BORN AGAIN… I’m sure you are not a stranger to this expression. Is it Biblical? Is it someone’s idea? Born again is simply the spiritual state of someone who has accepted Jesus as their personal Savior. It does not represent their state of maturity. A new born again Christian is usually very emotional and excited and in their attempt to ‘convert’ everyone, could very well unintentionally hurt or insult someone. It is going to take time and learning to realize we are to plant the seed of true Christianity and pray for them. Be examples and pray for them. A revelation is not perfection (no one can claim perfection). I remember very clearly my early days of accepting Jesus as my Savior and how I tried to convert the world until I realized I couldn’t do it my way. Today, I am like the farmer who plows the land, plants the seed, and waters the crop. And I pray, pray and pray for them.
Today I would like to discuss the words of Jesus. One night Jesus was approached by a Jewish ruler, Nicodemus (The Gospel of John, Chapter 3) who admitted to Jesus that He had come from God; his reason being, that anyone doing the signs that He did had to come from God. Jesus said to him that ‘unless a person is born again he cannot enter the Kingdom of God,’ (John 3:3). Nicodemus, being a highly religious member of the Sanhedrin, asked Him how this could be? “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” In John 4:4 Jesus answered and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (John 3:5, 6) I believe that Jesus could not have explained it in more simple terms, Let’s examine these two simple requirements:
1) Born of water means a person must experience a physical birth, that is, conceived and growing inside the mother’s womb, (so much for clones).
2) Born of the Spirit means, born from above, that is, born of God. Putting it another way is simply inviting Jesus into your life as your Savior.
Many people refer to this passage to mean a person must be baptized. I find this extremely difficult to believe after what Jesus told Nicodemus. “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” Think about that, physical birth is first and a requirement and Spiritual birth is second and a requirement. Jesus never erred when He spoke, as He is omniscient.
Therein lies the way to Heaven. Think about it; we don’t have to do anything else, according to Jesus, but be BORN AGAIN. This phrase today is maligned, misunderstood, and abused. What is really important to each of us is what Jesus said in the gospel of John including one of the most quoted verses in scripture; John 3: 16, which says and I quote Jesus, “For God so, loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” My interpretation of John 3: 16 is that the believer will not die but will live forever with God in the eternal kingdom. The period following eternal life means precisely that, no strings attached, no additional requirements and no way to lose one’s salvation. Because of what Jesus said I live in the peace and joy knowing that my last breath on this earth will be my first in Heaven to spend eternity. Where will you spend eternity? Please do not make the mistake in believing that there is no eternity.
Our servant and friend, Nick Number 2
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