Jesus answered [Nicodemus], “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.’ –John 3:3-7 (ESV)
There was a popular saying among Evangelicals in the 1970’s. It made people think hard about their commitment to their faith. I can’t remember the exact wording but it was along these lines:
If being a Christian was a crime, could enough evidence be found to successfully prosecute you?
To answer this challenging question honestly we would all need to take a deep dive into our souls, reviewing our activities, speech, and habits.
A New Creation In Christ
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. –2Corinthians 5:17
I suppose the first step in this process would be to determine if there was ever a moment in time when you consciously decided to believe in and follow Jesus Christ as your Lord, Redeemer, and God. This will help you realize whether you are a Christ-follower or not. If you do remember such a day, can you now look back and see a definitive change between then and who you are today? If not, you have either “back-slidden” or never began your walk with Jesus in the first place.
If you have only given mental ascent to the idea of Jesus but have not made it your goal to live your life in obedience to him, then you have a good reason to fear. You are still lost. And with your eternal destiny hanging in the balance that is a precarious position to find yourself.
What About Repentance?
From then on, Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, because the kingdom from heaven is near!” –Jesus (Matthew 4:17)
Being “born again” signifies a transformation from a fallen state to a state of righteousness. It is seen as essential for all individuals, regardless of their background, age, ethnicity, or economic status to inherit the kingdom of God. This transformation involves sincere repentance and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
- Faith: Believing that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh who came to Earth to redeem fallen mankind from its sins and restore their broken union with God the Father.
- Repentance: A. Confession, B. Belief, and C. Acceptance. A) Confessing that you are a sinner and that all of the good works you may perform will never be enough to change the death sentence hanging over your head. B) Believing that what Jesus accomplished on the cross was the only solution for ridding you of your sin. C) Accepting God’s FREE GIFT of forgiveness based on Jesus paying for your sins with his innocent life. And then turning away from your sinful life. Repentance means to have a change of mind and to change the direction in which you have been going up to this point in your life.
- Baptism: Baptism, in itself is not a free ticket into Heaven. It comes after your rebirth and is a public declaration of your faith in Jesus Christ. Your submersion into the water represents your old sinful self being buried; your coming up out of the water symbolizes your resurrection from the dead as a new creation in Christ. Infant baptism is merely a Christening, a pledge by the parents to raise their child in the Faith. Baptism is an act of the will by a person in possession of all of their faculties making a declaration of faith in Jesus. “Therefore, as you go, disciple people in all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit teaching them to obey everything that I’ve commanded you.” –Jesus (Matthew 28:20)
- Spiritual Growth: An ongoing transformation in one’s walk with Christ. A journey that never ends. Contrary to popular assumption, eternity for the believer begins at the moment of rebirth by the Holy Spirit–not the moment you experience physical death.
Conclusion
In summary, being “born again” is a foundational doctrine in Christianity that emphasizes the necessity of spiritual renewal and a personal connection with Jesus Christ through complete faith in who he says he is and what he accomplished for mankind through his sinless life, his substitutionary death on the cross, and his resurrection from the dead.
When you are born again you become a child of God, a co-heir with Jesus Christ (wrap your brain around that Biblical truth), and no longer are you a slave to sin–for the first time in your life you can choose not to sin. You slowly and progressively begin to see life from God’s perspective. And one day you will look back at how far you have come from that eventful day that you said, “Yes” to Jesus Christ. Then when you exhale your last breath on Earth, you inhale your first breath in the Kingdom of God.
“We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” –The Apostle Paul (2Corinthians 5:8)
Your relationship with Jesus IS the most important decision you will ever make in your life here on Earth. Remember, there is no parole policy in Hell. The only similarity between Heaven and Hell is that they are both real locations. Do you really want to leave it all to chance? Hell is mankind’s default destination. Only a saving relationship with Jesus can change that.
God bless.