Understand what it means to be born again.
“No one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” (John 3:3)
Do you ever wonder what it means to be a “born-again Christian?” For some that has an uncomfortable idea because of how the phrase has been misconstrued in some Christian circles.
We don’t need to be uncomfortable using it because it comes directly from the lips of our Savior, Jesus, in today’s verse. Jesus uses that phrase as a picture for a person coming to faith in him as the Savior and receiving the forgiveness of sins and assurance of eternal life in heaven one day.
Jesus used that picture as part of a conversation with a man named Nicodemus, a religious leader at that time. It should not bother us if we don’t completely understand the phrase “born again,” because Nicodemus didn’t even understand it.
Nicodemus thought that a person would have to go back into their mother’s womb and physically be born again. In the following verses in John 3, Jesus explained to Nicodemus and for our benefit that we are by nature spiritually dead and need to be born again. Jesus uses the phrase “no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.” Jesus reminds us that spiritual rebirth only happens through the work of the Holy Spirit. It might also involve water as many of us were born again at our baptism.
Are you born again? If you are a Christian, yes, you are born again. That might not be the usual phrase which we use. More than likely we would say “I came to faith” or “I believe in Jesus as my Savior.”
Being born again is not just a one-time act. As Luther reminds us in his explanation of Baptism: “The Old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.”
Being born again is a daily act in the life of a Christian as each day we repent of our sins, receive God’s gracious forgiveness and seek to strengthened by him to live a life which reflects our faith.
You might not regularly use the phrase “born again” to refer to your faith or status as a Christian. However, it is perfectly proper and straight from the Bible as Jesus used it. Whatever phrase you are comfortable using, be reassured that you have faith in Jesus as your Savior. You receive daily forgiveness, have the hope of heaven and are a recipient of all of God’s wonderful blessings.
Prayer: Gracious God, thank you for the gift of faith which the Holy Spirit planted in my heart. Like Nicodemus, I am born again and continue to be born again every day as I come to you for forgiveness. Help me treasure my status as your “born again” child and keep me in my faith until I one day see you face to face in heaven. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.