By Timothy W. Burnett
Nicodemus was a bit confused by Jesus' answer and said, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?" This was an honest and realistic question. Jesus came back with more information, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a man be born of water and of spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of flesh is flesh, and that which is born of spirit is spirit." Our readers are urged to mark this scripture with a huge exclamation.
Jesus Christ was talking about something that was not available until the day of Pentecost came, as recorded in Acts 2:1-4. After the apostles were filled with holy spirit and began to speak in tongues, they fulfilled the promise of the new spiritual birth. When did they get born again? Was it when they were filled with holy spirit? Or when they began to speak in tongues?
We find more light on this subject in 1Peter 1:23, "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God which lives and abides forever." This verse fits perfectly with John 3:6, "That which is born of flesh is flesh, and that which is born of spirit is spirit." Corruptible seed refers to the fleshly birth. When we are born from our mother's womb, we are born of corruptible seed that was passed down from Adam after he first disobeyed God. The end result of this genetic seed is death.
The incorruptible seed refers to that which is born of spirit (John 3:6). The end result of this spiritual seed is living and abiding forever. Jesus said the new birth involves the birth of a spirit. Because of this, the new birth must be understood as a spiritual matter. Returning to 1Peter 1:23, we learn that the new birth is of incorruptible seed "by the word of God which lives and abides forever." It involves God's word and incorruptible seed.
Since the new birth is a spiritual matter, we can go to 1Corinthians chapter 12, which covers spiritual matters. Verses 7-10 list nine ways to profit from the manifestation of holy spirit. While a few of them involve speaking God's word, only one allows people to speak God's word freely with His spirit that is in them. That is speaking in tongues.
Of course this requires more study with the rest of God's word in the Bible, but after the first 12 apostles were filled with holy spirit, they got born again not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible by the word of God which lives and abides forever. This is that ever living and abiding word of God which sprang out of them as rivers of living waters when they began to speak in tongues.
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