1. The Contrast Between Peter and Judas: The Necessity of Being Born AgainIn John 13, we see a striking contrast between two of Jesus' twelve disciples: Peter and Judas. Both were among the Lord's close followers. They had witnessed His ministry, His miracles, and His teachings firsthand. Yet in the end, although both betrayed Jesus, one repented and returned to walk a new path, while the other chose suicide instead of repentance, plunging into an irreversible course of sin. This contrast offers a powerful challenge and lesson for all believers. Pastor David Jang emphasizes that this contrasting story sends a forceful message to Christians today: "We must be born again." Both Peter and Judas betrayed Jesus-that fact remains the same-but their ultimate outcomes diverged dramatically. One repented and returned; the other did not. The decisive factor that set them apart can be understood from the perspective of "having been bathed (born again) or not."
When Jesus washed His disciples' feet, Peter initially refused. Perhaps he thought, "How can the Lord wash a disciple's feet? I, His disciple, cannot allow Him to serve me." But Jesus told him, "If I do not wash you, you have no share with Me." Hearing this, Peter changed his attitude and said, "Then not just my feet, but my head and my whole body as well!" Jesus responded, "Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet." This indicates that Peter had already been "fundamentally cleansed" by the power of Jesus' blood, by the truth of His Word, and by His love. In other words, Peter had already experienced a foundational salvation-he had been born again. Even though he later committed a grave sin by denying the Lord three times out of weakness, he could still repent and return because, deep in his heart, he remembered and clung to the Lord's love. At this point, Pastor David Jang reiterates, "It's important not to sin, but what matters more is our attitude when we do sin-whether we repent and turn back." When we are sure of our salvation and adoption as children of God-when we have been born again-we can rise again even if we stumble. Even if we sin, we can repent and run back into the arms of the Lord.
Judas, on the other hand, left one of the most tragic and shameful acts of betrayal in history by "selling Jesus for thirty pieces of silver." According to Scripture, Peter also betrayed the Lord (denying Him three times), but while Peter returned, Judas did not make amends and instead took his own life. Why this difference? The decisive argument is that Judas did not genuinely experience new birth. He saw the same healings, miracles, teachings, and the loving nature of Jesus-who "loved them to the end"-yet he never truly received these into his soul. His self-centered desire, craving for money and power, or distorted view of Jesus merely as a political Messiah had overtaken his heart. Consequently, after sinning, he did not truly repent but rather gave in to despair and self-abandonment. Pastor David Jang finds this deeply lamentable. "Being near Jesus, hearing His words, and witnessing His miracles does not automatically grant salvation. True salvation ultimately occurs when we receive the Lord's love deep into our souls and experience the death of the old self, leading to rebirth." Judas never entered this path; instead, he tried to solve his guilt and shame through the most extreme measure-suicide. But that could never be a solution, and it led only to terrifying spiritual ruin.
Though Peter and Judas share the similarity of having both denied Jesus, one experienced the miracle of repentance, felt the Lord's forgiveness, and went on to live as a great apostle who preached the gospel for the rest of his life. The other fell into hopelessness, unable even to forgive himself, and ended up taking his own life. Ultimately, the core difference between them hinges on whether or not they had experienced new birth-in other words, whether they knew the Lord's love, surrendered themselves in that love, and were renewed, or not. Pastor David Jang teaches that we should learn the following from Peter's life: "Human beings are inherently weak-even Peter, designated as the 'leading disciple,' was capable of denying the Lord. But those who have 'already bathed,' i.e., have been fundamentally cleansed through being born again, will have a way back from sin. The Lord leaves that way open." This is the hope Peter shows us.
Romans 8:1 declares, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." This speaks to the astonishing change in status that those born again in the Lord receive: "I am no longer under condemnation as a sinner; I have become a child of God and live under His grace." Moreover, Romans 8:31-39 stresses that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. Pastor David Jang explains, "Even when Peter denied the Lord, the Lord did not abandon him. Peter felt unworthy to face Jesus, but after His resurrection, Jesus personally sought him out and asked, 'Do you love Me?' drawing out his confession of love. In the same way, the Lord does not stop loving us despite our weaknesses. Even if we stumble and fall-even if someone commits a sin as grave as Judas did-if that person's heart returns to the Lord, the Lord will accept him." The real problem arises when people believe their sin or failure is too great for the Lord to forgive, leading them to give up on repentance altogether. This is one of Satan's biggest deceptions. Satan repeatedly accuses the sinner: "You're finished. There's no turning back now." However, Peter clung to the Lord's love, while Judas shut himself out from it. That is the difference that led to their vastly different eternal destinies.
