#DailyDevotion The Holy Spirit Causes Us To Be Born From Above In Baptism
Friday after Trinity
John 3:5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Born again or born from above, both translations are possible. Again is certainly implied, but from the Gospel of John, if consider from whence we receive this new birth ‘above’ is probably the better translation and meaning. Consider Joh 1:12-13 ESV “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, (13) who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” Sure, while God is everywhere, we think of him being in the heavens above. Here in John 3 it is born of the Spirit, who is also from above. Our new birth is found in baptism where the Holy Spirit has bound himself to so we may know when we have received it and not doubt. Baptism is a seal and token of God’s gift of regeneration.
Why do we need a new birth anyway? Paul writes, Eph 2:1 ESV “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins…” We were conceived and born dead. We are conceived and born spiritually dead in the image of Adam, the man who brought sin and death into the world. If we are only of the flesh we cannot trust God or believe in Jesus. We have no spiritual power as Paul says, Rom 8:6-7 ESV “For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. (7) For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.” In our natural state we are opposed to every spiritual thing of God. We may think we are being spiritual, but we are not. We are satisfying the desires of the flesh.
In baptism though, we are given the spirit. We are new creatures in Christ Jesus. We are born of God and made co-heirs with Christ Jesus. St. Paul again tells us, Tit 3:4-7 ESV “(4) But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, (5) he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, (6) whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, (7) so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
So our salvation, our being born from above is God the Holy Spirit’s work in baptism. It is not our doing. We of our natural state and powers cannot bring this about. That which is flesh is flesh and that which is spirit is of the Spirit. To have faith, salvation and life, Jesus must through the Spirit work these things in us. And thanks be to God, the Holy Spirit indeed through the proclamation of the forgiveness of sin won in Jesus and through baptism, give us this gift of new birth, new life, being made anew in the image of Jesus, the Son of Man, the Son of God. It is a certain thing because it is God’s work and not our own.
Heavenly Father, thank you for the birth, from above by Spirit in baptism, that we can always remember this token and know you have made us your children there in your name. Grant us faith to trust in this your work in us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.