Behavior or Birth? What Determines Your Identity?

We can train a bird to “speak” or sing a song with a human-like voice, but the bird is still a bird. His behavior might be human-like, but he is still a bird.

We can teach humans to be better humans, but they are still human. A better human is no more connected to God than a bad human. Both are separated from God by birth. We can behave like a Christian, but does that make us a child of God?

The only way to become a child of God is by birth, new birth through Jesus Christ. 

You see it is being born a child of God vs. doing things to become a child of God. Only one is possible. Birth determines your identity.

Birth determines identity

The bird can’t become anything but a bird. The bird can only give birth to other birds. He can’t give birth to dogs, cats, or humans just because he can act like a human.

We can’t become children of God by being a really good person in our own abilities, or by some ritual, procedure, or ceremony designed by another human being or by a lifestyle change. We can each be a really good person, but that won’t save us because we are still sinners by birth. We can’t escape the condemnation by doing. It is only in receiving. It is only in a new birth. 

Remember Nicodemus? In John chapter 3, Jesus is talking with a really good person who had done his best to do everything right, yet Jesus said that Nicodemus couldn’t even see the kingdom of God let alone be in it. Jesus told him he had to be born again. That stumped that religious man. He thought it was all in the doing. 

How to experience new birth

The new birth is accomplished by receiving new life from Jesus Christ. 

Let me say it again, it is not in doing but in being. It is God through Jesus Christ, that creates new life in us and gives us new birth. We are born again leaving the old life behind to live a new life by receiving His life.

This new birth frees us from our past. We are no longer who we were before our new birth. Let that thought transform your way of life this week as you meditate on one of the following verses each day.

Words to light your path this week

• John 1:12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—NIV
• John 3:3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”ESV
• John 3:7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ NIV
• 1 John 5:12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. NAS
• Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. NKJV

Prayer – Gracious Father, may we always remember and comprehend new birth is not something we accomplish, but it is a gift from You to be received by faith. Amen

A New You  

The New Birth  John Woodward