ABiblicalExplanation&IllustrationofSalvation

ChristdefinesathreefoldmeansbywhichtheSalvationtakes
place.

A.ItisrevealedintheBiblebyaNewBirth.John3:38.
ItisrevealedbybelievingtheWordofGod.John3:5.The"water"
hereisthewellknownsymbolfortheWordofGod.Ephesians
5:26;John15:3;Psalm119:9.Ithasnoreferencetobaptism.Other
Scripturesmakeitabundantlyclearthatthenewbirthcomes
throughtheWordofGod.IPeter1:2325;James1:18.Justas
waterwhenappliedcleansesfromoureyesthedirtthatwould
otherwiseobscureourvision,sotheWordofGod,whenreadand
believed,washesfromthemindofthesinnerhiswrongideasof
GodandHissalvation.TheentranceofGod'swordbringslighton
man'slostcondition,Romans3:1019;God'sloveasseeninHis
provisionforman'ssalvation,John3:16;andthewaybywhicha
sinnermaybesaved,Romans10:117.

B.ItisrevealedbytheindwellingoftheSpiritofGod.
John3:5.
TheHolySpirit,thethirdPersonintheTrinity,wassentbyChrist,
onHisascension,tousetheWordofGodtoconvincemenoftheir
sin;toleadthemtoputtheirtrustinChrist;toindwelleachperson
onbelieving;tocommunicatetothebelieveraDivinenatureor
capacityforspiritualthings,andtoguideeachbornagainperson
intoalltruth.John16:715;Ephesians1:13;4:30;IIPeter1:34;
Galatians5:2226.
AstheWordofGodisreadorheard,theHolySpiritappliesthe

truthtotheheartinconvictingforce,showingthesinnerhislost,
guilty,helplessandhopelesscondition.Hethenrevealsthrough
theWordthewayofsalvationthroughfaithinChristandHis
finishedwork.ThemomentthesinnertrustsinChristHesealshim
asHispurchasedpossession.Thisisnotaquestionoffeeling,but
offact.Wedonotfeelthenewbirth.

C.Itisrevealedbythetestimoniesofthosewholookedand
lived.
ThroughouttheNewTestamentandhistory,millionshavelooked
andlived.Byfaith,theybelievedinthesubstitutionarysacrificeof
Christ.John3:1416.InthesewordsChristmadecrystalclearhow
thisnewlifecancometoasinner.InanswertoNicodemus'
question"Howcanthesethingsbe?"Christusedanincident
recordedintheOldTestamenttoillustratehowthenewbirthcould
beexperienced.NowstopandreadNumbers21:49.
Sevenwordsseemtosumuptheincident.Letusgiveitourclosest
andmostcarefulattention,foritisChrist'sownillustrationofhow
thesinnercanbebornagain.
(1)SinNumbers21:5.JustasIsraelsinned,soallhumanityhas
sinnedagainstGodinthought,wordanddeed.Romans3:23.(2)
JudgmentNumbers21:6.AstheirsinbroughtGod'sjudgment
uponthem,soGodhasrevealedHiswrathagainstallsin.Romans
1:18;Job36:18;Romans6:23.(3)RepentanceNumbers21:7.
Israelrealized,confessed,andsoughtpardonfortheirsin.Thisis
repentance,whichconsistsofachangeofmind,resultingina
changeofattitude,whichisexpressedbyachangeofaction.God
demandstherepentanceofthesinner.Luke13:3;Acts17:31;
20:21;Mark1:15.(4)RevelationNumbers21:8."AndtheLord
said."AsGodrevealedtoMosesthewayofsalvationforthese

snakebittenIsraelites,soGodhasrevealedintheBibleHiswayof
salvationforus.IITimothy3:1517;Romans10:89.(5)Provision
Numbers21:89.Aserpentofbrasswasmadeandliftedupona
poleinfullviewofthecampofIsrael.NowcompareJohn3:14.
JustasMosesliftedupthebrazenserpent,soChristmustbelifted
uponacrosstoprovidesalvationforsinbittenhumanity.Onthe
crossHeboreoursins,tookourplace,enduredallthejudgment
duetooursins,andbyHisdeath,satisfiedallGod'sdemands
againstthesinner.GodhasindicatedHisacceptanceofthe
substitutionarysacrificeofHisSonbyraisingHimfromthedead.
Isaiah53:56;ICorinthians15:14;Romans5:78.(6)Condition
Numbers21:8."Whenhelooketh."Thefactthatthebrazenserpent
waslifteduponthecrossdidnot,ofitself,savethem.Looking
wasnotenough.Therewasastepoffaithrequiredforeach
Israelite.Theyhadtobelievethatlookingatthesnakewouldreally
savethem.Theycouldhavelookedawayinunbelief.Theycould
havesaidthatitwasfoolishtobelievethatasnake,eventhough
Godhadsaidit,couldreallysavethem.Theycouldhavemocked
andlaughedwithothersthatitwasfoolish.However,inorderfor
eachbittenIsraelitetolive,hehadtolook.ThefactthatJesus
Christdiedforoursinsonthecrossandaccomplishedallthework
neededforsalvationdoesnotsaveus.Asalostsinner,eachmust
personallylook,byfaith,believingandtrustingthatwhatGodhas
saidistrue.WhosoevershallcallupontheLordshallbesaved.
Romans10:13.JustasthebittenIsraelitewasnotaskedtopray,
confessordogoodworksinordertomeritsalvation,sounsaved
sinnersareurgedtotrustcompletelyinJesusChristandreceive
HimbyfaithastheirownpersonalSavior.John1:12;Ephesians
2:89.(7)ResultNumbers21:9."Helived."Themomentabitten
Israelite(whowasasgoodasdead)looked,hereceivednewlife.
Hewas,asitwerebornagain!Sothemomentaguilty,lostsinner
believesthegospelthatChristdiedforhissins,anddefinitely
acceptsHimashisownpersonalSavior,hereceivesspiritualor

eternallife.HeisthenindweltbytheHolySpirit,becomesa
partakerofaDivinenature,andisthusbornfromabove,or
regenerated.Thisisthenewbirth,whichChristdeclaredwas
absolutelyessentialtoseeingandenteringtheKingdomofGod.
John3:3,5.