TWO BIRTHS? TWO DEATHS?

"Jesus answered and said unto (Nicodemus), 'Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.'  Nicodemus saith unto Him, 'How can a man be born when he is old?  Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?'  Jesus 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.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.  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'" (Jn. 3:3-8).

There are some similarities between one's physical birth and one's spiritual birth as taught by Jesus.  Both births are the result of the actions of others.   Our physical birth, described as being "born of water," happens due to the actions of our mother and our father.  Nicodemus asked Jesus how a man could re-enter his mother's womb; in the physical birth, the womb is basically a "balloon of water."  In order for a physical birth to take place, that "balloon" must break:  hence, one is born of water. 

Our spiritual birth happens due to the actions of the members of the Trinity!  The Word of God tells us that the Father draws lost mankind to Jesus (Jn. 6:44).  It also tells us that, because Jesus would be "lifted up" (Crucified), Jesus would draw all men unto Himself (Jn. 12:32-33).  And finally, Jesus taught His disciples the Comforter (Holy Spirit) would draw man to Jesus, by convincing them they were sinners, in need of a Savior.  The Holy Spirit would reprove the world (convict them) of their sin; of Jesus' righteousness; and of the judgment to come (Jn. 16:7-15).

So, just as with our physical birth, spiritual birth happens to us!  We, in turn, have the power to reject both births.  We can refuse to live, and end our life via suicide.   And we can also refuse to accept God's gift of salvation (Eph. 2:8).  The first refusal ends in physical death, and the second refusal ends in spiritual death.  The Book of Revelation calls the spiritual death, the "second death" (Rev. 2:11; 20:6, 14; 21:8)! 

There is an old saying that sort of sums it all up: 

"Born once, die twice; born twice, die once!"