Born Again: What Does It Mean? (Part 4)
by Jody L. Apple

In our first three articles in this series we have accomplished the following: In the first article we noted: (1) The new birth allows us to see, or enter, the kingdom of God. (2) The new birth includes baptism in water. And (3), the new birth includes our obedience to the word of God.

In the second article, we focused on developing the third point of the first article. We discussed: (1) how the Holy Spirit is involved in revealing God's word, that is, how inspiration works, and (2), we saw that rejecting God's message was equal to a rejection of the Holy Spirit.

In the third article, we continued to show how the new birth involves obedience to the word of God by showing: (1) that the message of the apostles from Pentecost forward was a message given by the Spirit of God, and thus by God himself; (2) that those who obeyed that message were not following the apostles as men, but rather the words and message of God given through the Spirit; and (3) we began to see that those who were baptized in accordance with the apostle's teachings were born, not only of water, but also of the Spirit, and that through the obedient act of baptism itself. Thus, those who obey the teachings of Christ as he instructed the apostles to preach, are obeying, and so born of, the Holy Spirit.

The conclusion of the third article states: "Thus, whatever the apostles commanded was a command of God and the Holy Spirit. Whatever the apostles enjoined upon their hearers and readers was to be obeyed, and such was obedience, not to the words of men, but to the words of God. In our next article in this series we will examine a passage that sums up all of these teachings, and then we will study the necessary elements required in order to be 'born again.' "

We continue, then, in part four, to explain how it is that we are born again when we, in humble obedience, are baptized in harmony with the commands of the Christ as given to and through the apostles. To do so, we will turn our attention to a single passage of scripture that encompasses much of what we have said thus far.

1 Peter 1:22-25

"Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through he word of God which lives and abides forever, because 'All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the

flower of the grass. The grass withers and its flower falls away, but the word of the Lord endures forever.' Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you."

This passage gathers together in just four verses what we have been contending for all along in this series of articles. From it we learn: (1) Souls are saved through obedience to the truth (i.e., the message of the gospel as taught by the apostles); (2) that the truth must be obeyed through the Spirit, which entails realizing that the message came by the Spirit. When one obeys the message as it was preached by the apostles, he obeys the Spirit; (3) That through obedience to the message of truth which comes through the Spirit, one is born again; (4) That this new birth does not refer to some mystical experience. This is clear when it is claimed to be a birth "through the word of God." This simply repeats the simple premises mentioned before. Our obedience is to the truth. That truth came through the Spirit as it was preached by the apostles. That truth through the Spirit is the word of God. Thus, when we obey God's word we are born again, and that of the Spirit.

The significance of 1 Peter 1:22-25 is tremendous when we consider what Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3. Jesus told Nicodemus that in order to see, or enter, the kingdom of heaven, he must be born of water and Spirit-he must be born again. 1 Peter 1:22-25 explains for us how it is that such takes place. It teaches us that there exists a number of special relationships between the purification of the soul (salvation), obedience to the truth and to the Spirit, the act of being born again, and the word of God, the gospel.

In order to explain those relationships in 1 Peter 1:22-25, we will examine these principles and practices as they relate to each other.

(1) purification of the soul (what occurs when we are saved and our sins are forgiven)- A. Purification of the soul occurs when the truth is obeyed.This simply means that obedience to God's word, His truth, is essential in order to be saved.

B. The truth is obeyed through the Spirit, that is to say that the truth is the teachings of the Spirit as it is given through the word of God as spoken, and later written, by the inspired men.

C. Purification occurs when one is born again, and that by the word of God. The process of being born again brings salvation.

(2) obeying the truth - A. Obedience to the truth is what causes our souls to be purified. This is simply to say that our souls are purified (cleansed) when we obey the truth, and that our souls cannot be cleansed or purified without obedience to the truth. In this regard, note the teaching of Hebrews 5:8-9 which states that Jesus "became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him." The necessity of obedience to the word of God is found throughout Jesus' teachings. In Matthew 7:21ff he emphasized the need to do the will of the father. In the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25ff), he said "do this and you will live" (vs.28). Perhaps the most significant passage that sums up the principle of obedience is John 14:15. There Jesus said "If you love Me, keep My commandments." John further taught that the one who "does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked." (1 John 2:4-6) These passages, and many others, indicate the need for obedience to the word of Christ.

