The Magnitude of the Cross: Understanding the New Birth

Foreword

In the years I have been saved it has always been my desire to understand the Word of God better, for the precise purpose of being able to have an answer for any man that asks me the reason why I believe in the Bible, and why my faith lies in Jesus Christ. The following study has as a goal the intent to clarify Regeneration, the New Birth. Christ told Nicodemus that no man shall enter, nor see the Kingdom of God except he be born again. And this is something I was in the habit of sharing with those I witnessed to, until one day the Lord spoke to my heart and asked me, Do you know what that means? And I had to answer truthfully, I don’t have the first clue. So, for many years now I have studied Regeneration, and feel I have come to an understanding which has been shown me by the Lord. Many controversial issues have been clarified for me, and having debated more people than I can imagine -for the intent of challenging my own views which I felt emerging from Scripture-I have found not the first person that can contradict the views I present in this book. In this study I use the King James Version because, first, it’s a great Translation, and I prefer it over other Translations. Secondly, many people still use the King James, and while I have found those who read other translations agreeable to the King James, some will accept only the King James, so it makes sense to use it. Any emphasis found in the passages in this book do not reflect the italics of the King James Version which indicate translational insertions (meaning the KJV translators inserted English words to clarify statements which are not found in the manuscripts and this is indicated by italics in the KJV). The italics reflect my own emphasis to bring focus to certain parts of the statements (which are usually key to the point being made).

Because I would like to make this book easy to read, and not so long that some may be discouraged from reading it, understand that most of the topics discussed could have books unto themselves, so, if it seems I have left out critical passages (and I will try not to do that), keep in mind that each subject is kept to a minimum, and my hope is that there is enough there to clarify any given topic.

Just as a brief overview of my own Theology-and trying to stay away from too many terms coined by certain systems of Theology-I would express to those who may be reading who are not familiar with the Bible some of the basics which the following Chapters have as a background. I will focus only on two primary issues that are essential to a proper understanding of the New Birth.

The Fall

Having created man, male and female, God gave dominion of the earth to him with the exception of access to the Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, which, if they ate of it, they would die the day they ate of it. Being deceived by the Serpent (who we learn in later revelation is Satan), Eve ate of the fruit, and gave to her Husband Adam to eat as well. My own speculation is that Adam, knowing that Eve had signed her death warrant, also ate that he might share her fate. For I suspect that this great man had a love for her that is still unrivaled in the Fallen Creation concerning a man and a woman. The result was a separation between Adam (Man, and this includes Eve) and God, and they were thrust out of the Garden where once they walked with God (Genesis 3).

And that is man’s great problem: his separation from God. It is a popular notion that we are separated from God because we sin, but the truth is that we sin because we are separated from God. When Adam was created, he received life directly from God, who breathed life into Adam, making him a living soul (not to be confused with the spirit of man). The same is true of Eve. Both can be viewed as products of the original Creation, whereas their children are products of procreation. All who entered the world after the Fall were conceived in a state of separation from God. Adam was created in the image and likeness of God, whereas in Seth, when he is born of a woman (Eve), we see the distinction between his birth and Adam’s creation:

Genesis 5

King James Version (KJV)

1 This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;

2 Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.

3 And Adam lived a hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, and after his image; and called his name Seth:

So, before we go any further I want to stress the importance of Man’s condition following the Fall. While there are those in the general population who like to think of God as their Father -which due to His creation of Man is true in a general context, insofar as God created man-the truth is that God is Father only to His Children (in a context of Eternal Salvation), and His children are those who are Born Again believers who have trusted in Jesus Christ. All men enter this world separated from God and that, my friends, is the Condition which must be remedied. It is not a matter of removing sin from our lives that we be good enough to enter Heaven when we die, but one of coming into Eternal Union with God. And that can only be accomplished when the separation that arose from Adam’s sin ends. Most people treat Regeneration, the New Birth, as though it is an awakening, or a turning over of a new leaf, but, it is more than that. It is the process taught us in Scripture in which the person who is separated from God is ministered to by God Himself as He performs the Ministry of the Comforter, and at that point the person ministered to responds to the truths God reveals to their heart and are immersed into Eternal Union with God. It is my sincere hope that those who are not saved will be ministered to by the Holy Spirit as they read, and my hope is that they will respond to the truths the Lord seeks to impart to them.

