After New Birth

[A response to an email]  

Many Christians talk about new birth as though it were the goal, but it is really just the beginning of new life in the Spirit, just as the birth of a baby is only the beginning of the life of a man. When a person begins to experience the life of God moving, stirring, convicting, awakening, touching, teaching, etc. his soul, he usually rejoices in the sight and sense of this new Spiritual life, and is often told by others, or tempted to think, that he has already arrived. But this is a great mistake. It is true and wonderful that the “seed of the kingdom” has come alive in him, and has started to manifest itself, and perhaps to grow. But there is a great inward journey to undergo before the “mustard seed” becomes the largest plant in the garden of our heart. 

The purpose of this new life is to grow, fill, conquer, and reign in the soul, and to put down (and put off entirely) the old man with his natural mind, desires, sin, pride, selfishness, etc. But we need to understand that there are two seeds present in the soul of a newly born Christian. I use the word “seed” because a seed is the beginning of a life or a kind. It is the first form of a life, and has both the desire and the ability to grow and produce an enormous amount of fruit. Jesus continually used words like seed, mustard seed, grain of wheat, talent, leaven, etc. to describe the coming of the kingdom of God in the heart of man, because all of these things illustrate that the kingdom of God begins in a small condition (in terms of its government in us and power over us) and then increases and spreads. 

Now these two seeds in man are two births or natures. There is a birth from below, and a birth from above. There is a birth of flesh (with its own nature, will, wisdom, light, and power) and a birth of the Spirit (with a very contrary nature, will, wisdom, light, and power.) “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” The first birth, throughout Scripture, is represented by individuals like Cain, Ishmael, Esau, and Saul, and is shown to be carnal, wild, rebellious, mocking, and ambitious, always desiring to receive blessings from God, but unwilling and unable to walk with Him. The second or new birth is illustrated by Abel, Isaac, Jacob, David, and many others who, in a variety of ways, illustrate the life or nature of Christ that always walks with God and manifests His kingdom on earth.

Now, one of the great errors that almost all new believers fall into (including myself), comes from a failure to discern these two seeds in the beginning of their journey, and to learn which of these to follow and which to deny. Very few people talk about these things, and even fewer are willing and patient enough to let the cross “separate the precious from the vile” before they run off in the strength, wisdom, and zeal of the flesh, expecting great things, great ministries, great wisdom, great manifestations of power, love, and righteousness, but all in and from the wrong man. It is true that many of these new believers have had a genuine experience of the Spirit of God, but they have not yet come to clearly feel and distinguish these two contrary births in themselves, nor have they learned what it means for the one to be put off and the other to be put on. And so, with an excitement that comes from having seen and felt something of the living Christ, they run off to know Him and to serve Him in the strength and wisdom of the flesh. 

This can only end in one of two lamentable conditions. On the one hand there are those who, in the strength, ability and beauty of the natural man, make a false appearance of spiritual life. These are the pharisees, false prophets and spiritually proud of every age. And on the other hand, there are those who eventually discover that there is nothing of real spiritual life in all of their efforts and learning, and so are confused and disappointed when after months or years of religious activity, they feel even further from God than they did at the beginning.

Spiritual birth is real and wonderful. It is the beginning of Spiritual light and life in the soul of man. But we need to understand that Christ’s seed enters man in the same way, and with the same mission, that Joshua entered the land of Canaan. The natural condition of that land was very hostile to the seed of Abraham. Canaan was the land that God desired to “fill with His glory as the waters cover the sea”, but when Joshua arrived, it was already filled with seven uncircumcised nations that committed every form of idolatry and abomination. 

You asked me about my own experience with new birth. The truth is, the day I began to experience something of the light and life of Christ in my heart was a wonderful day, a new beginning. But, it was also the beginning of a journey or transformation that I didn't understand very well at all. Like most people, I was extremely thankful for the gift of God, and for a sense of His life and love, but not understanding these two seeds, nor how to cling to and follow the one and deny the other, I very quickly ran into a whole bunch of human “zeal without knowledge,” which the Lord had to correct later when I was confused and humbled by my great lack of inward change.