"[Nicodemus] came to Jesus by night and said to [Jesus], '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.'” (John 3:2-3 ESV)
After reading today's entry you will walk away encouraged, convicted, or angry. All I ask that you please read the entire entry before tossing it aside.
The term "born again" has been criticized and scoffed at since Jesus first said it to Nicodemus. Nicodemus replied to Jesus saying, "How can a man go back into his mother's womb?" because didn't understand the significance of what Jesus just said to him. Even most of the world today doesn't understand what it means to be "born again". Some people make the term "born again" a derogatory term. They use it to put down and make fun of Christians. We must be encouraged when talked to this way even in the worst circumstance because Jesus said that the world will persecute us because it hates Jesus. Those who haven't been born again are enemies of God and Christians; you can see it in their words and actions towards us. The Bible says that even though they are our spiritual enemies we are to show love to then and turn the other cheek. We have to remember that they don't understand the things of the God or the Bible because they aren't born again. Do not be hostile to those who show hostility to you, but instead show them love.. the love that has been shown to you through the Savior. Now some even use an excuse to side-step being born again. They say "If God made me this way, why should I live any other way?". This excuse comes from a love of sin and a misunderstanding of the inherent sin of humanity. Since the time Adam and Eve sinned, all of humanity inherited a sinful nature that is in complete opposition to God in all of its will and desire. There is not one person (except for Jesus) who hasn't been born without a sinful nature. So to say that they were born with sinful desires because God made them that way is a false statement. They were born that way because sin made them that way. It is my personal belief that everyone is born not only with a sinful nature but a sinful nature that is prone to certain sins: lies, theft, lust, sex, homosexuality, envy, hatred, murder, lewdness, rebellion, and the list goes on. Our sinful nature is putrid to God. It is of the utmost stench and depravity to Him. This is why we must be born again. Those who do not understand the gravity of their sin only view being "born again" as mechanism or behavior control. Why then would they want to give up what feels so natural for them?
Now what does it mean to be born again?
Being born again is the epitome of a person's life on this side of eternity. It is at that point when a person comes out from under the condemnation of God and is put under the mercy and grace of God, by having their sins forgiven through faith in Christ and being set apart from the rest of sinful humanity. It is the point at which a person's spirit is awakened by God so that he may come into a relationship with God. At this point a person is given a new heart with new desires that hates sin and wants to do things that please God. From this point a person begins to conform to the image of Christ through sanctification (setting apart of one's life from sin and the ways of the world). All of this is attained when a person puts their faith in Christ alone for His righteousness (perfection) alone in place of their unrighteousness (sin or imperfection) apart from any works trying to earn righteousness. The significance of being born again is foundational to salvation. Without it, you can pretend to be a Christian all you want or you can even deny God completely and try to just be a good person, but you will go to hell in the end because of your sin. Christ commanded that you must be born again and He made the way to be born again. So why wait? Have you been born again? If not, throw yourself on the mercy of God today, lay all of your sin at the cross, leave all of your sin behind you, and trust that Christ paid for your sin so you could be granted His righteousness and find favor with God. Once you are born again God will never again have His hand of infinite wrath and condemnation against you. It will be his hand of infinite love filled with grace and mercy!
Let us thank God today for giving us a second birth through Christ. What a great and marvelous God we have!
Blessings,
Nick
