The only way to enter God’s spiritual family is by a spiritual birth, through faith in Jesus Christ. Just
as there are two parents in physical birth, so there are two parents in spiritual birth: the Spirit of God
and the Word of God.
The new birth gives to us a new nature as well as a new and living hope.Our first birth was a birth of
“flesh,” and the flesh is corruptible. Whatever is born of flesh is destined to die and decay. This
explains why mankind cannot hold civilization together: it is all based on human flesh and is destined
to fall apart.
Like the beautiful flowers of spring, man’s works look successful for a time, but then they start to
decay and die. All the way from the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11 to “Babylon the Great” in
Revelation 17 and 18, man’s great attempts at unity are destined to fail.
If we try to build unity in the church on the basis of our first birth, we will fail; but if we build unity
on the basis of the new birth, it will succeed. Each believer has the same Holy Spirit dwelling within.
We call upon the same Father and share His divine nature.
We trust the same Word, and that Word will never decay or disappear. We have trusted the same
Gospel and have been born of the same Spirit. The externals of the flesh that could divide us mean
nothing when compared with the internals of the Spirit that unite us.
Scripture for unity: “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me
through their Word; that they all may be one, as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also
may be one in Us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me” (John 17:20-21).
Other Scripture: John 3:1-16; Romans 8:6-9; 1 Peter 1:23.
Action assignment: Ask God to enable you to focus on the internals of the Spirit that unite us rather
than externals of the flesh that divide.
WARREN W. WIERSBE
www.backtothebible.in