Mission Venture Ministries

To understand what this term truly means, we must go to the Bible where Jesus used the occurrence in John 3:1-16 to describe a spiritual change that is required in order to have eternal life, because, unless we are born again, we cannot enter heaven. 

John 3:1-16 records a conversation between Jesus and a Jewish Pharisee. 

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 and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, 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, “Most assuredly, 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 again.’ ⁸ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

⁹ Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?” ¹⁰ Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? ¹¹ Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. ¹² If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? ¹³ No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. ¹⁴ And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, ¹⁵ that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

 ¹⁶ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 

After observing Jesus’ miracles and hearing His teachings, Nicodemus came to Jesus one night saying, “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” (v. 2). Instead of commenting on Nicodemus’ observation, Jesus told him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (v. 3). 

During this conversation, Jesus was telling Nicodemus that his impressive education, obedience to the Law, and religious prominence in Judaism would not get him into heaven. What he needed was a brand new start, meaning, to be born from above. Being born again is the act of God by which He imparts eternal life to those who were dead in their trespasses and sins but have now accepted Jesus as Savior and made Him Lord of their life. 

Nicodemus responded to Jesus with a puzzled question, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” (v. 4). To help him understand, Jesus explained, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (v. 5). In other words, someone is born physically into this world as a baby, but to enter the heavenly realm, he must be born of the Spirit. 

For his entire life Nicodemus had been taught that being Jewish and doing good works were what would gain him entrance into heaven, but now his self-importance was shattered, and he realized that nothing he had done or built his life upon would benefit him eternally. 

He was spiritually puzzled like many people today that have the mistaken idea that they are good enough to go to heaven. They attend church, give their offering, and may have even been baptized yet have never truly been born again. Some defend themselves by reasoning that God will surely accept them because they’ve tried to live a good life and haven’t committed any crimes. But in reality they aren’t good enough because everyone is born a sinner as Romans 3:23 sates, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” 

We must be careful not to make the same mistake the Pharisees did. They saw Jesus’ miraculous signs and heard Him teach, but they walked away without considering whether His claims were true. 

Nicodemus however, was different; he risked his religious reputation as a Pharisee to come see Jesus, listened to Him, asked questions, sought to understand what He was saying, and learned the truth as we see in John 7:50-52, where Nicodemus stood up for Jesus in a meeting of the Sanhedrin and later in on in John 19:39-40 where he and Joseph of Arimathea took care of His body for burial. 

So what does the Bible tell us the nature of the new birth is? 

It is a spiritual experience. The new birth is the work of the Holy Spirit in our life. He convicts us of sin and helps us understand that our good works are insufficient in His eyes and will never make us fit for heaven. But He also assures us of God’s love and leads us to confess and repent of our sins and trust Jesus Christ as our Savior. 

It is a memorable experience. Like physical birth, there’s a specific point at which a person is born again. It starts with conviction of sin and the realization that Jesus Christ died on the cross as payment for the penalty for our sin. It is when we call out to Him for forgiveness, turn away from our old sinful lifestyle, and in faith accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. 

This is not a slow process but a radical change. There must be a transformation within our hearts that is so clear that we will know beyond a shadow of doubt that we have been born again. 

Jesus is the only one who can make us fit for heaven with a new birth. All other religions rely on good works, but no one can be good enough for God because we’ve all sinned against Him. 

We are not saved by our righteous acts but by God’s mercy and the regeneration of the Spirit (Titus 3:5). If we could have been good enough, then the cross was a horrible mistake because it would have been unnecessary. Only the shed blood of God’s Son could make forgiveness possible; and the evidence of God’s awesome love and power is that He came to earth to save sinners. 

It’s a lasting experience. Being born again changes us forever, but this doesn’t mean that we will be perfect. Our old sinful nature is still present in us, but as we confess our sins, Jesus’ blood continually cleanses us. We are now called to a life of holiness, obedience, surrender, and love for God; and there must be external evidence that proves there’s been an inner transformation which results in: 

• A change in our relationship with God. Until Jesus becomes our Savior, we are enemies of God. Although we may deny that we are against Him, there is no neutral ground. We have either been reconciled to God through His Son, or we are at odds with Him.
• There is a change in our position. The separation and enmity between God and us has been removed. Now we’re a part of His kingdom and members of His family. Our name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, and we will never lose our salvation.
• There’s a change in attitude. The Holy Spirit works in us, sealing us as God’s children, transforming our hearts, and living out Christ’s life through us. He gives us wisdom, reveals truth, and guides us throughout our lives.
• There is a change in our destination. Jesus said, “He who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life” (John 5:24).The Holy Spirit’s presence in us is our guarantee that we are forever children of God, and our eternal destiny in heaven is secure.

 Therefore, you might want to ask yourself: “If I am truly born again, what change in my life gives me reassurance that I will spend eternity in heaven?

Our wish is that you will celebrate this Thanksgiving joyfully, rejoicing in the free gift of salvation offered by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ remembering that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

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