B. Obeying the truth is equivalent to obeying the Spirit, because the truth is revealed through the Spirit. (See John 14:25-26; 15:26; 16:13ff)

C. Obeying the truth is the same as obeying the incorruptible word of God, the gospel. In John 17:17, Jesus said, in his prayer to the heavenly Father "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth." This simply indicates

that the word of God is truth (cf. Psalms 33:4; 119:160). If the Spirit is a Spirit of truth (John 14:17; 15:26), and if the word of God as it came through the apostles was spoken and written through the influence of the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:20-21), then that word must be truth.

(3) the process of being born again- A. Being born again results in the purification of the soul (forgiveness of sins). One cannot enter the kingdom (obtain salvation), without being born again.

B. The new birth occurs when truth is obeyed. Truth is preached, believed, and acted upon in order to be born again. Obedience to the truth is also the same as obedience to the Spirit, for the message of God, the truth, comes through the Holy Spirit.

C. The incorruptible word of God, the gospel, is the seed that begets us.

(4) the incorruptible seed, the word of God, the gospel - A. The incorruptible seed, the word of God, and the gospel are all synonymous. They are terms that indicate the source and cause of belief. Luke 8:11, in the midst of the parable of the soils, tells us that the seed (in that parable) represents the word of God. It is the word of God that must get to the noble and good heart (Luke 8:15) and cause fruit to be produced.

B. The word of God is truth and must be obeyed. 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 tells us that Jesus will bring judgment against those who do not obey the gospel (see Romans 10:16). The gospel is not for hearing only...it is for doing too. In the same way, John speaks of doing, that is obeying, truth (1 John 1:6ff).

C. When the word of God is fully obeyed, one obeys, and is so born again, of the Spirit.

(5) the gospel was preached- A. It is through the preaching of the gospel that belief is created in the hearts and minds of its hearers.This is plainly taught in Romans 10:17 where Paul says "So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God."

B. It is through the preaching of the gospel that we learn that faith is to be active and

obedient (Romans 1:5; 16:25-26).

C. It is through the preaching of the gospel that we are begotten, or born of, the truth and of the Holy Spirit.

Summary of 1 Peter 1:22-25

1 Peter 1:22-25 demonstrates the relationship between the purification of the soul (threation), obedience to the truth and to the Spirit, the act of being born again, and the word of God, the gospel, in this fashion: (1) The word of God, the gospel, is preached. (2) It has the ability, to create faith in the minds of its hearers. (3) That faith can be obedient to the truth taught. (4) The process of obeying the truth, the faith, yields to following the commands of the teacher, which leads to being born again of both Spirit and truth, which results in the purification of the soul (salvation).

Begotten By The Truth

In order to further demonstrate that we are begotten, or born of the Spirit through the truth, and not the Spirit without the truth, consider the following passages of scripture:

"For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel." (1 Corinthians 4:15) Paul says this because he, through the preaching of the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), was responsible for the conversion of many of the Christians in Corinth.

"I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains..." (Philemon 10) Paul, in writing to Philemon about his runaway slave, Onesimus, encourages Philemon to accept Onesimus as a brother in Christ, for while in prison, Paul taught him and led him to Christ.

"Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God , that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome."(1 John 5:1-2) John teaches us that those who believe Jesus are born of God, but that belief is not just in the mind, for he also says those who love God keep his word (commandments).

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead..."(1 Peter 1:3) Here, Peter teaches that it is through the resurrection of Christ that we are begotten (born) again. We will note in our next article in this series how it is that through baptism into Christ we are resurrected to walk in newness of life.

Conclusion

In this article we have taken the time to examine one passage, 1 Peter 1:22-25, in order to show that it sums up the principles that we have examined in our first three articles. In the part five we will study the final step of the new birth (baptism) and note specific examples of people being born again, thus becoming Christians, in response to the teaching of God's word.

See also:

TheBible.net: Born Again: What Does It Mean? (Part 1)

TheBible.net: Born Again: What Does It Mean? (Part 2)

TheBible.net: Born Again: What Does It Mean? (Part 3)

TheBible.net: Born Again: What Does It Mean? (Part 4)

TheBible.net: Born Again: What Does It Mean? (Part 5)

TheBible.net: Born Again: What Does It Mean? (Part 6)

TheBible.net: Born Again: What Does It Mean? (Part 7)