“The Apostle to the Gentles,” Paul, never uses the term “born again,” in his thirteen epistles written to and concerning members of the church that he calls “the body of Christ” Rather, Paul uses the operative word, “regeneration.” The believer’s “regeneration” is a new beginning with new life at his very core, in spirit.

“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;” (Titus 3:5 (KJV)  

Jesus of Nazareth said he had come only “unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matt 15:24), In fact He instructed His Twelve Apostles to “go not” to “the Gentiles,” but “rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matt. 10:5-6). Therefore, when we read the account of the dialogue between Jesus and Nicodemus concerning being “born again,” the matter only concerns “the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

Read John 3:1-8 and note that the emphatic and penetrating statements of Jesus had raised issues that hadn’t yet grabbed Nicodemus’ attention. But then Nicodemus as a Pharisee of Israel was startled when Jesus said to him “Marvel Not that I said unto thee (Nicodemus), Ye (the nation Israel) must be born again” (John 3:7). Thus, Christ’s gentle rebuke, “(you) Marvel not” as if to say ‘don’t be dumbfounded.’

We say this was a gentle rebuke because after further explaining the process of this rebirth, Jesus responds to the dullness of Nicodemus (Jn 3:9) in much sharper terms.

“Jesus answered and said unto him, ART THOU A MASTER OF ISRAEL, and (you) KNOWEST NOT THESE THINGS? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We (Jesus and the disciples) speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and YE RECEIVE NOT OUR WITNESS” (John 3:10-12).

Before we think too poorly of Nicodemus, however, we should reflect upon the fact that this very subject is still one that eludes the grasp of most believers today. Though the term “born again” has become common, its actual Scriptural meaning and real significance has been almost totally lost and unnoticed.

The basic issue involved in the new birth is not improvement, nor is it religion; the basic issue is the doctrine of “regeneration” by “the Spirit of God.” This is emphasized by Christ’s words to Nicodemus.

“Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of (born of) the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
“That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

Notice how careful the Lord is to define the character of the new birth for Nicodemus by contrasting “flesh” and “spirit.” It’s not the reforming of the “outer man,” nor the educating the “natural (soulish) man,” nor the purification of “the old (Adamic) man,” because “that which is born of the flesh is flesh.” Every person is born into this world spiritually dead in Adam and in sins, “alienated from the life of God.” It’s only “the Spirit of God” that gives birth to the new life, the divine life and “nature” in believers (2 Pet. 1:4). Simply put, the new birth is… “that which is born of the Spirit (God’s Spirit) is spirit (man’s spirit).”

Thus, “regeneration,” is being “born of the Spirit.” Regeneration is a doctrine associated in Scripture with God’s dealings with both the Nation Israel and “the body of Christ.” In fact, the word regeneration is found only twice in the Bible, once in relation to Israel’s program, and once in reference to “the body of Christ.”

1. The first occurrence is found in Matthew, where Christ is speaking to His Messianic Apostles.

“And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, IN THE REGENERATION when the Son of Man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye (the Twelve) also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” (Matthew 19:28)

Notice carefully the wording here: “In the regeneration WHEN the Son of Man shall sit in the throne of His glory.” This is a future regeneration associated with the time when Christ sits on “the throne of His glory.” This “regeneration” is clearly a part of Christ’s Millennial kingdom program as the hope of Israel.

2. The second occurrence is from the Apostle Paul concerning the members of “the body of Christ.”

 “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by THE WASHING OF REGENERATION, and renewing of the Holy Ghost” (Titus 3:4-5).

Obviously, the doctrine of “regeneration” is a spiritual truth which plays an integral part in God’s purpose for both Israel’s future kingdom program and the current Gentile age of “dispensation of the grace of God” (Eph 3:2). Thus, we must be careful to distinguish these dual applications of this doctrine.

Too often the true significance of John 3:7, “ye must be born again,” is overlooked due to a failure to appreciate its usage of the second person pronouns “thee” and “ye.” Notice the verse carefully: “Marvel not that I said unto THEE (Nicodemus), YE (referring to all Israel) must be born again.” To the modern reader this may seem unimportant since most of us don’t so readily understand the significance of the “thee, thou, ye, you” contrasts in our Bible. A bit of investigation, however, on this point will yield great rewards.

“Thee, thou” and “ye, you” are respectively the singular and plural forms of the second person pronoun. Our modern English uses the pronoun “you” for both singular and plural, but the older English of the KJV was able to distinguish between the singular (“thee, thou”) and plural (“ye, you”). Thus “thee, thou” refers to an individual while “ye, you” refers to a group. This distinction is seen in the Greek New Testament.

