There is but _one birth_ mentioned or alluded to in the conversation
with Nicodemus.
There is but _one kingdom_ mentioned or alluded to in the conversation.
The conversation is about _one birth_ and entering into _one kingdom_.
The whole is in the phrase, “You must be born again,” or the previous
phrase, “Except a man be born again he can not see the kingdom of God.”
This figurative expression “born again,” is precisely the same, or
includes the same as conversion. A man born again is a man converted.
In being born again precisely the same _agencies_ are employed, and
the same thing is accomplished as when a man is converted. This is
literally a man turned from darkness to light, from the world to God.
This is not done by the agency of water without the agency of the
Spirit. There is no such thing as a birth of water without the Spirit.
A man is “born again,” not by water without the Spirit, nor by the
Spirit without the water, but “born of water and of the Spirit,” no
matter how many fine theories are spoiled. Nothing leads to more
useless theories and speculations than attempts to build a theory on a
figurative expression. The literal must always explain the figurative.
The clear and unfigurative language of the commission has precisely the
same in it as the phrase, “born of water and of the Spirit.” “He who
believes and is immersed shall be saved.” Believes, in this passage, is
literal. Born of the Spirit, or, which is the same, “begotten of the
Spirit,” is figurative. The meaning is the same as, “I have begotten
you by the gospel,” or made you believers by the gospel. Begotten of
God is _made a believer of God_. Begotten of the Spirit is _made a
believer by the Spirit_. It is in some instances ascribed to God in
view of his being the Author of it. It is ascribed to Christ in view of
it being through his mediation. It is ascribed to the Spirit in view
of his inspiring the apostles or speaking in them, and thus making
believers, and those thus made believers are said to be begotten of
the Spirit, and, when immersed, said to be “born of water and of the
Spirit.” This is precisely all there is in it.
There is nothing about the resurrection in it, the first resurrection
or any other resurrection, unless it be a resurrection to a new life.
Nor is anything in the resurrection ever called “a birth of the
Spirit.” We are perfectly aware that the dead will be quickened by the
Spirit, and that the Spirit of Christ will quicken their mortal bodies;
that Christ was the “first-born from the dead,” the “first-born among
many brethren,” and that the dead will be raised at the sound of the
trumpet, but there is not one word about all this or an allusion to
it in the conversation with Nicodemus. Nor is there one word about or
allusion to the everlasting kingdom in that conversation. We must not
make something out of that conversation that is not in it.
Nicodemus was standing on his birth-right, “born in thy house,” as
expressed Gen. xvii. 13, for membership. The Lord sweeps this away in
one sentence: “Except a man be born again he can not see the kingdom of
God.” His being born in the house or family of Abraham availed nothing.
“Flesh and blood can not inherit the kingdom of God.” No matter in
whose family he was born nor whose blood coursed in his veins, a man
must be born again, born from above, born of water and of the Spirit,
or he cannot enjoy the kingdom of God. As the Spirit is the agent
through whom the gospel is preached, and the gospel the instrument
by which the Spirit makes believers, the agent is mentioned for the
effect, which is belief—made believers by the Spirit and baptized into
Christ, into one body. It is of God, of Christ, of the Spirit, of the
apostles and by the word.
There is no such thing as the new birth without the Spirit, nor any
such thing as entering into the kingdom of God or the body of Christ.
The faith, the work of the Spirit in preaching the gospel, through
the apostles, and baptism, or, figuratively, “born of water,” must be
present. The man who believes the gospel with all his heart and is
immersed into Christ is “born of water and of the Spirit” in the sense
intended by the Savior.