John 3 defines new birth as being "born again," illustrated through Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus. Nicodemus was a Jewish leader with a solid religious background, likely well-versed in Scripture and the Law. But Jesus told him, "Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Not understanding, Nicodemus asked, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter his mother's womb a second time?" Jesus answered, "Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." It is not a physical rebirth but a fundamental transformation of the soul-turning away from sin, being cleansed, and becoming a new creation through the power of the Holy Spirit. Reflecting on the foot-washing scene, being washed with water signifies a thorough judgment of sin and a turning away from it, while being born of the Spirit implies a life in which truth dwells actively in our hearts and love overflows. Pastor David Jang describes this as "the soul polluted by sin being completely captured by the Spirit of truth, thereby becoming a new person."
The Bible repeatedly teaches that "one must die in order to live." The crucifixion and resurrection are central truths of the Christian faith. There can be no resurrection without the cross, and there can be no life without death. Though Jesus is "in very nature God," He took on the form of a servant and saved humanity from sin through His death on the cross (Philippians 2:5-8), then rose in the glory of resurrection. Even Jesus passed through death to reach resurrection, implying the principle that our "old self must die" in order for us to experience the new birth. Peter, Paul, and countless believers in the early church went through this very process. Paul confesses in Galatians 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me." Once filled with self-righteousness and self-assured zeal, he encountered Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus and was utterly transformed. Pastor David Jang emphasizes that "only when we, like Paul, have genuinely died to ourselves and have Christ living in us does true regeneration become possible."
Judas stands as a prime example of someone who refused this dying process to the very end. Even though he followed Jesus closely for more than three years, witnessing His miracles and teachings firsthand, he never gave up his greed and selfishness. He once said, "Why this waste of perfume? This perfume could have been sold and the money given to the poor" (cf. John 12), speaking as though he cared about righteousness. But in reality, he was motivated by greed, especially since he was in charge of the money bag and was taking profits from it. His decision to sell Jesus for thirty pieces of silver plainly shows how much his soul was enslaved to personal desire. As a result, weighed down by guilt and despair, he chose the worst path-taking his own life.
Today, we must examine ourselves: Do we, like Peter, have a genuine experience of being born again? Or are we like Judas, appearing to know Jesus in our heads but never truly receiving His love and power into our inner being? Pastor David Jang observes that there are many people who, despite having been in church for a long time and holding various positions, still waver because their experience of being born again is not clear. "Outwardly, they seem Christian, but in reality they have no intimate fellowship with Jesus. When they sin, they don't immediately return to the Lord to repent and receive forgiveness. Instead, they become discouraged or try to hide their sin through hypocrisy, falling even deeper into a spiritual quagmire." That is why he repeatedly insists, "We must have a definite experience of being born again and truly know how deep and wide the Lord's love is."
The phrase "the Lord's love" may sound clichéd, but when we truly experience that love with our entire being, our souls cannot remain the same. When Peter wept bitterly in repentance, he realized the depth of his sin, but he also knew that the Lord would never give up on him. That realization gave him the strength to stand again. The reason there is a path back, even after betraying the Lord, is found in our belief that "the Lord still loves me." Judas could not believe in that love; he was crushed by his guilt and could not even repent. The same difference appears among Christians today. No matter how long you have attended church or how active you are in ministry, if you do not believe in His love and lack the boldness to run back into His arms, you can still end up walking the same path as Judas. On the other hand, if a person genuinely experiences regeneration and grasps the depth of the Lord's love, then even when they sin, they will quickly repent and "wash their feet," restoring their relationship with Him.
