Dear Friends,

Do you want to be born again? Too late. You already are!

In section 2c of this series, we are trying to refute the popular interpretation of “believeth” in John 3:16 and exalt the name of Jesus at the same time, the Lord being our helper.

The popular interpretation says that we hear the gospel and then we can choose to believe in Jesus, which results in us being born again and going to heaven.

Last time, I tried to show that the whole “born again” metaphor, which indeed is Biblical, precludes the idea of us choosing. We don’t give consent to our natural birth….so how could we give consent to our spiritual birth?

Today, I want to provide more evidence for this idea that we are born again before we believe.

Series Outline:

• Part 1: John 3:16 might not mean what you’ve been told
• Part 2: John 3:16 cannot mean what you’ve been told
• Part 3:John 3:16 shows that you can live a victorious life now, that you can overcome those things that are gnawing away at your soul as you read this

Part 2 Outline:

• Part 2: John 3:16 cannot mean what you’ve been told
  • Part 2a: John 3:16 cannot mean that God loves every serial killer who ever picked up a butcher knife
  • Part 2b: John 3:16 cannot mean that God loves every serial killer who ever picked up a butcher knife…not even an eensy weensy bit
  • Part 2c: John 3:16 cannot mean that dead people are supposed to “believe” anything
    • Part 2c1: Is this relevant to you? Yes.
    • Part 2c2: Do you need a band-aid or a resurrection?
    • Part 2c3: Were you consulted before the doctor gave your mother the Pitocin?
    • (today) Part 2c4: Whoever drinks Starbucks has been born
      • (today) Chicken or the egg? The chicken.
      • (today) Where is all this fine print coming from?
      • (today) Limbo Limbo LimBO!
      • (today) You want to call in an expert? OK. Let’s call in an expert!
      • (today) Giving up the synagogue
  • Part 2d: John 3:16 cannot mean that God has 4 ways of saving people

Whoever drinks Starbucks has been born

Ridiculous statement right?

It’s a true statement, of course, but the casual observer might wonder why I would state such an obvious, pedestrian fact that no one would ever argue with.

Of course anyone who picks up a cup of Starbucks coffee and drinks it has already experienced the process of natural birth.

Well, I’m suggesting today that the concept of someone believing in Jesus Christ before receiving spiritual life is just as unthinkable as an unborn baby picking up a cup of coffee and drinking it.

Last time, I tried to make a similar point using John chapter 3. Today, I’m going here:

[1Jo 5:1 KJV] 1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ IS born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.

There. That verse says quite the opposite to what you mostly hear today. Today they say that if you believe you will become born again. That verse says that if you believe, you already are born again.

If you disagree with me, I respectfully ask you to find one verse that says that your belief has any causal relationship with your regeneration or with your being born again.

Chicken or the egg? The chicken.

I also want to try to address one objection to my argument. I suppose some might argue that the initial choice to believe causes you to be born again, and then (per today’s verse) the maintenance of that belief is evidence that one was born again in the past. I have a couple problems with this argument.

First of all, the verse says “whosoever”. That means I get to apply it to anyone who is in a state of believing that Jesus is the Christ. So we have to apply it to more than just established believers….the verse directs us to apply it to new believers as well. As soon as someone enters a state of believing that Jesus is the Christ, I can say based on this verse that that person’s rebirth happened earlier.

Where is all this fine print coming from?

You have an additional problem with this verse if you believe that a conscious decision for Christ is required in order to become born again. Consider the words (1) of Billy Graham, definitely one of the most famous and respected preachers of all time.

“Jesus Christ says that we must be born again. How do we become born again? By repenting of sin. That means we are willing to change our way of living. We say to God, “I’m a sinner, and I’m sorry.” It’s simple and childlike. Then by faith we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Master and Savior.”

Dear Billy Graham, can you please tell me how your statement conforms with I John 5:1? This verse does not mention “repenting of sin”. It does not mention “willingness” to do anything. No invitation to Jesus to be one’s personal savior is issued. It says that the mere belief that Jesus is the Christ is evidence someone has been born again.

