I am thankful for your question. In fact, you are asking the most important question there is. Jesus is saying that not only must you be born physically, but we must also be born spiritually. Our spirit or soul is dead as the result of our sins. No good works or religion will make our spirits come alive since we cannot take away our sins. Only the blood of Jesus can wash away our sins.
A born-again Christian is someone who has repented of their sins and turned to Christ for their salvation, and as a result has become part of God's family forever. All this takes place as God's Spirit works in our lives.
You see, by nature we aren't members of God's family, and we don't have any right to inherit eternal life. The reason is because of our sin. We have rebelled against God, and because of that, the Bible says, we are "separated from the life of God ... due to the hardening of (our) hearts" (Ephesians 4:18). No, you may not see yourself as a bad person (and you probably aren't)—but in God's eyes even one sin is enough to keep you out of heaven.
But Jesus Christ came to save us and to make us part of His family forever! He did this by dying for our sins on the cross and by conquering death through His resurrection. You see, as a human being you were born into a family—and nothing can ever change that. But when we come to Christ we are spiritually reborn into another family—the family of God. The Bible says to Christ's followers, "You have been born again ... through the living and enduring word of God" (1 Peter 1:23).
My prayer is that you too may be born again and become part of God's family. By a simple prayer of faith, tell God that you know you are a sinner, and you are sorry for your sins. Then ask Christ to come into your life and save you. When you do, God will come to live within you by His Spirit, and you will be born again.
2006-11-21 23:51:55
·
answer #1
·
answered by Anonymous
·
0⤊
0⤋
Here Jesus is attempting to explain to Nicodemus that he has already experienced being born of water (physical birth) and now he must be born from above (spiritual birth) because flesh and blood can not inherit the kingdom of heaven because it has sin in it. When we are conceived and born physically we inherited original sin which is a corruption of the flesh and is the condition which was passed on by Adam to all men. Some will attempt to tell you that the Born of water relates to baptism which it doesn't as baptism comes only after a profession of Faith in Jesus (saved) and is a requirement of the Lord before the service of the believer is acceptable to God as outside of baptism service is not acceptable to the Lord. Baptism is not essential to salvation either as the dieing thief was not baptized yet he inherited eternal life. Jesus found it necessary to explain many things in parables . A parable is an heavenly story using earthly illustrations as this was the only way he could make people understand
2006-11-22 03:21:27
·
answer #2
·
answered by mandbturner3699 5
·
0⤊
0⤋
The water signifies purity and life, and Spirit is God and His idea, Christ.
Jesus was saying that as you think in your heart, so are you. Believing that you are a creature of flesh, opens the door to all ungodly and fleshly lusts. Understanding your spiritual nature as a son or daughter of God, closes the door on the seeming power of flesh, and the old man passes away from us. Not to be astonished was a way of letting humans know that He was “just” telling the truth, and not some weird doctrine so foreign to us that we could not understand. To be born from above is to realize and demonstrate truth on earth, which bears witness to your understanding and progress.
2006-11-22 03:05:33
·
answer #3
·
answered by ? 6
·
0⤊
0⤋
Jesus is saying that you have to be born again to enter God's kingdom ie to be part of God's family and enjoy His blessings and protection. To be born of the Spirit you have to confess Jesus Christ as your Savior and believe in your heart that God raise Jesus from the dead. Then you are born again ie become a child of God and the Holy Spirit comes and lives inside of you as His holy temple. Then you should attend church to get all the training and help you can to live an abundant life as Jesus promised. This is the good news.
2006-11-22 02:43:18
·
answer #4
·
answered by seekfind 6
·
1⤊
0⤋
Jesus was a Nasorean...purification by water (similar to modern baptism in Christianity and the ritual washing before prayer in Islam) was a major part of their Spirituality...such a major part that it led to the term "fisher of men" as the Nasoreans were derogatorily referred to as fishes. It may also be the basis of the "Jesus Fish", although no direct proof is available.
2006-11-22 02:37:50
·
answer #5
·
answered by Shihfu Mike Evans 4
·
0⤊
0⤋
You must be born again and be baptized to enter the kingdom of God.
If you only live for things of flesh and earth, thats all you'll get (some money).
If you strive for spritual goals, you will be rewarded with spiritual gifts (Heaven, enlightenment, a new heart).
thats my interpretation, thanks for listening
David
2006-11-22 02:33:32
·
answer #6
·
answered by Anonymous
·
0⤊
0⤋
He means you must allow you spirit to be born after your body was born.
In the first birth you didn't have choice, but in your second birth of the spirit, you can choose whether to remain ignorant or to be informed.
Walk in the Light.
2006-11-22 02:37:04
·
answer #7
·
answered by a_phantoms_rose 7
·
1⤊
0⤋
In order for you to be forgiven of your sins you must be baptized. You must strip off that old personality and turn your life around and no longer liver for you but live for Jehovah. And in order to attain everlasting life in God's new world you must be baptized.
But say you didn't get a chance to do this because you didn't know what God required of you, God reads hearts and his judgement concerning you is up to him.
2006-11-22 07:57:38
·
answer #8
·
answered by Anonymous
·
0⤊
0⤋
Jesus is claiming to be God. Infact He is God and who so ever belevies in him as God and personal Lord and Savior, will be able to enter the King dom of God. If you belevie in Jesus Christ as God, then only you can be conected to God the Father and God the Holy Spirit.
2006-11-22 02:41:32
·
answer #9
·
answered by shauncey007 1
·
1⤊
0⤋
he's saying you have to be born again spiritually to enter the kindom of heaven. being born of the flesh means your actual birth....from your mom
2006-11-22 02:33:55
·
answer #10
·
answered by ♥chiodosluv♥ 2
·
2⤊
0⤋