Born Anew Part 2

The word “birth” speaks of a beginning. When we were all physically born into this world through our mother’s womb, that marked the beginning of our existence in this life. The phrase “born again” also simply refers to a (or rather another) beginning. It does not mean that our old lives/flesh will be born again and come out of our mother’s womb a second time. Christ addresses that in John 3:4-6, when He addresses Nicodemus. Nor does it mean that we are trying to improve upon the old man to make it better. There is nothing we can do to make the old flesh better. The old is dead in sins. It is corrupted by sin and the “wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23).” So, what does the phrase “born again” mean? It too speaks of a beginning. What beginning? The beginning of spiritual life for the believer.

Every man, woman, and child is born into this world as a sinner with a sin nature (except for Christ, of course). But, not every person is “born again.” In other words, not every person becomes a believer and receives spiritual life. Those who do believe, on the other hand, do receive spiritual life (a new life). While it is true that believers still live in their earthly bodies temporarily, however, they also have a new life in Christ Jesus in heavenly places. For believers their existence in this world began when they were physically born, and their new spiritual life began when they first trusted in Christ as their Savior.

Romans 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Now, before believers were believers they were once like the rest of the world in the way they lived their lives. They were sinners too. They themselves were dead in their sins (Eph. 2:1). But, when they became a believer (when they believed that Jesus Christ died for their sins, was buried, and rose again (1 Cor. 15:3,4)) they became “dead indeed unto sins, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom. 6:11).” Their old flesh (Adamic nature) remains dead and buried to this day. But, they themselves are not dead. Their souls are not dead. Their spirits are not dead. Instead, they have been made alive (Eph. 2:1).

Then, when Paul talks about this using the metaphor of Resurrection, he says that each believer has been identified in Christ’s resurrection. That the life that we (believers) now live in the flesh, is really Christ living in us (Gal. 2:20). And that, we “should walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:4).” The new spiritual life that has been imparted or imputed to the believer is Christ’s resurrected life. That marks a new beginning, a new life, for the believer. Believers are dead to that former life, but alive in a new life which is spiritual in nature. While it is true that we still live this old body physically and that former life continues to tempt us to do things that we shouldn’t, and yet at the same time every believer can have the full assurance that they are alive unto God. And we should walk in light of the fact that we do have a new spiritual life that began when we first believed.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

The new creation explains to us that every believer in this current dispensation is a member of one Body (Eph. 4:5; 1 Cor. 12:12). That one Body is the Body of Christ, which is Christ’s church (Eph. 1:22,23). Each believer is made a new creation individually, but collectively we are all members of one Body (2 Cor. 5:17). “Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” We are no longer “in Adam” or in that old flesh/nature spiritually speaking. Instead, we are “in Christ.” We are “born again” and resurrected as one new man (Eph. 2:16), or one Body.

So, in conclusion, believers today in this Dispensation of Grace are “born again,” when they received spiritual life. That marked the beginning of their new life in Christ. That is, their new resurrected life as a new creation in the Lord Jesus Christ, which is in heavenly places. That old nature remains dead, but we ourselves are spiritually raised up and seated in heavenly places in Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:6), and some day in the future we will be their physically too.