BORN FROM WHAT?

John 1:13

....children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.


            One doctrine that has been misunderstood is the doctrine of regeneration or simply born again, born from above, born of Spirit or born of God. These have only one meaning, this is one is being taken out from darkness into marvelous light. 

            One of the misinterpretations  of this doctrine is that when man believes God that is the moment that he will be born again. The problem with this belief is that regeneration (born again) is depended on when man believes Christ. But the verse here that it is not from any human decision. Meaning to say, it is purely on the basis of God's pleasure and will. 

            One of the tragic contribution of Emperor Constantine was that he imposed that Christianity will be the national religion. During that time people were deceived to the fact that they are Christian but inwardly they are not because once the family is Christian the whole family is Christian. They think this will be according to their own volition.

PRINCIPLES

1) Regeneration is not biological.

             Children of Christian parents cannot be considered born again unless they experience it.

2) Regeneration is not individual decision but God's decision.

            Man will not believe in order to be born again but rather he will be born again in order for him to believe in God.

3) Regeneration is not relational.

            This cannot be imposed by any in authority like the husband who is in authority in the family. Husband cannot imposed to the children and wife that they do this and that in order to be born again.  

APPLICATION

1) I must live in the newness of life because it is the evidence of true born again experience.

2) I must love the Lord God because of regeneration that I am not worthy of.

3) I must long to know the God who took me out from darkness and brought me to light.