The necessity of a spiritual new birth for salvation is manifest in the biblical history of the O.T. through the families of Adam, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Being born again is the only path to being truly
Jewish / Christian.
Biblical Theology·Apr 1, 2026·Updated Aug 12, 2026
“Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?” – Jn. 3:10
Do you know what it means to be born again? You may think that you are a Christian because you have been born into a Christian family. This may be especially tempting to you because your family name is respected in India. But all this means nothing in the sight of God! As it is written, “That no flesh should glory in His presence” The Jews had to learn this lesson the hard way. You are not the first person to make this mistake. Most of the Jews in the 1st century, like Nicodemus, believed that they were Jewish because they were physicallyborn into the family of Abraham.
The Family of Abraham
Abraham had two sons, Ishmael and Isaac. Both were born of the flesh, but only Isaac was born of the Spirit. Both were physical children of Abraham, but only Isaac was a spiritual child of Abraham. This is clearly stated by the apostle Paul in Pay attention to how this applies to the Christians in Galatia.
“Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then he that was born after the fleshpersecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.”
— Gal. 4:28-30
The Christians in Galatia were being persecuted and oppressed by unconverted Jews who trusted in their own flesh and despised the Gentiles. Paul wrote to give them needed encouragement in these hard times. Paul helped them see that the Christians of Galatia were like Isaac, who was “born after the Spirit”, and therefore they were being “persecuted” by the Ishmael of their generation, speaking of the unconverted Jews in the 1st century, all of whom were “born after the flesh”
Ishmael, though born after the flesh, needed to be born after the Spirit, like Isaac, which is to say that Ishmael needed to be born again. Sadly, the same could be said about most of the Jews in the 1st century. But they remained confident that they were Jewish because they were the offspring of Abraham in flesh and blood. John the Baptist rebuked them for this unfounded confidence.
“Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.”
— Luke 3:8-9
God can miraculously turn stones into the children of Abraham. Nothing is impossible with God! Similarly, God has turned Gentiles into Jews, spiritually, like He did with the Christians of Galatia, because they were bornagain when they received Jesus Christ. This is the promise of the Gospel in
“But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
— John 1:12-13
This should not be a controversial matter. The promises of the word of God are guiding us to a Pauline conclusion: “That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.” Jesus Christ had already made this fact of biblical history clear to Nicodemus in when He said, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” No marvel that Ishmael, the son of Abraham, needed to beborn again. No marvel that Nicodemus, a Jew, needed to beborn again. He should have alreadyknownthis basic doctrine of the Bible. Speaking of this, the Lord said to Nicodemus, “Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?”
Why is there so much controversy about this topic? People don’t know what they should know about being born again. Proud, patriotic, and fleshly people of every age cannot tolerate this doctrine. Take, for example, the discourse in Things escalated quickly with the Jews as the Lord lovingly evangelized the people. These particular Jews thought they were Christians, or Messianic Jews, because they believed on Jesus Christ in their own way, but not in truth Even the demons believe and tremble
“As he spake these words, many believed on him. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you. I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father. They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.”
— John 8:30-47
This dispute can be summed up in three misunderstandings: (1) slavery / freedom; (2) sonship in Abraham; (3) sonship with God. Each time the Jews thought that Jesus Christ was speaking about these three things in a physical sense, when the Lord was speaking spiritually.
Physical or Spiritual Freedom / Slavery?
Jesus Christ promised to make the Jews “free” if only they would receive the truth and the Jews responded by saying that they are Abraham’s children and they weren’t ever in physical slavery to any man Jesus answered them by clarifying that they were “the servants of sin”
Physical or Spiritual Sonship in Abraham?
The Jews said that they were Abraham’s seed and Jesus Christ acknowledged that this was true, physically speaking, saying, “I know that ye are Abraham’s seed” But then our Lord proceeded to denounce their physical sonship to Abraham because they were not spiritual sons of Abraham, saying, “If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham.” The Jews responded by saying that they weren’t “born offornication”, which is to say in other words that they weren’t Gentiles but purebred Jews
True spiritual sonship in Abraham can be discerned by the spiritual law being set forth by our Lord, when Jesus Christ said, “Ye do the deeds of your father.” This law is also true when it comes to spiritual daughterhood in Sarah. The apostle Peter used this law while addressing women in a statement about subjection written to Jewish Christians, saying, “Whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.” In other words, Peter was saying, “Ye do the deeds of your mother.”
