Answer
The Gospel of John commences with a prologue (John 1:1–18) that lays the groundwork for the rest of the book. In verses 12–13, the apostle writes, “To all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (ESV). In this article, we will dissect the meaning of the will of man and contrast it with the will of God.
The prologue of John, spanning eighteen verses, introduces the identity and mission of the Word made flesh (John 1:1 and 14). The incarnation, then, is foundational to our receiving the new birth that allows us to become children of God (John 1:13; cf. John 3:3, 5; 6:63).
The will of man refers to human volition and our ability to make decisions. We are born again not by the will of man because no one can choose God on his own. The heart, mind, and will of man have been radically corrupted by sin (what some theologians refer to as “total depravity”). Because of our sinfulness, we cannot bring ourselves into a right relationship with God. If sinners are to be saved, then God must do it.
John contrasts the will of man with the will of God. In John 1:13, the apostle stresses that those who are born of God are not products of human lineage, human effort, or human will. Instead, their new birth is solely attributed to the eternal and sovereign will of God.
Paul highlights the will of God with these words: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will” (Ephesians 1:3–5, ESV, emphasis added).
The will of God, not the will of man, is how we become sons and daughters of God.
In Ephesians 2:8–9, Paul writes, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” The word this points to the entire process of salvation by grace through faith: regeneration, justification, adoption as sons and daughters, sanctification, and glorification. As a gift of God, salvation is not something that we can accomplish ourselves. We did not will it to happen; nor could we. If we could save ourselves, then the sacrifice of Christ would have been unnecessary.
John 1:13 has significant implications for Christian theology, particularly in discussions about divine sovereignty and human agency. This verse challenges the belief that humans can bring themselves into God’s family. It also challenges the belief that everyone (without exception) is a child of God. No, only those who have been given the right to become children of God are in God’s family.
Our new birth did not come about by the will of man. Or, as the NLT puts it, we “are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.” We did not call the Son out of heaven; the Father sent Him. Jesus did not obey our will, but God’s.
