Daily Bread - Oct 23 2006
John 1:13 - "Who not of blood descent neither of a fleshly will nor of man's will but were begotten of God."

This verse of scripture may be regarded as having a dual meaning - both with regard to the birth of Jesus and the miracle new birth of those who believed and were made sons of God. The authority to be sons of God came as a direct result of having be born of God. One of the clues that this verse is referring to the new birth of the believer is the usage of the plural form of the Greek word 'egennethesan' which speaks of more than one person having been begotten of God, "were begotten" (John 3: 3-6).

God has used the most radical terminology possible to make us aware of the absolute transformation of our life and nature which took place when we were born again (1Peter 1:23; 1 John 2:28; 3:9; 4:7; 5:1,4,18). John will use this word again in chapter 3 a total of seven times to describe the essential will of God for everyman to be born of the Spirit (John 3:3,4,5,6,7,8). Everywhere the new birth is mentioned the authority and power given to the saint is also revealed:
1- They are in the Spirit not in the flesh;
2- They do righteousness;
3- They do not sin;
4- They keep themselves;
5- They love as Christ Jesus loves;
6- They overcome the world;
7- The wicked one cannot touch them.

Jesus, who is the eternal God, was miraculously incarnated into flesh and born of a virgin who was genealogically of the house of David. We who were born of flesh are given the privilege to receive a miracle birth by the Spirit and be transformed into a new creation in Christ Jesus.

Blessings,

Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org