Physical or Spiritual Sonship in God?
The Jews waxed even more bold, and said, “We have one Father, even God.” and Jesus Christ responded by saying, “Ye are of your father the Devil” Why? The same spiritual law is applied here too, which states, “Ye do the deeds of your father.” God was not their Father because, Jesus said, “If God were your Father, ye would love me” Rather, the Devil was their father because, Jesus said, “the lusts of your father ye will do” The doctrine of Jesus Christ on spiritual sonship is consistent. No marvel that these Jews needed to be born again! Every race of men must put aside all pride and personal offence. Your best life in the flesh is slavery to sin in the spiritual family of the Devil.
The Family of Adam
This problem, and the need to be born again, can be traced back to the Family of Adam Adam had two sons, Cain and Abel. Both were born of the flesh, but only Abel was born of the Spirit. Both were children of Adam, but only Abel was a spiritual child of Adam. Abel’s faith and righteousness as a believer is evident in Scripture This proves that he was a spiritual child of Adam, and a child of God. “Ye do the deeds of your father.” Contrastingly, Cain’s way of hatred and violence is proof that he was a child of the Devil, as stated in
“For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one[the Devil], and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous. Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.”
— 1 John 3:11-13
Cain’s spiritual sonship to the Devil stems from the Fall of Mankind. At the fall of Adam and Eve into sin, the Family Tree of mankind was spiritually breached by the Devil. The Family Tree of Mankind is now comprised of two different spiritual children: the seed of the Serpent and the seed of Adam / Eve. This is plainly stated by God in No marvel that Cain needed to be born again.
The Families of Isaac & Israel
The spiritual law, “Ye do the deeds of your father.” governs all families. Isaac had two sons, Jacob and Esau. Both were born of the flesh, but only Jacob was born of the Spirit. Both were physical children of Isaac, but only Jacob was a spiritual child of Isaac. No marvel that Esau, the son of Isaac, needed to be born again. The same distinctions can be made in the Family of Israel, as Paul declared, “For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel” Now, hear Paul bring everything together as he traces the messianic line in a spiritual genealogy of born again people in the biblical history of the Old Testament.
“Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son. And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.”
— Romans 9:6-14
The spiritual law, “Ye do the deeds of your father.” applies to all the families of Judaism throughout all time. It applies to all the Jews of every generation according to the promise of the Gospel: “That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.” Of course, the same law applies to all Christian families of every generation because, “that which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit”, even as the Lord said, “Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” This should change the average man’s perspective of Judaism and Christianity in modern times.
The Families of Judaism
Mere physical Jews are not worthy of the name, Jew, and are doomed to be denounced by God as children of the Devil On the contrary, Gentiles, who are spiritual Jews, are worthy of the name and will be accepted by God as true Jews and inheritors of the Kingdom. As you read the following passage, keep in mind that the “circumcision” refers to Jews and the “uncircumcision” refers to Gentiles.
“For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law? For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.”
— Romans 2:25-29
Gentiles are “counted” Jews in God’s sight when the Gentiles are Jews “inwardly” Jews are “counted” Gentiles in God’s sight when the Jews act like Gentiles “inwardly”. Your outward condition in the flesh is of no consequence. In other words, Gentiles are counted Jews in God’s sight when they “keep the righteousness of the Law” inwardly “by nature” Jews are counted Gentiles in God’s sight when they are “abreaker of the Law” inwardly by nature Circumcision of heart, or to be a Jew in heart, is the crux of true religion No marvel that the Jews needed to be born again! And no marvel that Gentiles, being bornagain, are counted as spiritual Jews in the sight of God.
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Most people think that if you have confessed your sins to God, then you have certainly repented of your sins. However, according to the Bible, confession is not the same thing as repentance.
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