What Does It Mean To Be Born Again?
This term first appears in the Bible in John chapter three... Read GOD's Word
"There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again." -John 3:1-7
To understand this Biblical term, it is necessary to understand that there are TWO BIRTHS. The "first" birth is the PHYSICAL BIRTH when you were born into this world from your mother and father. When the Bible speaks of being "born of water," it is speaking about the physical birth (NOT baptism). The "second" birth is a SPIRITUAL BIRTH, which means to be born of the "Spirit" (God's Holy Spirit). This raises a couple of questions: Why does a person need to be born spiritually?...and, What is a "spiritual" birth?
The Bible teaches that man is created in the image of God. God manifests Himself to mankind in the Persons of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Likewise, mankind is composed of a body, soul, and spirit. Our body is the "tent" you could say of the soul and spirit (the body is a temporary dwelling place). Our soul is composed of the heart (to feel), the mind (to think), and the will (to decide). Our spirit is dead in sin when we are born; that is, we are born void of God. No person is ever born with God. The only exception is the Lord Jesus Christ Who came as God in the flesh (1st Timothy 3:16). Our spirit is dead in trespasses and sin the Bible says...
"And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:" -Ephesians 2:1,2
The unsaved person cannot understand God...
"But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." -1st Corinthians 2:14
The reason why you need to be "spiritually" born is because you have never been spiritually born to begin with. So when the Bible speaks of being "born again," it actually means "born for the second time." You were born physically into this world, but you were born without the Spirit of God in your soul (spiritually dead). Yes, God created you, but He gave you a freewill to decide for yourself where you will spend eternity. God never forces anyone to accept Christ as their Saviour, He simply offers a warm invitation to anyone who wants to have their sins forgiven and go to heaven. Salvation is a free gift paid for by the shed blood of Jesus Christ, but we must accept it or it WILL be forever forfeited when we leave this world (die).
To be "spiritually" born means that God's Holy Spirit "quickens" (or makes alive) your dead spirit. When you invite the Lord Jesus Christ into your heart, asking Him to forgive all your sins, then God the Father and God the Son come into your heart in the form of God the Holy Spirit (John 14:23). The "Holy Spirit" is "God with us."
I have God living in my soul, the Holy Spirit of God. I am not God, but I have God living in my heart. The Holy Spirit of God guides me, comforts me, teaches me, rebukes me, chastises me, convicts me, encourages me, empowers me, loves me, strengthens me, and so much more. The Holy Spirit of God uses the Word of God to do these things. This is why it is critically important for every believer to live in their Bible (and make sure you have a reliable Bible, I only use the King James, not the "new" King James either!). A person cannot understand the Bible without the presence of the Author...God is the Author. When you become born again (or born for the second time), then God will come into your heart (never to leave -Hebrews 13:5) and you will understand many new things for the first time in your life...
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." -2nd Corinthians 5:17
It is ONLY through the Precious Word of God that anyone can be born-again! The second birth is very different from the first birth. Surely, no one can born into this world again physically...there is no turning back the hands of time. However, you most certainly can be born again spiritually into God's family through the Spirit of Christ ("But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his " -Romans 8:9). The way we become "born again" is found in the Word of God...
"Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever." -1st Peter 1:23
We are born again by the Word of God. Jesus is the Word of God (John 1:1,14: Revelation 19:13). The following statement sums it up pretty good...
If you're born once, then you die TWICE; If you're born twice, then you die ONCE.
If you don't invite Jesus Christ into your heart and become a born again Christian, then you will burn in hell-fire for all eternity (John 3:18, 36; Revelation 20:15; 21:8).
The GOOD NEWS (the gospel) is that it is very EASY to partake of the second birth, the spiritual birth. God came down to this earth 2,000 years ago and took upon Him the form of a man, that man was the Lord Jesus Christ (1st Timothy 3:16). Literally, the Godhead became incarnate (Colossians 2:9). Jesus was born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14). Jesus never sinned one time (2nd Corinthians 5:21). Jesus died, was buried and rose again after three days (1st Corinthians 15:1-4). Jesus shed His blood for our many sins (Colossians 1:14).
There are a few things you must know to be saved:
1. You are a sinner (Romans 3:10,23).
2. You deserve to go to hell to pay for your sins (Romans 6:23; Revelation 21:8).
3. Jesus Christ, God in the flesh (God's Son), died upon the cross to pay for your sins (John 3:16-18; Romans 5:8).
If you believe that Jesus is the Saviour (the Christ) Who paid for your sins, and you realize your sinful condition enough to see your need for a Saviour, then you are ready to be born again. All that remains for you to do is to personally ask Jesus Christ to forgive your sins and to come into your heart as your own personal Saviour.
Romans 10:9,10
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.