This explains why God, being “one God,” is never addressed in the Bible by the word “you.” God is always to be addressed in the singular “thee” and “thou” Thus addressing God in this way in prayer is not simply a matter of reverence or respect--it is also a simple matter of grammar!

Regarding the proper use of “thee/thou” and “ye,” it’s interesting to note that one of the very things often used to complain about the King James Bible is in reality a tremendously helpful study aid in deciphering who is being addressed! Try it in other passages, such as Matt. 16:18-19; 18:18, Luke 22:31-34, etc.

So, the Lord was precisely saying, “Marvel not that I say unto THEE [i.e., Nicodemus], YE [i.e., the nation Israel] must be born again (reborn).” This implies that Israel had already been born of God at one time earlier.

In light of this, we need to look carefully at Israel’s history. Israel as a nation was ‘born’ the first time when God led them out of Egypt as a Nation. In these passages God declares Israel to be His “firstborn.”

God told Moses “say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:” (Exo. 4:22). Moses wrote of “THE ROCK THAT BEGAT (birthed) THEE thou art unmindful…” (Deut. 32:18).

Israel’s miraculous Exodus from Egypt marks the birth of the nation Israel and stands as the great declaration of God’s purpose for this specially favored people. Paul alludes to this here.

“Moreover brethren (of Israel), I (Paul) would not that ye (plural, referring to Israel) should be ignorant, now that all our fathers (as a Nation) were under the cloud, and all passed through the (Red) sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea.” (1Cor. 10:1-2)

Israel was “baptized unto Moses” as God’s “firstborn,” as His chosen nation. It’s almost humorous, tragically so, to hear Moses arguing with the Lord over His rebellious people, saying,

“...Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favor in thy sight, that thou (the Lord) layest the burden of all this people upon me (Moses)?
“Have I (Moses) Conceived All This People? Have I Begotten Them...” (Num. 11:11-12).

The point to notice here is that Moses clearly acknowledged that it was God who had conceived and given birth to this nation. They were His! Okay, then we are not left to wonder about His purpose for them:

“… Thus shalt thou (Moses) say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself.
“Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
“And YE SHALL BE UNTO ME A KINGDOM OF PRIESTS, AND AN HOLY NATION. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel” (Ex. 19:3-6).

God gave birth to the nation Israel, which was to be “a holy nation,” “a kingdom of priests.” They were to be God’s agency and channel through whom His salvation and blessing was to be carried to “all the nations of the earth.” This was what He had promised Abraham, when He had said:

“And I WILL MAKE OF THEE A GREAT NATION, and I will bless thee (Israel) and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
“And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and In Thee Shall All Families of The Earth Be Blessed” (Gen 12:2-3).

This was the hope set before Israel through the prophets He sent to them. For example, Isaiah declares,

“But YE SHALL BE NAMED THE PRIEST OF THE LORD: MEN SHALL CALL YOU THE MINISTERS OF OUR GOD: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves” (Isa. 61:6).

We don’t have to read the sacred pages of the Bible for long, however, to learn the obvious fact that Israel failed, failed miserably, to keep the covenant God made with them through Moses. Since they did not keep “the Law,” they were under “the curse” of God. Thus, it became necessary for God to bring the nation to birth AGAIN through a “new covenant,” a new deliverer “greater than Moses,” which is Jesus the Christ.

Thus Jer. 31:31-34 teaches that God was to make a “new covenant with the house of Israel,” one which would provide inward “regeneration” and the forgiveness of sin for the nation. When this “new covenant” is realized, it will issue in spiritual “regeneration” with the resultant physical restoration for the national people of Israel. The nation will be “born (again) in a day” (Isa. 66:8), at His 2^nd coming.

It was to this prophesied rebirth of the nation that our Lord pointed Nicodemus in John 3 and which he was so painfully unable to comprehend. Notice once again how the Lord used the contrasting, thou (singular) and ye (plural) as He responded to Nicodemus’ dullness, saying to Nicodemus:

“... Art THOU (Nicodemus) a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
“Verily, verily I say unto THEE (Nicodemus), We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and YE (Israel) receive not our witness” (John 3:10-11).

Sadly, the very teachers and leaders of God’s favored people could not see the nation’s true condition and need! Israel had lived under the Mosaic Covenant for nearly 1,500 years and had failed to meet their end of the agreement over and over again. Their continued rebellion had led God to allow their deportation and captivity in Babylon so that the land, at least could have its rest (cf. 2 Chron. 36:20-21) in accord with “the Shemitah Law.” It was during this time of the 393-year captivity that Jeremiah wrote about the “new covenant” through which God would provide “regeneration” and restoration of the nation Israel, a rebirth.

