. At the resurrection we put on immortality, and therefore we become Spiritual beings. We are buried a physical body, but we are raised from the grave as a Spiritual body (1 Cor. 15 -44).
This is what happened to the Messiah. He was buried a physical body, but three days later he arose from the grave a Spiritual body. This is being born of the Spirit. Yahweh, a Spirit, giving Spiritual life to others, but only at the resurrection! This is a prize which Yahweh gives to all who are chosen. It is then that we will have the victory over our worst and most powerful enemy - death.
How wonderful is Yahweh, the Mighty One of Israel - and how powerful!
Are there any questions?