Christ taught a many/few ratio concerning those who would be saved, but we must remember that God gives every man opportunity to be saved, because He is a Just God. Many groups want to give the impression that their group, faith, or denomination has a monopoly on The Truth, but the simple fact is that God has been saving men from the beginning of time, and wants to speak directly to the heart of the individual. While it is a familiar pattern for God to use men to speak to men-and He still does that-in this Age (which began with the establishing of the New Covenant) He is speaking to the hearts of those exposed to The Truth, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Those who respond positively, that is, who yield to the truths being revealed, are then born again. Those who respond negatively are not. And because of man’s natural condition he has a proclivity for rejecting truth. We become new creations through the process of being immersed into God in Eternal Union, which is also known as the Eternal Indwelling of God. While we retain the same spirit we were conceived with, at this time we are also indwelt with God, which was promised in the Old Testament by God to Israel (and Prophecy included Gentiles as well), and bestowed on the Day of Pentecost. It was at that time when, as taught by Christ, the Comforter (the Spirit of God in this new and unique Ministry) was sent unto mankind to perform His Convicting Ministry that men might receive the Promise of Eternal Redemption.

Where Regeneration becomes controversial for some is when it became a reality for believers. And I am talking of both when men are saved today, and when they were being saved in the Old Testament. Many will sit under the teaching of a Pastor, Minister, or Preacher for years and because this issue is seldom taught about, come to a conclusion-howbeit unintentionally-that the Old Testament Saints and the Church receive the same salvation in all Ages. They view men of great faith like Noah, Abraham, and Moses as having an identical salvation to that enjoyed by those who are saved in this current Age.

Nothing could be further from the truth. And I hope that by the time you read a few Chapters of this Book you will begin to see why. I want to stress at the beginning that in no way am I calling into question the faith of those great people of faith, nor am I saying they were not saved. They were saved from an eternal perspective, but, we want to examine the elements of their salvation as compared to those being saved through New Covenant elements. I will also add that I am in no way calling into question the faith of those who take an opposing view to the one presented in this study. One simple fact to remember is that we are saved by simple faith in Christ, not through great knowledge or doctrinal astuteness.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ

You have probably heard someone say, Men can only be saved through Jesus Christ. That is an indisputable Bible Truth. However, we must consider what Scripture teaches concerning Salvation, and recognize the Progression of Revelation. For example, some might be shocked to hear me say Abraham did not understand that Christ would die for his sins. I’ll go one further: the very Disciples of Christ, even as they went about healing, casting out demons, and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom…didn’t understand this great truth either.

The reason is this: The Gospel of Jesus Christ was a Mystery, a previously unrevealed truth, which was not given to men to understand prior to the Church Age-or, as some call it, the Age of Grace-which is the Age we are currently in. This Age began on the Day of Pentecost when the Comforter was sent from Heaven. Paul teaches this extensively enough (The Mystery of the Gospel of Christ) that we can list it as Incontrovertible Doctrine. No-one can dispute that the Gospel, though spoken of in Old Testament Scripture, was not revealed to men in past Ages in a manner by which they could understand it fully (Romans 16:25-26; Ephesians 3:4-5).

