When people are asked who told them they received salvation, and the only response they can give is to quote scripture passages, it’s just very sad, for that person thinks there is salvation in the scriptures, or that the scriptures can tell an individual that he is saved.
The Pharisees thought the same thing—that their salvation was in the scriptures. But, Yahoshua the Messiah rebuked them for that false belief in John 5:39. He said that they searched the scriptures because in them they THINK they have eternal life, but the scriptures testify of Him—they don’t tell any person that he’s born again, for they cannot.
In 2 Timothy 3:16-17, we’re shown that the scriptures provide valuable instruction for those who have the Holy Spirit (the “man of Yah” is the person who is already born again). 1 Corinthians 2:14 tells us that the things of the Spirit (and, scripture was inspired by Him) will not be understood apart from Him. And, in Luke 24:45, we see the disciples knew the words of scripture, but they didn’t understand their meanings until He opened their eyes.
So, one who has not received the Spirit (born again) cannot be told by any scripture that HE is born again. Only those who are TOLD by the Holy Spirit that they are Yah’s children are born again. And then, the scriptures can instruct that person, with the illumination of the Holy Spirit into His truths. The scriptures cannot declare that a person is born again.
To believe that one can be born again by reading the scriptures is to believe that reading a biology book can get a girl pregnant.
For more information: Circumcision and Spiritual Reproduction