Christians- What does it mean to be born again?

Answer 1

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 and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:1- 3).

Hi there.

What does it mean to be born again ?

Objectively, to be "born again" is to pass through a process by which one is enabled to perceive spiritual matters. In particular, matters relating to God's kingdom, as the aforementioned quote from the gospel account of John shows.

John 3:5 records the Lord Jesus Christ as having said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God."

Therefore, the process of being "born again" must occur in the life of any person who would gain entrance into God's eternal kingdom. The Lord Jesus stated that this procedure consisted of being "born of water and the Spirit", but what exactly does that mean ?

Being born of water pertains to an individual undergoing a spiritual cleansing process by means of hearing the word of God, specifically, what the Bible refers to as "the gospel" (a good message) concerning the Son of God, Jesus Christ. This "good message" incorporates the truth of Christ's sin - atoning death, His subsequent resurrection from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:3 & 4), and forgiveness of sins and eternal life through faith in His name (John 3:16, Acts 10:43). When this message is heard and mixed with God - given faith in it by the hearer (Romans 10:17, Ephesians 2:8), it results in spiritual transformation within that person, accompanied by appropriate repentance from the sinful life (Acts 2:14 - 47).

That being "born of water" refers to spiritual cleansing of sinners through faith in God's word is supported by the Bible. Ephesians 5:25 & 26 says, "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify her with THE WASHING OF WATER BY THE WORD" (caps for emphasis).

John 15:3 - "You are already clean BECAUSE OF THE WORD WHICH I HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU". The words here of the Lord Jesus to His disciples were spoken prior to Pentecost and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, so it can be argued that technically, the disciples were not "born again" as such. However, the association between the hearing of the word of God (mixed with faith) & spiritual cleansing is clear.

Please also consider James 1:18 and 1 Peter 1:23 regarding the relationship between hearing God's message and the "new birth".

Being "born of the Spirit" refers to the work of the Holy Spirit of God in enabling those who hear God's word concerning Christ to respond positively to it, believing that Jesus was crucified to pay the penalty for their sin, rose from the dead and that they can possess God's free gift of forgiveness & eternal life through faith in Him. It is the task of the Holy Spirit - in conjunction with the proclamation of the gospel - to enable sinners to both understand & receive God's message and to spiritually regenerate human beings who were previously in a condition of spiritual blindness, rebellion towards, and separation from God.

This work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a sinner is initiated by God (John 6:44), the spiritually dead objects of His grace & mercy being chosen by Him from before the beginning of the world (Ephesians 1:4), and is based not upon anything meritorious within (or without) that object, but is purely according to God's own purpose (Titus 3:5).

As 2 Timothy 1:9 clearly states - "(God) has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to HIS OWN PURPOSE AND GRACE WHICH WAS GIVEN TO US in Christ Jesus BEFORE TIME BEGAN".

Please consider in particular -

Jesus words in John 6:44 - "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day". This very clearly shows that it is God enables the sinner to respond to the gospel.

Also -

"But as many as received (Jesus), to them HE GAVE THE RIGHT TO BECOME CHILDREN OF GOD, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, NOR OF THE WILL OF MAN, BUT OF GOD." (John 1:12 & 13).

Therefore, the scripture proves that being "born again" (lit. "born from above") is a work of God from start to finish. God chooses, God calls, God enables the spiritually dead sinner to respond positively by the working of the Holy Spirit.

The following comments by Bible teacher John MacArthur are helpful, I think -

"You can't cause your own (physical) birth. You show up because of choices and decisions made by someone other than you. I was born into this world with no contributuion to that - fact. And that is the very reality that our Lord uses to refer to the new birth. It is a being born again. We have no power to do that. And Jesus said that - I love that in John 3 - this is another key passage. Nicodemus comes to Jesus and he says what do I do to receive eternal life... And Jesus answers - not this - He doesn't say well here are the three steps to being born again - pray this prayer, say these words, bow your head - He doesn't say that. You know what He says ? It's astonishing what He says - Well, the Holy Spirit is like the wind. He blows where He will and you hear the sound of it, but you don't know where it comes from or where it's going. And His answers is, Nicodemus, that's the work of the Holy Spirit. And He comes when he will and He does what he will when he wills."

