What means born again?
What is born again? There is much Sermoning about salvation and invitations to accept Jesus Christ as Saviour, all to do to win souls. What fails, is the teaching of sin, the need for faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Why is the salvation through Jesus Christ necessary? Even a man like Nicodemus, a scribe (Pharisee), ruler of the Jews asked Jesus what is being born again. John 3:10: and Jesus answered and you are a teacher of Israel, and you do not know? He should know all about it and what is sin.
1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2 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." 3 Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God." 4 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?" 5 Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born anew.' 8 The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." 9 Nicodemus said to him, "How can this be?" 10 Jesus answered him, "Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand this?
For a proper born again, it is necessary to know, why? Let us to a Bible study. A man is a sinner, and is born as a child of satan. Why? Because the first man Adam consciously sinned and was aware of what God had forbidden, eat of the forbidden fruit. Not Eva, she was tempted by Satan. As a result, there was a separation between God and man, and man died spiritually. His spirit was removed with which he could communicate with God, the spiritual death immediately joined in. Adam and Eve were expelled from paradise. Later the 10 commandments and the Torah (together the LAW) were given to the Israeli people (the 12 tribes) as a guide of God's Will. This LAW is to protect man. Should every man keep the law then the world would look completely different. No theft, no murders, no adultery, no drug use. The greatest commandment is to love God in the first place and, secondly, love the neighbor as yourself. So do not steal and covet what is of your neighbor. No human being is capable of this. Through the law, we recognize that we are a sinner. There God knew that we cannot redeem ourselves, God figured out a solution. After all, God is Love, BUT ALSO JUST. A murderer cannot go unpunished by love, justice demands a penalty for the murder. The solution was that His Son Jesus, without sin as human being would be born of the Virgin Mary. Sin is committed through the seed of the man, not the woman (Eve was tempted). So only a woman who never had sexual intercourse, could be fertilized by the Holy, namely the Holy Spirit. So Jesus could be born without sin. Jesus lived as a man on earth for 33 years. He Himself knows to which man is exposed, temptations because he has experienced them Himself, yes worse Satan has tried everything to seduce Him and let Him sin.
Innocently, Jesus was tortured and died on the cross of Calvary. God, His Father, poured out the penalty on Him. But note, He VOLUNTARILY died (John 19:30). He laid down His Life (gave up His Life), and the cross has not caused His death as with the two other criminals on the cross. After three days, Jesus was resurrected and came to life, Jesus Christ the risen Lord, Lord over death. Anyone who believes this will receive eternal life in Heaven (John 3:16).
So the first step of being born again
The first step of being born again is the recognition of sin and not be able to save yourself from the punishment on sin by God. That will cost you nothing, which I saw on the internet, but that text went on: To be a Christian takes quite a lot. A pure truth!
The moment you accept Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit immediately enters in you (1 Corinthians 6:19, Ephesians 1:13-14). Your spirit is restored and you can communicate again with God through Bible reading and prayer.
Why do you need the Holy Spirit?
- The Bible is God's Word. Without the Spirit of God (the Holy Spirit) are you unable to fully understand the Bible
- Man is and remains to his/her death a sinner, and is unable to please God in his/her own strength. The Holy Spirit is the power not to sin (for the sake of clarity, a man reduce to sin, life more to God's honour)
- The Holy Spirit is the power against the sinful man's life (life in the flesh, carnal life) Galatians 5:19-21 and NOT to do sin.
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like, of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
1 Corinthians 6:10 Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. - The Holy Spirit is the power to do the fruits of the Holy Spirit, Galatians 5:22
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.
- The seal (collateral ) of the Holy Spirit means that you let loose of your sinful life (you are a child of God and no longer the property of satan, no more a child of satan) and that you are going to grow from the milk (child) to solid food (sonship) Hebrews 5:12-14. That means Bible study and giving your "tenth" (see Giving your tenth). Bible study is to deepen your spirituality and grow in the knowledge of God. Your tithe is needed to proclaim the gospel to others and for these unbelievers to accept Jesus Christ as their Saviour and Lord.
- Because now that you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, you have to be obedient to Him, His command in Matthew 28:19, which can only by the power of the Holy Spirit, is
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you.
In short Born Again:
- Death: Admit that you are a sinner and you need Jesus Christ to save you. The death to sin.
- New life (born again): Accept Jesus Christ as your Saviour, that is: being born again and receiving the Holy Spirit so that you do not sin more but live a life in the glory of God.
Born Again is to be born again (receive new life after death). You were born as a child of Satan and lived in the world. After accepting Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, you are born again (you receive new life). And you are a child of God and you let your life be a tribute to God (in gratitude) by the control and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
That means you let go of the worldly life of sin. That means obedience to the 10 commandments and the earthly laws of (local) governments as long as that does not go against the laws of God Romans 13:1-7. That is also obedience to the traffic rules: You keep to the speed limit, do not drive through red traffic lights, respect pedestrians (at the zebra). But also that you pay your taxes, give to the Emperor what is of the Emperor (Matthew 17:24-27; 22:15-22), and to God what is God's (your tithe, "Each one must do as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." 2 Corinthians 9:7).
Live a holy and pure life, respect the Christian values and standards, live to the glory of God, let others see that you respect God; You are a temple of God and a Royal priest in the service of God. Be your BORN AGAIN worthy!