But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” vs12-13

Thirdly, the new birth is of God. Salvation is the gift of God’s grace; it is not something that man does for himself, nor can any human do it for him! It is not passed on through blood lines, and this burdens my heart - that people think their children are saved because the parents are, as if children have any advantage other than hearing God’s word and being prayed for [Rom 3:1-2]. Salvation is still a miraculous operation of God upon the children of promise [Rom 9:6-16].

These elect souls have been chosen from the foundation of the world and predestined unto Christ’s salvation. These hear the gospel, and we are saved by grabbing Christ as a necessity. Everyone else, if left in their natural darkness, will never comprehend the light [John 1:5, 10-11]. God’s grace is the difference maker, and He will have all the credit. Thus, He busts in, even as John is describing the new birth, and says, “It is not of man.” “not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man.” We must have a gospel that is not of man, or we’ll never glorify God, and we’ll misrepresent the way of salvation.

Do not fear man but glorify God. Many stumble here, because they don’t like human responses to election. They don’t like the heat the sovereignty of God generates in salvation, when men will not let Him rule upon His throne. It is written, however, in the unchanging word that the new birth is God’s work, and thereby God’s gift, and He is to be praised.

Let us look to Him to bestow this work upon sinners. Let us go to Muslim and Jew, not thinking that something is in their flesh, but believing that God begats through the word.

Secondly, the believer gets grace upon grace. John 1:16, For from His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.’ This is grace to believe, and then grace to receive the fruits of believing; it is grace to be chosen, and the grace of assurance; it is the grace of good works, and the peace that comes through them [James 1:25]. All of the Christian life is grace!

If we learn this, then we dwell in the sweetness of the new covenant sabbath rest. Heb 4:10, “for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.” We have ceased from our own efforts, and we’ve entered into His work, not only for us on the cross but in us by the Spirit.

This is the bread that many do not know. They work and strive to live the Christian life ON THEIR OWN, so they are wounded and battered, frustrated and disappointed. When we rest, however, confident that God will work in us because He worked for us, then we enter the power of the Holy Spirit, and the Presence of God helps us.