By: Gen. Jim – 5/29/26
Jesus told Nicodemus, “unless one is born again (lit. “from above”), he cannot see the Kingdom of God,” Jn. 3:3. Jesus presses the point “most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water & the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God,” vs. 5. He wanted this religious Pharisee to know the importance of the issue, Jesus for the third time says, “you must be born again,” vs. 7.
You see, Nicodemus was under the Old Testament law; Jesus was bringing forth a New World Order, aka Kingdom of God, & the only way for a man or woman to enter the Kingdom of God was to BELIEVE in the Son of God (Jn. 3:16, 17). Jesus made it clear to Nicodemus that one must believe that eternal salvation comes ONLY by & through Jesus. Believe coupled with repentance as both Jesus & John the Baptist said (see Mt. 3:2 & 4:17).
Ezekiel the Prophet wrote about the restoration of Israel – the same Israel that Jesus & Nicodemus lived in. Many scholars believe Jerusalem was where Ezekiel did his ministry (Palestine). There is a rabbinical tradition that his career began in Palestine (see Mekhilta Bolb; Targ. Ezekiel 1: 3; See also Shalom Spiegel, “Toward Certainty in Ezekiel”, Journal of Biblical Lit., LIV (1935), pp. 169-70. etc.). There are debates, as usual, about the place of Ezekiel’s activity. Babylon is also debated/discussed. My point in bringing up Ezekiel 36 is about the future restoration of Israel (36:22-32) verses 26 & 27 speaks of “a new spirit” & “a new heart”. Verse 25 speaks of “clean water” (as did Jesus when He told Nicodemus “…unless one is born of water & the Spirit” (Jn. 3:5). Ezekiel mentions these two, water/Spirit.
Sprinkling with water for purposes of ritual cleansing, scholars tell us, probably provides the imagery here (the ritual sprinkling with blood in Ex. 24:6; Lev. 17:6; Num. 18:17; etc., & the ritual washings with water in Ex. 30:17-21; Lev. 14:52; Num. 19:17-19).
For the “new heart” & “new spirit” concept see Ex. 18:30-32 – “Why will ye die, o house of Israel?”(vs. 31).
Die = Perish
Ezekiel uses the words “Why will ye DIE”; Jesus uses the words “should not perish” (Jn. 3:16: Perish (Gk., apollumi = “to destroy fully, lose (lit. or fig.), die (lit. or fig.), mar. Jesus does not want people to LOSE their souls (eternally), “but to have everlasting life.” Ezekiel expresses the same thought when he asked Israel, “Why will ye die?”, a poignant passage which is always relevant. This very same question hangs in the air today: “Why will you die?” Ez. 18:21 says, “CAST AWAY from you all your transgressions…” Jesus & John & Peter – all 3 use the word “Repent” (Mt. 3:2; Mt. 4:17; Peter repeats what Ez. 18:32 says, “The Lord…. not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9).
“Cast away from you all your transgressions” is the same as “repent of your sins.” Acts 2:38 tells us through Peter, “Repent, & let every one of you be baptized.” So, Ez. 18:30 says, “Repent & turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your (our) ruin.”
Repentance is required in both Testaments. Grace/eternal life is dependent on repentance. It is to be noted that Israel did get a “new heart”, as it enshrined as Scripture the words of the prophets who earlier had been rejected.
Back to Ez. 36
Both the O.T. & the N.T. speak of “new things”; “new wine” vs. “old bottles”, Mt. 9:17, “new & old” treasure, 13:52. We find the gospels speaking of the “New Testament” vs. “O.T.”, “new tongues”, “new commandment”, “new doctrine”, “a new lump” etc.
Paul writes in 1 Cor. 5:7 about that “new lump” & in 2 Cor. 5:17 he writes about being a “new creature” in Christ that after salvation “all things become new”. He says in Gal. 6:15 that we will become a “new creature” as opposed to being under the law of circumcision under Judaism. Paul explains this in Eph. 4:24 “that ye put on the new man”; he repeats this in Col. 3:10. Hebrews 8:8 speaks of a “new covenant” (also vs. 13), “the New Testament” in 9:15, a “new & living way” in 12:24). Peter writes about “new heavens” & a “new earth” (2 Pet. 3:13). John writes about a “new commandment” in 2 Jn. 2:8 & 2 Jn. 5. Rev. speaks of a “new name” (2:17), “new Jerusalem” (3:12), a “new song” (5:9), a “new heaven” & a “new earth” (21:1), “new Jerusalem” (21:2), “all things new” in 21:5.
Ezekiel 36:26 speaks of a “new heart” & a “new spirit” as compared to the “stony heart”. Verse 27 the LORD says, “I will put My Spirit within you, & cause you to walk in My statutes, & ye shall keep My judgments, & do them.” All these wonderful acts of the Spirit will replace Israel’s old ways, “evil ways, & your doings that were not good, & shall loathe yourself in your own sight for your iniquities & for your abominations,” vs. 31. As already said, Ez. 18:30 tells us what Israel had to do to receive a “new life”: REPENT! TURN! (see 11:18-21 also). The “new heart”, “new spirit”, “new things”, “new songs”, “new names”, new heaven”, “new earth” appear in Hebrew eschatology (see Isa. 442:9, 10; 43:19; 48:6; 62:2;65:17; 66:22; Jer. 3:17; 31:22; 33:16; Ps. 96:1 etc.; see 2 Pet. 3:13; Rev. 5:9; 21:1, 5 etc.).
Salvation
Being born again means having one’s sins forgiven/washed away, hence, a “new life in Christ”. While ancient Israel had a type of salvation experience, under the law/old covenant, Jesus was to be the “new covenant”. This “rebirth” was for both Jews & Gentiles. The “old” obduracy & self-will will be replaced by obedience & loyalty. But be aware! One can lose this salvation (see my articles on the “if” / “then” clause). We’re to guard our “new life” in Christ.
Being “born again”, as Jesus described it in John 3:3, 5 brings the sinner OUT of self-destruction into a “new life” of construction. Repentance/forgiveness will lead on to rebirth. We become “new creatures” in Christ. “Old things” will pass away. Sadly, far too many reach back and take hold of their dark past, hence they fall from grace.
The Bible tells us to “Hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil,” 1 Thes. 5:21, 22. (see also Phil. 4:8). 2 Tim. 1:13 tells us to “hold fast… sound words… in faith, & love which are in Christ Jesus.” Vs. 14 tells us to keep what was committed to us by the Holy Spirit. The book of Hebrews uses the word “hold” many times: 3:6 = “… if we hold fast”; 3:14, = “if we hold the beginning”; “hold fast our profession” = 4:14; “hold fast the profession”, 10:23; Rev. 2:25 = “hold fast till I come”; “hold fast which thou hast”, 3:11, etc., etc. God gives; we hold onto!
Extra: Read dozens of Prophetic Words given by the Holy Spirit to Gen. Deborah on “Repentance Revolution” (heard & recorded in 2013) (see page 1, at top of page under “Repentance Revolution is Here!” at AggressiveChristianity.net.