Guy Davies Review of What the Bible teaches about being born again

Jesus famously said to Nicodemus, “You must be born again.” (John 3:7). But what does it mean to be born again? This is an important question because we will never know the blessings of God’s kingdom unless we are born anew. In this book, my good friend and fellow blogger Gary Brady (of Heavenly Worldliness) sets forth the Bible’s teaching on this vital subject with clarity and care. He defines regeneration biblically and theologically as God’s sovereign and gracious work of bringing a sinner to new life in Christ by the power of the Spirit.

Why is the new birth so necessary? Gary ably demonstrates that we need to be born again because by nature we are dead in trespasses and sins. I'm not sure what he means at one point by, "Our very creatureliness makes new birth necessary." (p. 76). As he shows elsewhere in the book the problem is not that we are creatures, but fallen creatures. God's character demands that the sinner be regenerated if we are to share in the future glory of his people. Regeneration is a monergistic act of God. That is, we make no contribution whatsoever to our new birth. God changes us from within, enlightening the darkened mind, softening the hardened heart and liberating the enslaved will. We cannot therefore decide to be born again. We are not even born again by faith. We believe only because God first implanted spiritual life in our souls. Conversion or repentance and faith is the conscious effect of the hidden work of regeneration.

But there is much confusion these days over what it means to be born again. A helpful chapter is devoted to ‘What is it not?’ It is not reincarnation, or a fresh commitment to God on our part. Regeneration is not a consequence of baptism. More positively, the writer draws on material from both Testaments to set forth the rich mosaic of the Bible’s teaching on the new birth. Detailed attention is rightly paid to John 3, but not at the expense of other key texts. Brady’s handling of Scripture is deft and insightful. But I found myself disagreeing with him at one or two points. Brady equates the new birth with Spirit baptism (p. 72-73). This might be a legitimate understanding of Paul in 1 Corinthians 12:13, where he says that all believers were "baptised by one Spirit into one body", although the accent here is on union with Christ rather than regeneration per se. But is Luke thinking of regeneration when he speaks of Spirit baptism in Luke 3:16, Acts 1:5-8, 2:1-4, 10:44ff, 11:15-18? I think not. By any reckoning, the disciples were regenerate prior to Pentecost, yet they were baptised with the Spirit on that day. It seems to me that Spirit baptism in Luke's usage refers to the filling of the Spirit that is promised to all believers rather than regeneration.

Gary reflects on the causes of new birth. The fundamental cause is God acting by the power of his Spirit rather than the efforts of man. The qualifying cause is the atoning death of Christ. We live because he died for our sins. This is certainly the case, but perhaps a little more attention could have been devoted to the the relationship between Christ's resurrection and our regeneration especially given the fact that 1 Peter 1:3 is quoted at the head of Chapter 7. The instrumental cause of being born again is the Word of God. This is clearly taught in James 1:18 and 1 Peter 1:23. Although regeneration is wholly God's work, he does not ordinarily bring sinners to new life apart from the proclamation of the Gospel. Lydia is a case in point. The Lord opened her heart so that she gave heed to the message spoken by Paul (Acts 16:14).

The theological issue of where regeneration fits in the scheme of salvation or ordo salutis is discussed. It is stressed the new birth is the fruit of God’s sovereign election that leads to a godly life. It is legitimate to reflect on the relationship between the differing links in the "golden chain" of salvation, such as regeneration and justification, regeneration and adoption, and regeneration and sanctification. While this might be helpful in some ways, we need to bear in mind that the unifying factor in all aspects of salvation, regeneration included, is union with Christ. Welcome attention is given to the cosmic and eschatological dimensions of being born again. Brady insists that God’s ultimate purpose is not simply to regenerate individual sinners, but the whole of the universe when Christ returns (Matthew 19:28).

Issues surrounding the new birth such as when it happens and how we can tell if we are born again are faced with pastoral sensitivity and wisdom. The reader is urged to soberly examine his life in the light of Scripture, especially the "tests of life" in 1 John. A concluding chapter issues a final plea to those who are not born again to seek the new birth. I agree that the non-Christian seriously needs to be born again. Regeneration is not a spiritual luxury. As Jesus said, "You must be born again". But it seems to me that the New Testament encourages the unbeliever to repent and believe the Gospel, rather than pray for the new birth. After all we will only know that we are born again when we believe that Jesus is the Christ (1 John 5:1).

Gary is a great communicator. He writes with winsome clarity and illustrates his material well. He is careful to carry his readers with him, offering a brief summary statement at the end of each chapter before tackling a new aspect of the subject. The text is packed with great quotes from theological writers old and new. There are some real gems here like this one from Stephen Charnock, "Repentance is a change of the mind and regeneration is the change of the man." (p. 136). Being persnickety by predilection and scholarly by pretension, I was a little irked that the citations lack footnotes, making the references hard to follow up. But many people find footnotes off-putting, so I suppose scholarly apparatus had to be jettisoned for the sake of accessibility. Fair enough. Such quibbles aside, this is an excellent treatment of what it means to be born again. Highly recommended for evangelistic use and for helping believers gain a better understanding of the new birth.

