Sixth Grade Lessons, Block 4, Week 20: By Being Born Again

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Sixth Grade Lessons, Block 4—The Way of Salvation

Week 20
By Being Born Again

Reading Reference: Crucial Truths in the Holy Scriptures, vol. 1, ch. 11; Lesson Book, Level 1: Salvation—God’s Full Salvation, lesson 15; John 3:1-7, 13

Memory Verse: That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (John 3:6)

Suggested Songs: Hymns, #1019

Scripture Reading: John 3:1-7, 13

Points to Emphasize

Regeneration is a great subject in the Scriptures and a very important part of God’s salvation. Man assumes that he would be free from all problems if he only received the forgiveness of sins and was justified before God. But the salvation that God accomplished for us does not stop with these items. God’s salvation not only grants us an outward position of being accepted by Him but also involves our inward regeneration, through which we receive a life that pleases Him.

[Read John 3:1-7]

The literal meaning of regeneration is “to be born again.” Although, literally speaking, regeneration is a rebirth, the significance of regeneration is not about entering a mother’s womb to be born again. Regeneration involves receiving the Spirit. Even if we could re-enter our mother’s womb and be reborn, which is utterly impossible, we would still be flesh born of the flesh, not of the Spirit. Our spirit must be born of the Spirit. Only spirit can be born of the Spirit. To be born of the Spirit is to be born of God, for God is Spirit. Therefore, regeneration is to be born of God.

Regeneration is not a birth according to blood, according to the will of the flesh, or according to the will of man, which only enables man to receive another fleshly life. Rather, regeneration is to be born of God so that man may receive a spiritual life. We were originally born of blood, of the will of the flesh, and of the will of man. In our first birth we received a life of the human flesh, which cannot share in the kingdom of God. Therefore, we need to be born again of God so that we may receive God’s spiritual life and participate in God’s kingdom. Since this birth from God is a rebirth, it is regeneration.

  • Born “anew”—John 3:3

In John 3:3 the word anew is synonymous with from above in verse 31; therefore, to be “born anew” also has the meaning of being “born from above.” Our first birth from our parents was from the earth and from below, since our parents were on the earth and below, but our second birth from God, regeneration, was a birth from the heavens and from above, since God is in the heavens and above. Since the regenerated life is from above, a regenerated person also delights in the things that are above. Whatever man’s life issues from and belongs to, it enjoys. A fleshly life of the earth likes the things of the earth because it is from the earth and belongs to the earth; a spiritual life from the heavens loves heavenly things because it is from the heavens and belongs to the heavens. Regeneration enables one to gain this heavenly life. [Mention that because of this we now like the heavenly things like the Bible, to meet with other believers, etc.]

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