How well do we understand the meaning of rebirth? Do we give the term "born again" the same (biblical) significance in charismatic evangelical congregations as in reformed congregations?

3 pages. Translated by Elizabeth DeWit.

Restore or rebuild? About Being Born Again

As if Being Born Again🔗

I am sure that you have heard it before, that someone felt “as if they were born again”.  That can be after a refreshing shower or bath after working for a whole day in the hot sun, or upon returning from vacation after a busy period.  In any case it indicates: it is as if I could make a new start.  A “rebirth”.  We encounter the word “rebirth” in an entirely different manner in far east thinking.  Think of the idea of reincarnation; you are born anew into a next life, and the nature of that rebirth is dependent on what you accomplished in your previous existence.  Thus the term “rebirth” is not totally unknown today.

Biblical Reconnoitre🔗

The question is how well known the term (perhaps I should write: the meaning of) rebirth is in the churches.  Also, when the word is used, do we give it the same (biblical) significance?  Does someone from a charismatic evangelical congregation mean the same thing with this term as someone from of a reformed congregation?  In both circles, the term is used quite frequently!  It is high time to go back and see how the Source, the Holy Scriptures, speak about this link in the order of salvation.  From God’s Word it is clear that the call to the salvation God gives comes to all who hear the Word.  But, exactly at that point it comes to light that something has to happen inwardly in the hearer, so that that call truly penetrates and affects the hearer.  Otherwise we are and remain, while hearing, deaf.  In that connection the Scripture speaks about the wonder of being born again as the work of the Holy Spirit in the heart of sinners.

Now, being born again is spoken of in the Bible, in diverse places and does not always mean exactly the same thing.  Moreover, what it is about comes up more often than only when the word (or something relating to it) is itself used.  When we place the different givens beside each other, we can distinguish between:

  1. Being born again as the beginning of the new life that is worked in the heart by the Holy Spirit: being made alive out of a spiritual state of death.  See John 3:1-8 and Ephesians 2:1-5.
  2. Being born again in a broader sense: the continuation of the new life; the manner in which it comes to light and continues.  In this sense, on the basis of a number of texts in Scripture, Article 24 of the Belgic Confession speaks about it.  We can then also refer to it as “making him a new man”.
  3. Being born again in the broadest sense: the total renewal of heaven and earth such as will become reality with Christ’s return.  Jesus speaks about it in this way in Matthew 19:28.

These three aspects can be summarized in this way: spiritual life has its beginning in being born again as being made spiritually alive, it continues and bears fruit in rebirth as in sanctification, and it reaches its fulfillment in rebirth as the total renewal of heaven and earth.

The Bible is clear about the necessity of rebirth for every person, also for the people who carry the sign and seal of God’s covenant.  The conversation with Nicodemus, a renowned Jew in Jesus’ days, illustrates this.  Restoration is not enough; reconstruction is necessary, and that we can never accomplish by ourselves.  The dark background is that our heart is totally corrupt.  We are conceived and born in sin (Ps. 51:5). All the thoughts of our flesh are enmity towards God (Rom. 8:7); we are dead in sin (Eph. 2:1).

Incidentally, it is not easy to approach the (postmodern) people with this message: “I feel that is not the case at all”, as if our feelings are not corrupted by sin!   Moreover, it goes against the trend of the “achievable coexistence” to have to acknowledge that you, yourself, cannot provide for real spiritual renewal; that the Holy Spirit must do that (and desires to do that!).  It also goes against the grain of the one-sided emphasis on personal choice.

Out of ourselves, we always choose the wrong, because the choice was already made in Adam.  Scripture then also speaks about “being born of the will of God” (John 1:13, 1 John 2:29, James 1:18).  Precisely this “being born” points to the very first beginning of spiritual life, from Above (John 3:3). The determination of total renewal lies in this beginning: it penetrates us in our understanding, in our will and in our emotions.  Paul thus speaks about “the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5). When you go into this bath, you are completely submerged; you wash the whole body. 

It is then also good to teach our children to pray for a new heart (see Ezek. 36:26, 37).  We do have to follow this up by explaining to them what this means!

All other expressions in Scripture circle about this concept and colour in the wonder of being born again in a specific manner.  Thus it speaks about being buried and resurrected with Christ (Rom. 6), being renewed after his image (Rom. 8:29; 2 Cor. 3:18), being made alive with Christ (Eph. 2:5), being a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17), being the workmanship of God (Eph. 2:10).

How does the Spirit work rebirth?  By exposure to the Word and through his Word.   Whoever wants to get wet must walk in the rain; whoever desires to receive spiritual life must be exposed to the Word.  James 1:18 speaks about this, “Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth…”.  See also 1 Peter 1:23, “since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God”, and Acts 16:14 “the Lord opened her (Lydia’s) heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul”.

It is meaningful, with these givens, to engage in a prolonged conversation with those who deliberately come to church only once a Sunday; is that truly a witness of spiritual life?

During a Home Visit🔗

Now we must be careful that we do not let all these things become abstract.  Especially for the practice of home visits, this is of essence.  We must certainly have all these biblical givens in the backs of our heads and in our hearts when we go out on home visits. Are we allowed to see something of the fruits of being born again?  The apostle John, especially, shows us what the fruits are:

  1.  Being a child of God (John 1:13)
  2. Confessing Jesus as the Christ ( 1 John 5:1)
  3.  Love for fellow believers (1 John 5:2))
  4. Conquering the world (1 John 4:4)
  5. Doing what is right (1 John 2:29)
  6. No longer being able to live in sin (1 John 3:9)
  7. Resisting the devil (1 John 5:18)

What an abundance of material there is here in order to drive a conversation to new depths.  Can one notice something of these fruits?  And if that is not so, why?  In this manner, spiritual leadership can be given out of the Word!

A Separate Experience?🔗

Now, we also encounter people who appear to fixate rebirth to a special happening at a point in time.  Noteworthy is that this can occur from two separate directions.  For example, people who have roots in earlier communal living can run the risk of attributing too much of rebirth to themselves and waiting for this special “separate” happening.

But then we forget that Jesus’ speaking about rebirth in John 3 concludes with his speaking about faith in him (John 3:16).  Nicodemus must become as a child who has earned nothing, but receives everything — through faith!  Rebirth is therefore shown in looking up to Jesus in faith.  It is not about pulling out my birth certificate every day to see if I was actually born; it is about my life today!

In some evangelical circles people place a strong emphasis on a separate experience (a born again experience).  Sometimes this is associated with a second blessing, a second blessing after coming to faith, at which time one is baptized into the Spirit.  But here things are pulled apart that, from a biblical point of view, belong together.  In coming to faith, the sealing with the Holy Spirit is executed (Eph. 1:13).  It is certain that after the first beginning of the rebirth, there may be a deepening and enriching, when Christ becomes more and I become less  (John 3:30). God’s Word calls us to grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18).

Or Experience from a Reformed Perspective🔗

Speaking about rebirth can never be simply “a dogmatic issue”. Precisely on this point, our confessions sparkle spiritually.

Because of limited space, I must be content with a few references.  Especially the Canons of Dort Chapter 111/1V Article 11-13 is relevant here.  Whoever ponders on what has been gathered there receives much instruction for his own spiritual life and receives leads for a conversation during a home visit.  Here, in a respectful listening to Scripture, things are held together: rebirth as a sovereign work of God’s Spirit, but in such a way that man, through the grace that he has received, believes and repents.

Further, we point to Canons of Dort ch. 1:12 for the fruits of election.

Wholesome medicine against hyper Calvinistic passivity and against Arminian activism!

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