This was also the time of Ezekiel and his prophecies concerning the future “regeneration” of Israel, a “regeneration” that would result in the glorious physical restoration of Israel and ultimately the whole earth. In fact, our Lord’s words in John 3:5 seem certain to have Eze. 36:25-30 in mind, “… I will put my spirit within you…,” a passage clearly describing needed divine preparation of Israel for her kingdom through a “regeneration” in spirit. “Jesus answered…Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5).

 “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up (proclaimed):” (John 3:14). In light of these words to Nicodemus, it’s instructive to note that Psalms 22 (below), a Psalm clearly associated with His being “lifted up” in service to the Lord, concludes where John 3 begins.

 “… declare his righteousness unto a People (Israel) that Shall Be BORN…” (Psa. 22:28, 30, 31).

The infancy stage of this “born again” nation is to be found among Christ’s first followers. He had promised: “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32). We aren’t surprised then to find the Apostle Peter later writing to the believers who comprised this “little flock,”

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath BEGOTTEN US AGAIN unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead”
“BEING BORN AGAIN, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever” (I Peter 1:3, 23).

And there can be no doubt as to the hope and calling of those of Israel who had thus been “born again,” Peter goes onto identify them: “But YE (the believers of Israel) are a Chosen Generation, A Royal Priesthood, An Holy Nation, A Peculiar People; that ye (Israel) should shew forth the raises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (I Pet. 2:9).

So, the ‘new birth’ spoken of by the Lord Jesus in John 3 is a reference to the future rebirth of the nation Israel when she is also to be spiritually cleansed and regenerated, then also possessing her land forever.

But what about the Gentile “Body of Christ” and the believers today?

If the new birth refers to the future hope of the people and nation Israel, do saved individuals today experience being “born again” or does God have something else for them?

Remember, both Israel and “the Body of Christ” are to be “regenerated” … but into what?

There’s no doubt that today when any person places faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior, relying exclusively on what Jesus Christ did at Calvary, when He died to pay for our sins, and was raised as the author of eternal live to those who trust Him; when you trust Christ today, in that very moment God the Holy Spirit imparts His Christ’s very own resurrected “Spirit of life” into you.

Anyone believing today, during the age of grace, is “regenerated.” All of us were born humanly with the ‘created’ Adamic life – but believers are ‘regenerated’ of God for the very first time, not “born again”; as Israel will be at Christ’s 2^nd coming.

Thus, Paul declares:

“And YOU (all of you members of ‘the church,” “the body of Christ’) HATH HE QUICKENED (made alive), Who Were Dead In Trespasses And Sins’

“EVEN WHEN WE WERE DEAD IN SINS, [GOD] HATH QUICKENED US (made us alive) TOGETHER WITH CHRIST (by grace are ye saved)” (Eph 2:1, 5).

We are therefore said to be “His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus” (Eph 2:10).

But just what is it God is creating today? The answer is seen here.

“Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for TO MAKE IN HIMSELF OF TWAIN ONE NEW MAN (consisting of both Jew and Gentile in “the church, which is body of Christ”), so making peace; And that he might Reconcile Both (Jew & Gentle) Unto God IN “ONE BODY” by the Cross, having slain the enmity thereby.” (Eph. 2:15-16)

This is the “new creation” race, which God is being formed during today’s “the dispensation of the grace of God.” God has temporarily set aside the nation Israel and His program for her (cf. Rom. 11:11-15, 25) in order to form another agency called “the body of Christ” (cf. Eph. 2:11-16), through whom He will accomplish a purpose which He planned “before the world began” (2Tim 1:9).

This other purpose is seen in “the mystery (secret)” since He had kept it secret, “hid in God” (Eph. 3:9), until He revealed it to that other apostle, Paul. This is summed up in the words of Eph. 2:7:

“That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”

God today is creating a ‘new species of humanity,’ consisting of all believing men “in Christ” (cf. Gal 3:28), without distinction. Believers go from the old creation “in Adam” into the “new creation” of Christ’s “body” when they are “regenerated” by “His Spirit”! This “regeneration” in spirit is offered to all people to become Totally New “in Christ” for the first time (not renewed),

“Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ he is a NEW creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and NEW has come!”  (2Corinthians 5:17 (AMP)

So “regeneration” is associated with God’s two programs; one for both Israel and one for “the Body of Christ,” but only Israel can be said to be “born again.”  Regeneration for a Jew in the kingdom program made him a part of the ‘born again nation.’ Today “regeneration” anyone today makes them as believers of “the gospel of the grace of God” part of the church called “the Body of Christ.”

 

This article, originally written by Richard Jordan, appears as adapted by Arthur J Licursi

See also YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBu-U-E9HBw&t=432s  - "Was Paul Born Again?"