The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit (John 3:8)
This verse doesn’t say that WE are the wind. All this means is that the process of spiritual rebirth is an unseen thing, connected to God who is unseen – so that those watching cannot see the origin of the Spirit, and the change wrought in the man. Of course the invisible God is the source of Spiritual rebirth – but he has set the criteria for which this occurs. Being born of God comes as a result of, or at the same time as, finding God, i. e. to come to God, we must believe that our seeking will result in the encounter we seek, the God who is real, but unseen – LIKE THE WIND!
This does not indicate that the spiritual rebirth happens out of the blue, disconnected to any seeking on the part of the new Christian. Not at all. TULIP Calvinism has created a dogma, that is VERY CLOSE to the truth, and uses the same verse but REVERSES THE PROCESS – which is fatal, in that it leads Calvinists to misplace the role of human seeking in finding God. This is not to elevate man to the position of power, but to recognise God in his kindness, responds to honest humble seeking on the part of a broken man, remember that Jesus said he came a physician to the sick, not a saviour to the saved. He calls the lost, not the found. He saves sinners, not saints, in response to their repentant faith. THIS IS THE CHRISTIAN GOSPEL.
Man cannot find God without God first having revealed himself to man. And he has! This is the good news! He has enlightened all men born into this world, Jn 1;9 and Romans 1. He has shown all men within themselves his eternal power and godhood – this is quite comprehensive revelation – so that they know the truth about God (Romans 1:19 & 21).
The context:
John 3:5Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 8The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. 9Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? 10Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? 11Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. 12If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? 13And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. 14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
(Thanks to STEPHEN THOMAS)