Limbo Limbo LimBO!

“Wait a minute, anyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is also going to confess Jesus Christ and openly repent!”

I don’t believe that.

[Jhn 12:42 KJV] 42 Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess [him], lest they should be put out of the synagogue:

Yes, my friends, there IS such a thing as spiritual limbo. People who secretly believe in Jesus Christ, but haven’t owned it yet, because they are valuing something else more highly than Jesus. They haven’t confessed. By God’s amazing grace, they are going to heaven, but they haven’t repented of their sins in the way Billy Graham envisions. Could this apply to any of us?

Think about it this way…Billy Graham says you have to receive Christ as “Lord and MASTER and Savior”. OK, so doesn’t that mean that those chief rulers were not born again, since they definitely were not receiving Christ as their Master?

After all, they weren’t doing what the master clearly commanded, were they?

[Mat 5:14-16 KJV] 14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

or how about this fundamental aspect of gospel obedience:

[Jhn 4:1 KJV] 1 When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and BAPTIZED more disciples than John,

Not even talking about Christian perfection here…I’m talking about the basics, the very first things you do as a Christian. But these chief rulers would not give up their synagogue membership, would they?

So, according to Billy Graham, they WERE NOT born again, because they did not receive Christ as Master.

According to I John 5:1, they WERE born again, because they believed on Jesus. Yay!!

This is a message of comfort, my friends. Yes, repentance is so very very important, and I would love for this blog to produce more repentance in myself and my readers…but there is NO amount of repentance upon which our salvation from hell is contractually conditioned. And oh boy that makes me thank God, because I can’t sit here and claim I have repented of ALL my sins…even though I have been in church all my life! How about you? Can you claim that you have repented of ALL of your sins? Every last one? No? Take heart. There’s hope for both of us!

Praise God for his free (free to us….yes….absolutely free to us….no strings attached) grace!

Now, with hearts motivated chiefly by gratitude and love for Jesus Christ, let’s keep repenting, keep confessing, and keep pressing into the kingdom!

You want to call in an expert? OK. Let’s call in an expert!

One of my readers pointed me to this. So, basically, there was a highly respected Greek scholar and professor of New Testament interpretation who did not believe in the doctrines of grace that I am advancing on this blog, but he said the same thing that I am telling you today about I John 5:1.

Here is a snippet of A. T. Robertson’s biography from Wikipedia (2):

“Robertson’s books are still consulted today, particularly his Word Pictures in the New Testament and his landmark volume A Grammar of the Greek New Testament in Light of Historical Research. In all, he published 45 books, several of which are still in print today. Robertson helped found the Baptist World Alliance in 1900. He was an important Southern Baptist and a well-respected scholar in his day. Robertson sought to equip his students with the proper tools for good preaching.”

Here is evidence (3) that he subscribed to the typical Arminian doctrine that God loves every single human being that ever lived. He is talking about the meaning of the word “world” in John 3:16:

“The whole cosmos of men, including Gentiles, the whole human race.”

I wrote two articles (see parts 2a and 2b in the hyperlinked series outline above) explaining why I disagree with this, but my point is, this is not a Primitive Baptist talking. But look at what he says about I John 5:1 (4):

“The Divine Begetting is the antecedent, not the consequent of the believing” (Law).

You can see that he quotes another commentator named Law in order to make the exact point I am trying to make in section 2c. Regeneration happens first. Only then can belief happen.

Giving up the synagogue

Believing in Jesus Christ is not a way to be born again. It is evidence that someone already IS born again. That’s what I John 5:1 teaches.

This is why I keep saying “John 3:16 cannot mean that dead people are supposed to ‘believe’ anything”. According to the Bible, regeneration is like resurrection and birth. Neither resurrection nor birth nor regeneration involves the consent of the person.

So, if you believe that Jesus is the Christ, you are born again. Awesome!

Now, are you willing to give up the synagogue? (Pssst…..It’s TOTALLY worth it!!)

Links:

(1) Billy Graham

(2) A. T. Robertson on Wikipedia

(3) Robertson on John 3:16

(4) Robertson on I John 5:1