Pastor David Jang points out, "The issue is not sin itself, but how one responds after sinning. Because all human beings, ever since Adam's fall, have a sinful nature, even those reputed to have strong faith can fall. The crucial point is: do we remain in our fallen state, or do we turn back to the Lord, seeking forgiveness and a new life?" Hence the contrast between Peter and Judas shows how crucial the experience of new birth truly is. Those who have already bathed-those who have been fundamentally cleansed by the Lord's blood and love-"need only wash their feet," meaning when they sin, they need only repent and return quickly to the Lord. Yet those who have "not bathed," who have not experienced the Lord's love and have not surrendered themselves, risk taking a path of no return when confronted with sin. We should ask ourselves, "Have I truly encountered the Lord? Has His love so deeply penetrated my soul that my old self is dead and I am alive in Christ?" If not, no matter how long we have practiced religion, we could still end up like Judas. And to prevent that, we must remember, "If we only come back to Jesus, He will forgive any sin and make us new."
The core message presented by the contrast between Peter and Judas is that the decisive hinge in our faith is not outward religious behavior but whether or not we have been born again deep within-"whether we have been seized by the Lord's love, died to ourselves, and risen anew." Once we have experienced that new birth, we have the courage and strength to repent and return to the Lord, even after we have sinned. Without that experience of new birth, we are prone to go down the path of despair that Judas chose. Pastor David Jang goes so far as to say, "Whether or not we have been born again determines spiritual life or death." Thus, the vivid contrast between Peter and Judas is urgently relevant to us today. We must be wary of remaining in a merely formal religion, close to the church but lacking true regeneration. Instead, by truly accepting the Lord's love as our own-by bathing in that love-we can break every chain of sin and recover from any wound of betrayal through repentance. This, Pastor David Jang reminds us, is the path of "genuine regeneration" we should all pursue in our faith journey.
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2. The Reality of RegenerationAs previously mentioned, Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus in John 3 is of critical importance because it contains Jesus' own teaching on the necessity and essence of new birth. Jesus states unequivocally that "unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Here, "water baptism" and "Spirit baptism" are both required. Water baptism signifies God's justice in judging sin, His purification, and the human decision to repent, while Spirit baptism signifies the power of God that renews our hearts and minds from the inside out. Pastor David Jang teaches that "regeneration cannot be accomplished by human power. It is a miraculous event made possible only by God's grace and the power of the Holy Spirit."
In the Old Testament, water symbolized both cleansing and judgment. In Noah's time, the flood served as a means of judging humanity's sin while simultaneously marking a new beginning for the righteous Noah and his family. In the book of Exodus, the Red Sea event brought judgment upon the Egyptian army, who were drowned in the water, while the Israelites passed through those waters toward new freedom. This symbolic meaning appears again in the ministry of John the Baptist, who administered water baptism and cried out, "Bear fruit in keeping with repentance," declaring that "One is coming who will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire" (Matthew 3). This pointed ahead to Jesus, who would thoroughly cleanse our sins and cause us to be born again by the Holy Spirit.
How does this experience of "being born of water and the Spirit" actually occur in our lives? Pastor David Jang emphasizes that it starts with "genuine repentance and self-denial." Water baptism is an outward expression of acknowledging one's own sinfulness and making a decision to turn away from that path of sin toward righteousness. Hence, this process necessarily involves thorough repentance. Genuine repentance is not merely weeping out of guilt; it is recognizing "I am a sinner, and I will no longer choose the way of sin." That is what water baptism signifies. Indeed, when Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost after the Holy Spirit had come, he said, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (cf. Acts 2:38). Thus, water baptism (forgiveness of sin) and the gift of the Holy Spirit (Spirit baptism) are intimately connected.
Spirit baptism is the fundamental transformation that takes place deep within. The Holy Spirit is "the Spirit of truth" (John 14, 16). He guides us into all truth and helps reproduce the life and character of Jesus Christ in us. Pastor David Jang calls this "a reality in which the Lord's love is tangibly poured into me, changing me into someone completely different than before." To be born again is not merely believing on an intellectual level, "I accept Jesus as my Savior, so I'm saved." It is a transformation manifested in daily life-turning away from sin, practicing love, forsaking falsehood, and living according to truth. This is the practical meaning of being "born of water and the Spirit."
