“But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name,
He gave the right to become children of God.”
(John 1:12)
The conversion of a sinner into a child of the Most High God is a divine work. We are “born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God,” (John 1:13). It is an act of God Himself accomplishing the good pleasure of His will: “He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,” (Eph. 1:5).
Thus, our regeneration is a creative act on the part of God, not a reforming process on the part of man. It cannot occur outside of the realm of divine intervention, because in our natural state we are subject to the curse even before birth and are born in sin (Ps. 51). Further, salvation cannot occur by natural choice or self-effort, for the human will is impotent and incapable of such a choice apart from the Spirit of God (Rom. 5:10, Eph. 2:8-9).
It is altogether and absolutely the work of God. Practically speaking, we have no more to do with our spiritual “second birth” than we had to do with our physical first birth, for the Holy Spirit is the necessary Divine Agent in the process. For this reason, regeneration is referred to as the “renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5).
During the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry, a Pharisee named Nicodemus heard the Master teach. He became quite curious about this “new birth” that Jesus spoke of, but he could not make sense of it in his natural mind. So one evening, under cover of darkness for fear of being discovered by the Pharisees that hated Christ, Nicodemus visited the Lord.
Thinking like a natural man, Nicodemus asked the Lord, “How can a man be born again when he is old?” A logical question, if you consider the new birth from the standpoint of natural processes. But that perception is all wrong, because salvation is a divine act of God.
Jesus explains, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and 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,” (John 3:5-6).
Once the Spirit of God draws the sinner to Christ, a human element is then required to complete the conversion process. Like John 1:12-13 states, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” In other words, those who receive Christ by faith (the human act) are born of God (the divine act). But we cannot receive Christ without experiencing divine intervention first (1 Peter 1:23, 1 Cor. 4:15).
Calvin rightly said, “Thus, it is said that God ‘has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world,’ not according to our merit, but ‘according to the good pleasure of His will;’ that in Him ‘we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins;’ that peace has been made ‘through the blood of His cross;’ that we are reconciled by His blood; that, placed under His protection, we are delivered from the danger of finally perishing; that thus ingrafted into Him we are made partakers of eternal life, and hope for admission into the kingdom of God.”
Being enemies and strangers of God in our natural state, we cannot come to God on our own. The Spirit of God must do His work before we can ever be ready to receive the gospel message. This is the clear teaching of John 1:12-13 and Gal. 3:26. We become “children of God by faith in Christ Jesus,” but this faith is not by the will of man, nor of flesh and blood, but given as a gift by the Spirit (Eph. 2:8-10).
True salvation can only be accomplished by God, because only God can transform even the most hardened sinner into a believing saint. Which are you?
- Lord, I know those who believe in Christ are given the privilege “to become [a child] of God…” (John 1:12). This is a wonderful supernatural gift, without which I cannot be saved. As You said to Peter, “Flesh and blood has not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven,” (Matt. 16:17).
- Lord, a mutual agreement between Your Word and the work of Your Spirit must be present before true faith can be conceived in the heart of man.
- When You saved me, Lord Jesus, You applied Your merit to me personally and therefore I know that I am indeed in the state of salvation! (John 3:16-17; Titus 2:14; 1 Tim. 1:15; Gal. 4:4-5; and Rom. 8:3). What a glorious truth that You make salvation possible and secure for Your people through Your death and resurrection, and Your Spirit makes salvation sure through His work in applying it to the souls of men. How excellent that I am saved by Your blood because I have received You, and the Spirit redeemed my soul for eternal life. This You did for me in particular. My heart overflows with thanksgiving for this indescribable gift!
Further References for John 1:12
Gal. 3:26; 1 John 3:1; Rom. 8:14; Phil. 2:15; Gal. 4:5
