We Must be Born Again

John 3:1-12 ESV

“Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.’ Jesus answered him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?’ Jesus answered, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, “You must be born again.” The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.’

“Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can these things be?’ Jesus answered him, ‘Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?’”

So, what does it mean to be “born again”? Well, the first time we are born is by physical birth. But to be “born again” is a spiritual birth. The first time we were born we were born in sin, with sin natures, in the image of Adam, who was the first man to sin against God. Yet when we are born again, we are now born into the likeness of Jesus Christ with spiritual natures. But first we must be crucified and buried with Christ in death to sin so that we can be raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness, no longer to live as slaves to sin.

[Romans 3:9-26; Romans 5:12-19; 1 Corinthians 15:21-22,42-49; Ephesians 2:8-10; Romans 6:1-23; Ephesians 4:17-24]

Now, I believe there are some misconceptions being taught here by some people based off faulty interpretations of this passage, largely because they are not reading the passage in its context. For Jesus was clearly contrasting physical birth with spiritual birth. And when we are born of our mothers, we are born of water. The water breaks and then the baby is born. There is absolutely no cause to bring water baptism into this passage of Scripture, for it does not fit the context. Verse 4 speaks of being born of a mother’s womb, and Jesus then said we have to be born of water and the Spirit.

And then Jesus continued by contrasting physical and spiritual birth again. The first time we are born, we are born of flesh. But when we are “born again,” we are born of the Spirit, again, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. By faith in Jesus Christ we die with him to sin that we might live to him and to his righteousness. The old self was put to death in order that we might no longer be enslaved to sin but now to live as slaves to God and to his righteousness. So sin should no longer be what rules our lives. God/Christ should now be the one to rule our lives.

Nicodemus didn’t understand what Jesus was saying, though, and many people professing faith in Jesus Christ don’t understand what it means to be “born again,” either. They think if they profess faith in Jesus Christ that it means they have been “born again” and that it now guarantees them heaven when they die and full forgiveness of all sin regardless of how they live. But to be born again means dying to the old life, by faith in Christ, and then raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer as slaves to sin but as slaves to God and to his righteousness (Romans 6:1-23).

So, the new life, the “born again” life, is not to look just like the old life, which is the one born of the flesh, born of woman. It is to be opposite of that with regard to flesh and Spirit. Although we still live in flesh bodies, and we are still tempted to sin, sin is no longer to be what we practice, our habit. Now righteousness and obedience to our Lord are to be what we practice. We don’t put on new garments over top of the old ratty garments we are wearing, for the ones closest to our hearts are still the old ratty garments. So the new garments become just for show, to look good on the outside.

Thus, “born again” is not some status we wear while we still live in our old ratty garments, still doing the same old stuff we did before we were “born again.” Now I am not saying we will become instantly perfect, for not one of us will be absolutely perfect until we get to heaven, provided we do go to heaven and not to hell. But the Scriptures teach that “born again” means a new life in Christ, which is a changed life, with a new mind, and a changed heart, which is not like the old life. Now we walk (in conduct, in practice) according to the Spirit and no longer according to the flesh.

For Jesus said that unless we are born again, of the Spirit, we cannot see the kingdom of God; we cannot enter the kingdom of God. And Jesus made that more clear when he said in Matthew 7:21-23 that not everyone who says to him, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one DOING the will of God the Father in heaven. For many will stand before God on the day of judgment claiming him as Lord, and their deeds they believed they did in his name, and he is going to say to them, “I never knew you. Depart from me you workers of lawlessness,” because they refused to obey the Lord.

[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15] 

When I Go Home

By G. M. Eldridge

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes…” Revelation 21:4

In the moment He appears

And the light from heaven shines,

I’ll forget ev’ry fear,

Ev’ry pain I’ll leave behind.

Then I’ll see Him as He is

And I’ll know Him as I’m known.

Ev’ry tear wiped away when I go home.

Ever present is the tho’t 

That a moment waits for me

When unworthy as I am,

His glory I will see.

I will empty all my praise

Before my Father’s throne.

Ev’ry tear wiped away when I go home.

If the trial I endure,

And your presence I can’t find,

Be near me, Lord, I pray,

Bring back unto my mind

That your promises are firm

And I’m never on my own.

Ev’ry tear wiped away when I go home.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z98Zvr1CyXg 

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