The Bible says that Isaac was the child promised to Abraham & his barren wife Sarah, by God. He was the product of God's predetermined will, unlike Ishmael, who was a product of human invention & effort. Interestingly, God sovereignly allowed the birth of Ishmael, but with what consequences ! How many well - intentioned Christians - like Abraham & Sarah - have sought to "help God out" in building His church through mere human invention & effort, rather than the operation of the Spirit through the faithful preaching of the TRUE gospel ? How many Ishmael's, children of the flesh, have been "birthed" among the professing church down the centuries ? And what have been the consequences of that, I wonder ? Still, God is the God of Romans 8:28 & 11:33 - 36...

What does it mean to be "born again" SUBJECTIVELY ?

Where there was once enmity between the sinner and his creator, he now has assurance of an intimate relationship with God as Father - Romans 8:16.

By the internal working of the Holy Spirit, the newborn believer experiences an increased manifestation of characteristics more pleasing to God - Galatians 5:22 & 23.

The new believer is enabled to understand matters relating to God & His kingdom in increasing measure (in principle, at least), unlike the unconverted, "natural" person who considers them foolishness - 1 Corinthians 2:10 - 16.

Being made spiritually alive, there now exists within the believer a capacity to love, worship and serve God from the heart, as opposed to participating in dead, external, religious ritualism -John 4:14, 21 - 24, Romans 7:6.

There now exists within the newborn Christian a very real expectation & assurance of resurrection and eternal life to come after death - 2 Corinthians 4:17 & 18, 5:1 - 7.

On a personal note, I would like to say that I have found all of the above to be realities in my life (in varying degrees) since I accepted Jesus Christ as my Saviour and Lord. Although I still struggle with sin (Galatians 5:17), I know that the inner transformation wrought in me by God is very real. God has opened my eyes to the spiritual reality of His kingdom & I really am a different person from how I used to be - born again.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." - 2 Corinthians 5:17 on the new birth.

Blessings.

Answer 2

The Bible says that all human beings have sinned (done wrong) and fallen short of God's laws. Jesus Christ, God's Son, came and paid the penalty for our sin. When we recognize that we are wrongdoers and breakers of God's laws and we confess that we have done wrong, repent (turn from sin and toward God) and ask God's forgiveness because of what Jesus Christ has done; then God forgives us and accepts us into God's family. God gives us the Holy Spirit to live in us to empower us to do good and to follow God.

We become new creatures and are born again by the Holy Spirit. The gift to us of the Holy Spirit is also a downpayment - an agreement by God that we now belong to God's family and one day (in eternity) we will receive all that God has promised us in Scripture, such as everlasting life in a new earth where there is justice; where there will be no more tears or sorrow etc.

So being born again is a spiritual birth, not a physical one.

Hope this helps.

Answer 3

It means that we are to be born of the Spirit. We have already been born in the natural, but once we accept Jesus then we are to be born again. This is where baptism comes in. Baptism is an outward expression of an inward change. We go down in the water, like Jesus' burial and risen, like Jesus was risen from the dead.

Answer 4

To be born again, means to be born spiritually. You were already born physically but we tend to neglect our spiritual self because you buy into this world's system of beliefs. You heard of the world, the flesh and the devil. To be born again means to turn away from all that, to change your mind and heart, and seek the things of God who created you. Our spirit needs God and we need to have fellowship with Him for our own good. Some of us realize this and others will not. They will continue to put their trust in man and his limited knowledge about the whys and wherefors. We were created for God's good pleasure.

Answer 5

it means to be born of the Spirit. means you put your old life down to follow Jesus and He gives you a new life. One that no longer likes to live in sin and wants to do things your own way but His way which always leads to better results anyway.

Answer 6

It means you constantly annoy, preach to & berate people with your obnoxious, cultish, new-found zeal. Then you tell them they're going to rot in hell for all eternity if they don't convert to Christianity. Most of this time, this is executed on a street corner, standing on a crate, sweating profusely with eyeballs protruding from their sockets.

Answer 7

reborn! ha ha


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