YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN

       

If you’ve ever had a discussion with a Christian about faith, you most likely have heard the expression “born again.” Did you understand it? Being born again is a very important expression of how one becomes a Christian. Jesus was the first person to use and explain it (see John 3:3).

You might be wondering how a man can be born again. You are not alone in that quandary; Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader, had the same question for Jesus. These were Nicodemus’ exact words, “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?” (John 3:4). Jesus responded and explained that being born again is a spiritual experience that results in spiritual life, and not in physical life (see John 3:5). It is an experience that makes one a child of God, being removed from the devil’s kingdom of darkness and placed in God’s kingdom of light. The process cannot be explained, but once it is experienced, the accompanying evidence is obvious, both to the individual and to on-lookers.

Jesus continued His explanation by saying, “Everyone who believes in him {Jesus} will have eternal life” (John 3:15 NLT). So, you see, believing in Jesus, the Son of God, who died in your place, is how to be born again, and that starts you on the path to eternal life. As Jesus stated, “This is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

The resulting change is from the inside out; the individual experiences peace and joy like never before. The assurance of sins forgiven and the hope of eternal life in heaven with God are liberating.

Being born again is the start of a new way of living, as prescribed by God, and found in His Word, the Bible. How do we know the Bible is the Word of God? First, we need to know how it came to be. “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Second, we get to put the Word to the test ourselves, and I can assure you, it has never failed, and never will! When the Jews had trouble believing in Jesus, He said to them, “Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own” (John 7:17).

Communication is the key to thriving relationships. In your new-found relationship with the Father, you’ll need to communicate often, and it has to flow both ways. Talk to God through prayers and allow God to speak to you through the Bible. Obeying what you read brings about the renewal of your mind; that leads to your gradual transformation into the image of God, which is holiness. God says, “You must be holy because I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16). The only way to holiness is to allow the Word of God to change you.

In addition, look for a church where the gospel is preached in truth, and fellowship with other Christians to help you grow in your faith. The Scripture instructs us to do just that. “Let us not neglect our assembling together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near” (Hebrews 10:25).

Dear reader, please take this issue seriously-you must be born again if you care what happens to you after you die!  

 

 

All quotes are from the New Living Translation (NLT).