John 1:12-13 revisited.

[Alan Dale Gross]

OT believers were born again.

The Blessings of The Eternal Covenant of Grace are the same under both Administrations of the ONE Overall Eternal Covenant of Grace,
as we see in these wonderful verses regarding the First Old Testament Covenant and the Second New Testament Covenant of Grace.

Salvation and Redemption by Christ is the great blessing held forth and enjoyed
under the First Old Testament Covenant as under the Second New Testament Covenant of Grace,
#2Sa 23:5 Heb 9:15.

Justification by the Righteousness of Christ, which the Old Testament saints had knowledge of, and faith in, as well as the New,
#Isa 45:24,25 Ro 3:21-23.

Forgiveness of sin through Faith in Christ, all the prophets bore witness to; and the saints of old, as now,
had as comfortable an application of it, #Ps 32:1,5 Isa 43:25 Mic 7:18 Ac 10:43.

Regeneration, Spiritual Circumcision, and Sanctification, were what men were made partakers of under the First,
as under the Second Administration of the ONE Overall Eternal Covenant, #De 30:6 Php 3:3.

Eternal Life was made known in the writings of the Old Testament, as well as in those of the New;
and was believed, looked for, and expected by the saints of the former Administration, as of the latter Administration,
#Joh 5:39 Heb 11:10,16 Job 19:26,27.

In a word, they and we eat the same Spiritual Meat, and drink the same Spiritual Drink,
because they drank of that Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ, #1Co 10:3,4.

 

[Dave...]

"But to as many as received Him to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13 "Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."

Hi Alan

Thanks for the reply.

Anyone who is a son of God is born again. That's what he's saying. The word "were" connects born again to sons of God. This does not mean that it's the cause of faith. It's like saying "...power to become sons of God, born again, not by..."

And it is NOT of the flesh, but of the Spirit. In short, the beginning of our being perfected, which is from God, not the flesh, is being born again, and that comes as a result of believing on Him.

Galatians 3:2-3 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? **Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?**

All by the power of Gods Spirit.

Romans 5:1-2 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible."

Yes, Only Jesus, both fully God and fully man could fulfill the righteous requirements of the Law on our behalf.

And, of course, that is the entire message of John 3, which has John 3:16 in it.

this part of John 3 is important. Vs. 13-15

"No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

That was realized at Pentecost. True OT believers who had already passed, weren't yet ascended because they weren't justified, or born again. I don't think it's possible to have one without the other, since they are both the result of receiving the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Look at Romans 5:1 above.

The born of God part hinges on Christ first being glorified. Then the Holy Spirit indwelling can be given, as a result, people are placed into Christ, thus being spiritually baptized into His death and raised up with Him, thus, born again. All as a result of this promised indwelling. But that was still future for Nicodemus when he was speaking to Jesus. Jesus, speaking of being born again, said this in that same OT dispensation....

John 7:37-29 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Son of man must be lifted up (John 3:14), Jesus was not yet glorified (John 7:39). Both are speaking of the same thing. Nicodemus was not yet born again when that conversation between Jesus and him happened as recorded in John 3. It was still OT dispensation. Jesus never said that Nicodemus was born again there. It's read into the text by tradition. In John 3, Jesus is speaking of a future event that was not yet reality. John the Baptist prophesied about it, and it was realized at Pentecost, after the Son of man was lifted up (John 3:14), after Jesus was glorified (John 7:39).

Dave

 

[Dave...]

The Blessings of The Eternal Covenant of Grace are the same under both Administrations of the ONE Overall Eternal Covenant of Grace,
as we see in these wonderful verses regarding the First Old Testament Covenant and the Second New Testament Covenant of Grace.

Salvation and Redemption by Christ is the great blessing held forth and enjoyed
under the First Old Testament Covenant as under the Second New Testament Covenant of Grace,
#2Sa 23:5 Heb 9:15.

Justification by the Righteousness of Christ, which the Old Testament saints had knowledge of, and faith in, as well as the New,
#Isa 45:24,25 Ro 3:21-23.

Forgiveness of sin through Faith in Christ, all the prophets bore witness to; and the saints of old, as now,
had as comfortable an application of it, #Ps 32:1,5 Isa 43:25 Mic 7:18 Ac 10:43.

Regeneration, Spiritual Circumcision, and Sanctification, were what men were made partakers of under the First,
as under the Second Administration of the ONE Overall Eternal Covenant, #De 30:6 Php 3:3.

Eternal Life was made known in the writings of the Old Testament, as well as in those of the New;
and was believed, looked for, and expected by the saints of the former Administration, as of the latter Administration,
#Joh 5:39 Heb 11:10,16 Job 19:26,27.

In a word, they and we eat the same Spiritual Meat, and drink the same Spiritual Drink,
because they drank of that Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ, #1Co 10:3,4.

They still had to wait Romans 3:23-26

Paul said in Romans 8, we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit. (emphasis "firstfruits")

Romans 8:23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.

Even though this next one is speaking of the physical resurrection, 1 Corinthians 15:20 parallels the same reality physically, that Romans 8:23 speaks of spiritually.

1 Corinthians 15:20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.....

23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming.

This is what is meant by Christ first needing to be glorified. His death, resurrection, and ascension are the first fruits of our being born again. We need his death to be placed into and His resurrection to be raised up in, born again, which are the result of being placed into Christ, that is, the baptism with the Holy Spirit. The baptism, or indwelling is the result of faith.

BTW, 'sons of God' is a NT concept. Special emphasis on where it is speaking of sons of God.

Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

He set that up Romans 8:9-13 by saying that if we have the indwelling, we have Christ, and if we don't have the indwelling, we don't belong to Christ.

Galatians 3:23 But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

In that light, lets look at John 1:12-13 again, and also consider the biggest context, that what was recorded happened before Christ was glorified, meaning it's still the OT. NET version. Which is the proper order.

12-13 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

Waiting for the firstfruits, waiting for Jesus to be glorified, waiting for the holy spirit to be given, and thus be the firstfruits of the Spirit.

Do you see it Alan?

Dave