* An edited version of this review appeared in Protestant Truth.

Evangelical Times Review of What the Bible teaches about being born again

Some of the great teachings of Christianity have surprisingly little written about them. The ‘new birth’ is one of these neglected areas, which is why this book is very welcome.

Gary Brady sets out the doctrine of the new birth, first positively – and then negatively in the light of current misconceptions. Having explained other biblical pictures of regeneration, he tells us why it is necessary to be ‘born again’ and explains that it is a work of God.

He next deals with the ‘evidences’ of regeneration (the fruit it bears in a person’s life) and its place in the order of salvation. Then he considers its significance for eternity and ends with a plea for non-Christians to take this truth seriously and to seek God’s mercy. 

This is a comprehensive treatment for a small book. Throughout, the author quotes the relevant Scriptures and many other writers, old and new, including confessions of faith and hymns.

The style is that of mutual exploration, the material having originated in a series of midweek church Bible studies. The book is clearly written and easily readable.

Matters on which Christians disagree, such as the connection of the new birth with effectual calling, or its timing in relation to conversion, are well argued in a brief compass. The necessity and marks of the new birth, and its origin in God’s will, are clearly and helpfully set out here.

This is an excellent book for anyone, believer or unbeliever, who seriously wants to know what God says in his Word about being born again.

John Palmer, Tredegar 2008

A Good Primer on Regeneration says Review

This review by Andrew Roycroft can be found here on Amazon

Being Born Again is one of a number of books by Gary Brady to be published by Evangelical Press, with his previous two volumes being commentaries on Proverbs and Song of Songs respectively. The stated purpose of the book is to provide an introduction to the whole topic of the 'new birth' or 'regeneration'. This is a much needed study, given the cloudy thinking on this issue amongst unbelievers and believers alike. Gary writes with the aim of reaching those who are not born again, and of inspiring those who are to appreciate and share their faith.

The book seeks to answer a series of questions which one may have about 'being born again', and does so through the use of solid exegesis, vivid illustration, and copious quotation from other writers. Themes such as the essence or definition of 'being born again', the ruling out of those things which it is not, and an assessment of how it is pictured all serve to give the reader a broad biblical picture of what it means to experience regeneration. Issues including why regneration is needed, when it takes place, and how it is evidenced are all dealt with in reasonable detail, as is a chapter pleading for those who do not know the Saviour to seek God for salvation.

The procedural basis and suppositional background of the book is Reformed evangelical. The ordo salutis outlined in the book is largely that which can be traced in Murray's Redemption Accomplished and Applied, although this volume is much easier to read than the former. The tone of the text is warm and pastoral without being light, and there are moments of lyricism which are a delight to read. For instance, when writing of the need for regeneration in order to please God it is stated that:

'Faith is a flower that will only grow where the field has been prepared and transformed' [p.86]

Such phrasing (and there are numerous other examples) makes what are at times abstract concepts easier to digest, and lends a flow and fluency to the book which ease the reader through fairly deep theological waters. The same can also be said of the pastoral emphasis of the book, where the author is keen to address the consciences of his readers as well as their heads. Efforts are made to dispel false assurances of regeneration as well as needless doubt - a balance which is difficult to strike in preaching, not to mention the written medium.

Being Born Again is full of helpful quotes and illustrations from a variety of authors, classic and modern. This serves to give the book an air of being well-read, without it seeming bookish or dry. My one regret is that the multiplicity of quotes from other authors do not contain footnoted references that can be followed up. Nor does the book contain an exhaustive bibliography. I imagine that the absence of these two elements is connected with the book's purpose of reaching non-believers and informing young believers about regeneration without cluttering the page or their minds.

All in all Being Born Again is an excellent resource, on a much neglected topic. The author has gone to considerable pains to write faithfully, clearly, and in a God-honouring way about this amazing work of God in the hearts of sinful men and women. I would give this book to a young believer who desires to know more about their faith (perhaps after they have worked through Peter Jeffrey's more basic Bitesize Theology) or to someone who is thinking deeply about their need of salvation. Every Christian who reads this book will find food for their soul, and inspiration to make Christ known to an unbelieving world.

I close with a quotation which deeply touched me, as the author pleads with believers to pray for the salvation of others:

"We must be gentle and show respect and keep a clear conscience, of course, but we should be as eager for new births as most women are to bear their own children. Like Paul we should labour until Christ is formed in others (Galatians 4:19)".