Why do so many people remain stuck in a dim understanding of regeneration while attending church? Pastor David Jang attributes this to "halfway repentance" or "incomplete understanding of the gospel." Some people feel briefly sorry for their sins, maybe shed a tear or two, but soon revert to their old ways. That is not true repentance, nor are they seeking the Holy Spirit's power. If water baptism symbolizes one's commitment to abandon sin, Spirit baptism is the divine power to actualize that commitment. Therefore, the completeness of the regeneration process requires both thorough repentance and a fervent longing for the Holy Spirit's help. We must set aside pride and self-will, crying out, "Lord, I don't have the strength to break free from this sin on my own. Only the Holy Spirit can work in me." When we pray this way, the Holy Spirit transforms our hearts, instilling a new desire to pursue holiness. Through this, we discover ourselves beginning to love those we previously couldn't love, to forgive situations we once found unforgivable, and to abandon deceitful words and actions in exchange for truth. These are genuine, practical changes.
Pastor David Jang underscores that "love" stands at the heart of truth and is the chief fruit of the Spirit's work. Just as Jesus summarized all the Law in love, those who are truly Spirit-filled become people of love. This transcends conditional, self-centered human affection, becoming the sacrificial, unconditional love exemplified by the Lord. Peter, who had once denied Jesus three times, found the courage to eventually go to the point of martyrdom because he was assured of the Lord's love. That love transformed his entire being. Judas never opened his heart to receive that love, and the weight of his sin ultimately caused him to condemn himself.
Regeneration is not a once-and-for-all experience automatically maintained for life; rather, it deepens through an ongoing process of resisting sin, repenting, and seeking the Spirit's guidance. Pastor David Jang stresses this point, saying, "Even after being born again, we remain vulnerable to sin and the devil's temptations in this world. But those who have experienced new birth know that they are now 'the Lord's own' and have the Holy Spirit within. When they do sin, they do not sink into despair like they used to; they repent and turn back at once, 'washing their feet' so that their relationship with the Lord is restored." Indeed, the Apostle John also writes, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). This demonstrates that the practice of repentance and receiving forgiveness continues in the life of a born-again believer. Those who have already "bathed" (been fundamentally cleansed) still pick up dust on their feet while walking through life, and they need only to wash those feet again and again. Jesus' words point to this dynamic relationship: even if those already saved become stained by sin, they must wash off that daily grime, and the Lord will never turn them away.
The most crucial point is that we trust in the Lord's love and forgiveness to the very end and keep returning to Him. Even Peter, despite committing a serious sin, relied on the Lord's love and overcame through repentance. Judas chose the path of thinking, "My sin is too great for the Lord to forgive," and could not turn back. However, the Lord's love far surpasses any limit we imagine. The Bible says, "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8), thus confirming His love. If He loved us enough to give His life, is there any sin powerful enough to break that love? Romans 8:38-39 contains Paul's famous declaration that neither death nor life nor any other created thing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. This is the greatest comfort and hope given to the regenerated believer.
Practically speaking, how can we cling to this love? Pastor David Jang highlights the importance of three practices: "meditating on the Word," "prayer," and "practicing love within the community." First, meditating on God's Word continually reminds us of the depth of His love. Scripture is a divine love letter, filled with the story of salvation revealed in Jesus Christ. Keeping in mind the sacrifice of the Lord on the cross-for us sinners-is central to maintaining and cultivating our post-regeneration life. Second, prayer is how we commune with the Holy Spirit, daily asking for help in crucifying our old self and developing the Lord's character. The Holy Spirit, as the Spirit of truth, assists us in our weaknesses and empowers us to overcome sin and live out love when we pray. Third, practicing genuine love in the church community puts the fruit of regeneration into action. Peter, Paul, and many others in the early church grew stronger by sharing the Word, encouraging one another, and praying together, eventually taking the gospel to the ends of the earth. When someone tries to live out their faith alone or by their own strength, it becomes much easier for them to yield to temptation. If they fall, they struggle to stand again. Hence, we must value the community God has given us, love one another, and grow together.