And just to clarify my own view of what the Gospel of Jesus Christ is, it is the truth about Jesus Christ being God manifest in the flesh, taking up a human body-which He created in the womb of Mary-that He might not only dwell among men, but that He might restore the relationship lost between God and Man. The purpose of dwelling with men was to be put to death in their stead for the payment of the penalty of their sin, be buried, and rise from the dead three days later. That is a simple statement of the Gospel, and while it certainly entails quite a bit more, those are the basic facts. And when we understand that God was in Christ reconciling the world (men) unto Himself, we see that the entire process was for a remedy for Man’s singular problem: that he is separated from God on a spiritual and eternal basis. Salvation in Christ is not a religion, or a process of religious activity, it is wholly the work of Holy God. This work begins in our lives when the Comforter, God Himself, reveals to us the truth of the Gospel when we are exposed to it. The natural man-those not yet saved and not having Eternal Union with God-has no ability to understand the spiritual things of God, and is dependent upon God’s intervention that he might see the truth. The centuries old debate about Free Will would end for those caught up in it if they would simply recognize this one truth. It is only when God enlightens them that they recognize those truths the Comforter seeks to convict them of: sin (that they are in fact sinners (against God)), righteousness (that Christ alone is righteous), and judgment (that their separation has them bound for eternal separation, or, Eternal Judgment). And this is precisely the consistent method of God, through all Ages, of enlightening men to spiritual truths. The only thing that has changed, due to the progression of Revelation, is the extent of the knowledge being revealed.

The Gospel is simple enough for a child to understand, and what the Comforter will make us understand is this: we are sinners, and have violated God’s will. We recognize that Christ, being Holy and blameless, died the death that looms in our future when we are judged. And we recognize the reality of Hell, and I don’t mind saying that fear of Hell is a valid and healthy fear. And when the Comforter brings that conviction on men we wonder how anyone could refuse to yield to the truth and ask the Lord to be merciful and spare us. The answer goes back to our condition: it is because we are separated from God that we have a proclivity to sin. Men can-and do-harden their hearts against truth, and reject the only remedy for their condition, even though they acknowledge the reality of it. I have seen men boast of their hatred for God, and while I can understand anger due to some tragedy in their lives, it still boggles the mind that one would reject the only One Who can keep them from Eternal Judgment.

Again, there is controversy concerning when men began to be born again, and because some give Regeneration less attention than they should, what happens is the magnitude of the Cross is lessened. And sadly, rather than understanding the magnitude of what Christ has done for us, there is an equation between the salvation seen in the Old Testament and the Eternal Salvation Christ came from Heaven to bestow upon men. We know that Israel sat in expectation of her Savior, yet sometimes forget that they were in fact still awaiting Salvation. But that is the case, and without any further commentary, let’s begin our study.

And I pray God bless the readers of this study and that understanding which comes only from Him be granted.

Chapter One:

The Disciples of Christ

Were men born again before Pentecost?

This is a question you may or may not be ready to answer, and if not, the hope is that before you get through a few chapters of this book you will be.

When we look at the Ministry of God in the Old Testament, we recognize the Holy Spirit ministers in and through men, empowering them for ministries such as Prophet, Priest, and King. We are told of King David when anointed as King, The Spirit of the Lord came upon him from that day forward, but is this the eternal indwelling of God? We would be hard pressed to say that it was, seeing Christ foretells the coming of the Comforter, Who, He teaches, will then be in the disciples, contrasted with the Spirit being with them, and, that He would be with them forever:

John 14:15-17

King James Version

15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever;

17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you

Here are a few points for consideration as you read:

1. The True Bread which provides eternal life, which Christ contrasts with the provision given the fathers (manna), came down from Heaven (John 6:32-33), and we see when that took place (at the time of the Incarnation, John 1:14);

2. The eternal indwelling of the Spirit did not take place until after Christ returned to Heaven, because the Spirit could not come unless He left (John 16:7). Not only did Christ make this clear (John 14:16), but we see it fulfilled in Acts 2, which follows Christ’s statement in Acts 1 that the disciples would be Baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence (Acts 1:4-5);

3. Remission of sin through the Atonement was retroactive, the Old Testament Saints were not made perfect/complete (in regard to Eternal Redemption and remission of sins) prior to their deaths (Hebrews 9:12-15 11:13, 38-39);

4. The disciples did not have the saving knowledge that leads to new birth, as the Gospel was not revealed to them during Christ’s earthly Ministry, though told them on a few occasions. This was evidenced