In this second post in this series on the new birth, we will briefly address a mistake made by many, namely, the equating of the new birth with the experience of conversion. We'll start with definitions. Birth, is defined as the act of bringing forth offspring, it is the beginning of a life distinct from the parent, the beginning of a new identity. Conversion, on the other hand, when referring to the Christian experience, is defined as a change of beliefs, understanding, and intentions. Conversion occurs when a person who is spiritually alive (though they may not even realize that they are spiritually alive), though a spiritual baby, a newborn, experiences a change in their understanding of who they are and who they want to be, and thereby experience a significant spiritual growth episode towards growing up "unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children" (Ephesians 4.13-14). Now, the beginning of a new life and the changing of a life are two different kinds of events. They are not the same event, nor are they two different ways of describing the same event.
The new birth is also referred to in the Bible as "quickening," "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;" (Ephesians 2.1). That's going from being dead to being alive! That's going from non-existence to existence! That's a new life! That's not a changed life. That's not a turning from evil. That's being resurrected from the dead! Did you know that you have been resurrected from the dead?!
The Bible also has more than one word for "conversion." It also refers to conversion as "turning," "Say to them: 'As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked should turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?' (Ezekiel 33.11). Some Bible versions use the words "be converted" in Acts 3.19, while others use the words "turn again," or "turn back," in place of "be converted." Both are correct because conversion refers to when a person recognizes their sinfulness, and their need for forgiveness, and their need to change direction in their life.
Notice the condition of man before he is quickened. He is dead in sins. He is spiritually dead. He is no more than an animal seeking his own pleasure. Everything that has to do with God is absolute foolishness to him, "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Corinthians 2.14). Now, if a spiritually dead man cannot receive the things of God, then please tell me how in the world can he be converted?! The truth is that he has absolutely no possibility of being converted, of repenting and turning from his evil ways, as he is spiritually dead and has no interest whatsoever in anything but his own pleasure. Before he can be converted, he must be quickened/raised from spiritual death into life/born again. Once he is born again, he will then be only a baby, spiritually; but he will be spiritually alive! Then, and only then, can he be interested in and encouraged to "repent and be converted," to turn from his evil ways (Acts 3.19).
Before we can repent and be converted, Christ has to shine his Light in our hearts (John 1.9). He shines his Light in our hearts by Himself coming into our hearts! "To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:" (Colossians 1.27). The fact that Christ is in you means that you are spiritually alive! And since you are spiritually alive, you have been born again! And this had nothing to do with your will! It was done purely by the will of YAHUAH!
"Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1.13).
