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Answer
The term “born of God” is primarily found in the book of 1 John. First John 5:1 says, “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves His child as well.” Other references can be found in 1 John 2:29; 3:9; 4:7; and 5:4, 18.
The term “born of God” closely reflects Jesus’ words in John 3:3 when He told Nicodemus that he must be “born again” or, in some translations, “born from above.” Nicodemus responded as anyone would, asking, “How can someone be born when they are old?” (verse 4) Jesus’ response was even more perplexing. He said, “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit” (verse 8).
Why did Jesus start talking about the wind in connection to being born again? The Greek word for “wind” is pneuma, the same word used for “spirit.” When the wind blows, it is unseen, but its effects are visible. Leaves rustle, plants sway, and we feel the wind on our faces. Yet, it cannot be caught or controlled. The wind, when it blows, transforms everything it touches. Similarly, the Spirit works in spiritual birth. It is an act of the Holy Spirit. He is invisible, but His movements bring about distinct changes. Neither eloquent words nor intellectual assent have the power to make someone “born of God.” Only the Holy Spirit can bring about that change in a repentant heart (Mark 1:15;Acts 2:38).
So, how does one become born again, or born of God? Jesus used an earthly analogy to convey a spiritual concept. When a baby is born, a new life emerges that did not exist before. The baby is a completely new being who begins to grow and resemble the parents. A puppy grows to look like a dog. A calf grows to resemble a cow. An infant grows to resemble an adult human.Man. So it is with those born of God. Second Corinthians 5:17 states that if anyone is in Christ, he is a “new creature.” Later on in John 3, Jesus explains how to become born of God: “Whoever believes in Him shall not perish but shall have everlasting life” (verse 16). When we are born into the family of God «But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: », (John 1:12), we grow to look more like our Father.
First John 3:9 describes a person who has been born of God: “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning because they have been born of God.” God our Father is holy, and He desires that His children become holy like He is (1 Peter 1:15-16). When we are born of God, we have a new heart, one that wants to please God (Ezekiel 36:26;2 Corinthians 5:9;Colossians 1:10). This transformation does not come about by good intentions or white-knuckled effort. We please our new Father by surrendering to His Holy Spirit who lives within us. We allow Him to change our desires, our goals, and our will to conform to His (Romans 8:29;Philippians 2:13). Just as a baby grows to resemble the parents to whom it was born, we also grow to be more like our heavenly Father when we are born of God (Philippians 3:10;Romans 6:1-2).