Certainly, even after we are born again, we can still sin because of our human frailty. Yet the assurance of regeneration tells us that "we are no longer prisoners of Satan and can repent, receive forgiveness, and start anew in the Lord." That is what set Peter apart from Judas. Though both sinned grievously, Peter returned because he trusted the Lord's love. Judas did not trust that love, so he never came back. Pastor David Jang explains that this is the clear dividing line between those who have truly encountered God's love and those who haven't. Indeed, in church, we sometimes see people who, after committing a major sin, never return and give up their faith entirely. However, those who have genuinely experienced new birth and have the Lord's love firmly inscribed on their hearts do not remain collapsed. Even after a great fall, they rise again with an even stronger faith, having tasted firsthand the grace of forgiveness and the Lord's mercy and kindness.
Thus, "being born of water and the Spirit" is not merely an abstract doctrine or a formal religious rite; it is a powerful event that truly transforms our entire life. Once we hated and resented others, but now we can forgive them. Once we were driven by worldly ambitions and wealth, but such things no longer define our goals. Once we lived selfishly, but now sacrificial love takes its place in our hearts. Most of all, even when we sin, the knowledge that we can immediately repent and be forgiven in Christ sustains us. We realize that the path back is always open.
Pastor David Jang repeatedly states that "only the one who has died completely before God can truly live again." There can be no resurrection without the cross. We humans do not willingly let go of ourselves; we try to solve everything by our own power. But when we genuinely surrender to the Lord, declaring, "I am nothing-only You can make me new," the Holy Spirit begins to work, recreating us as new creatures. Gradually, our old self-centered desires and sinful habits are broken, and we experience the joy of walking with the Lord in truth. Meanwhile, even after regeneration, we may still stumble. Yet whenever that happens, we can undergo the "washing of our feet" through repentance, renewing our relationship with the Lord each time.
In the end, both the contrast of Judas and Peter, and Jesus' dialogue with Nicodemus in John 3, along with Paul's dramatic conversion, all show us one unchanging truth: "Humans are weak and inevitably sin, but when the Lord's love and the power of the Holy Spirit dwell in us, we can be born again and always have a way back from sin." This is the gospel and the true significance of regeneration. When we walk this path, we are no longer slaves of sin but become God's children, filled with freedom and joy, holding the eternal hope that comes from the Lord.
Pastor David Jang concludes: "Ultimately, everything comes down to love. The love revealed to us at the cross leads us to repentance and renews us. When that love becomes ours-when it begins to transform us at the deepest level of our being-that is what we call being born again." Even if we are stained by sin, failure, or discouragement, if we do not reject the Lord's love, we can always get back up. Being "born of water and the Spirit" means our old self has been crucified, and now Christ lives in us. Through that reality, we continually "wash our feet" as we face sin, restoring our fellowship with the Lord time and time again.
To summarize, the true experience of regeneration, as revealed in John 3 and many other biblical passages, centers on Jesus' teaching that we "must be born of water and the Spirit." Water baptism signifies God's judgment on sin and our cleansing, and Spirit baptism symbolizes His power to transform us from within. When these two factors operate together, we truly experience the reality of regeneration, receiving boldness to follow the Lord like Peter and to undergo genuine repentance and restoration after we fail. By remembering the example of Judas, we know we must abide in the Lord's love, let that love wash over us, and remain in it so as not to choose his path. This is what Pastor David Jang calls the "authentic experience of being born again," and it is the journey of faith we should all pursue.
Combining the lessons from the contrast between Peter and Judas and from "being born of water and the Spirit" in John 3, we see that the essence of faith ultimately rests on the question: "Have I truly received the Lord's love, denied myself, and been reborn in Jesus Christ?" If the answer is yes, then whenever we stumble, we repent and find forgiveness from the Lord, growing into a more mature faith. We are weak, but the Lord's love and the Holy Spirit's power are perfect. Living in that perfection means that "there is now no condemnation" for us (Rom. 8:1), and no force can ever separate us from the love of Christ (Rom. 8:38-39). That was the essential difference between Peter and Judas, and it is the crucial point for us today.
Through all of this, Pastor David Jang urges us to "enter deeply into the Lord's amazing love and experience the complete death of our old selves, followed by a rebirth in Christ." Once we have undergone that rebirth, even if we face failure or despair, we can return to the Lord as Peter did, instead of falling like Judas. We can walk the path of faith that rises again and again, upheld by repentance and renewal.
