A woman in labor is in pain because her time has come; but no sooner is the child born, than she forgets her trouble in her joy that a man has been born into the world.

"How can a man," asked Nicodemus, "be born when he is old? Can he be born a second time?"

This means that it is not the children born in the course of nature who are God's Children, but it is the children born in fulfillment of the Promise who are to be regarded as Abraham's descendants.

But, when the full time came, God sent his Son--born a woman's child, born subject to Law--

But the child of the slave-woman was born in the course of nature, while the child of the free woman was born in fulfillment of a promise.

Yet at that time the child born in the course of nature persecuted the child born by the power of the Spirit; and it is the same now.

"So you are a King after all!" exclaimed Pilate. "Yes, it is true I am a King," answered Jesus. "I was born for this, I have come into the world for this--to bear testimony to the Truth. Every one who is on the side of Truth listens to my voice."

For we know that if our tent--that earthly body which is now our home--is taken down, we have a house of God's building, a home not made by hands, imperishable, in Heaven.

Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, while our home is in the body, we are absent from our home with the Lord.

And in this confidence we would gladly leave our home in the body, and make our home with the Lord.

Therefore, whether in our home or absent from our home, our one ambition is to please him.