從上帝生的人
無論男女，只要他聽基督之道，並且相信他，就享有特權，並可以真實地說：藉著基督，我就是上帝的孩子，是上帝在天上一切所有的繼承人，並且上帝是我的父親。」
凡接待他的，就是信他名的人，他就賜他們權柄作上帝的兒女。這等人不是從血氣生的，不是從情慾生的，也不是從人意生的，乃是從上帝生的。
藉著上帝創造和祝福，我們從父母的血氣而生，有人貧窮可憐，在年幼時就被遺棄，被敬虔之人領養，撫育成繼承人。…… 但是，血緣、律法、或名義而得的家庭關係既不能拯救父親，也不能拯救孩子。
高貴而榮耀的上帝之子權唯獨藉由「從上帝而生」得到，即藉著相信一個叫作耶穌基督的人之名而得。他真是馬利亞自然生出的兒子。在時空裡由她而生，在永恆裡由父而生。…… 唯獨耶穌基督，我們的主，參與了這出生。他只是把成為上帝兒女的特權和能力賜予相信他的人。唯有他賜予兒子的身分。所以，凡相信耶穌基督——上帝和馬利亞的兒子——之人，也只有他們，是由上帝而生的上帝的兒女。這些信徒「不是從血氣生的，不是從情慾生的，也不是從人意生的，乃是從上帝生的。」
福音書作者就這樣廢除了所有的榮譽、能力、和勢力，並說：身為國王、諸侯、智者、學者、或富人，對於拯救並無優勢。因為所有人無論地位高低都是屬血氣的，並且『凡有血氣的盡都如草；他的美容都像野地的花。草必枯乾，花必凋殘，惟有我們上帝的話必永遠立定。（賽 40:6–8）』 無論甚麼人，如果忠心於道，接受約翰的見證（以賽亞也在第40章令人印象深刻地強調同樣的見證），並相信基督的名，就必然繼承那不可言喻的上帝兒女的榮耀，不論他是國王或庶民，農民或僕人，牧羊人或乞丐。無論男女，只要他聽基督之道，並且相信他，就享有特權，並可以真實地說：藉著基督，我就是上帝的孩子，是上帝在天上一切所有的繼承人，並且上帝是我的父親。」
這是一個新的出生。
這樣，我們應當喜樂地、且迫切地聆聽這滿有福氣的宣告，如果這宣告不近在咫尺，我們應當願意跪行千里而求之，然後，銘刻在我們心中，作為確據。因為如果有人堅定地相信它，那麼他就真是上帝的孩子，一個蒙祝福的人，他得保守脫離任何可能發生的不幸，也無懼甚麼魔鬼、罪孽、和死亡。——馬丁路德（《約翰福音》講道）（AE 22:100–101 from Concordia Publishing House, Saint Louis)
This is a new birth, …… Through God’s creation and blessing we were born of the blood of our parents; some poor, pitiable, and deserted children are adopted and reared as heirs by pious people; …… But the fatherhood by blood, by law, or by honor, justifies and saves neither the fathers nor the children.
The high honor and glory of the sonship of God is attained solely through the birth of or from God, through believing in the name of the man called Jesus Christ, true and natural son of Mary, born of her in time and begotten eternally of the Father. …… This Jesus Christ, our Lord, alone imparts this birth, granting believers in Him the privilege, the right, and the power to become God’s children. He alone bestows sonship. Therefore they and only they are children of God who are born of God, that is, who believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God and of Mary. And these believers are not “born of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”
Thus the evangelist annuls all glory, power, and might and says: It is of no advantage for salvation to be emperor, king, prince, wise, learned, or rich. For all human beings, those of high and of low estate, are flesh; and “all flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades; but the Word of our God will stand forever” (Is. 40:6–8). Whoever remains faithful to the Word and accepts the testimony of John—also impressively emphasized by Isaiah’s testimony to Christ in chapter forty—and believes in Christ’s name, falls heir to this inexpressible glory of sonship with God, whether he be emperor or king, burgher, peasant, servant, shepherd, or beggar. Thus all, without exception, whether male or female, who hear the Word of Christ and believe in Him are privileged and able to say in truth: “Through Christ I am God’s child and heir of all His heavenly goods, and God is my Father.”
Therefore we should feel impelled gladly to give ear to this blessed proclamation; and if it were not so close at hand, we should even be willing to crawl on our knees more than a hundred miles to get it, and then engrave it deeply in our hearts for our assurance. For anyone who would believe firmly that he is actually God’s child, would be a blessed man, secure from, and unafraid of, any mishap that may befall, of the devil, of sin, and of death. (Sermons on the Gospel of St. John) (AE 22:100–101 from Concordia Publishing House, Saint Louis)
