How Did Jesus Explain Born Again
You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must exist born again.' John three:seven
You've probably heard the phrase, "Y'all must exist born again," during a sermon. But what does this hateful exactly?
When Nicodemus, a prominent Pharisee and member of the Jewish Sanhedrin, came to Jesus with questions about His teaching and the nature of salvation, Jesus provided the perfect synopsis of the Gospel, which included i of the well-nigh important metaphors and doctrines of the Christian faith. "Jesus answered and said to him (Nicodemus), ' no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are built-in once more." (John 3:3, assuming emphasis added).
At the time, the idea of being "built-in again" confounded the inquisitive Nicodemus, who asked, "how can someone be born when they are one-time? Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother'southward womb to exist born!" (John 3:iv). Though educated in matters of the Old Testament and Jewish law, Nicodemus struggled to grasp the deeper meaning of Jesus'southward words. He was not alone. Many accept wrestled with the spiritual truths of Jesus'due south teaching and the implications of Christ'southward call to discipleship in their lives. So what does it actually mean to be born again and what does this look like for Christians and those called to follow Christ?
First, let'southward read this verse in context: Jesus replied, "Very truly I tell you, no i tin can see the kingdom of God unless they are built-in again." "How can someone exist born when they are old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely they cannot enter a 2d time into their mother'south womb to be born!" Jesus answered, "Very truly I tell you, no one tin enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Mankind gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives nascency to spirit. You should non be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.'(John iii:3-7)
What Did Jesus Mean by 'You Must Be Born Again'? (John 3:7)
When Jesus said we must be "born again" He was non referring to any kind of literal or physical rebirth. He used the term "reborn" to assert our demand as individuals to exist redeemed and spiritually transformed, refashioned, and remade through God's saving grace and His eventual expiry on the cross. To explain this concept to Nicodemus, Jesus connected His mission on earth to an Former Testament story that Nicodemus would take been familiar with.
"As Moses lifted upwardly the ophidian in the wilderness," Jesus said, "even so must the Son of Man be lifted upwards; and then that whoever believes volition in Him take eternal life." (John iii:14-15)
Jesus was of course referring to Numbers 21 and the plague of fiery serpents that spread through the campsite of Israel as a result of their frequent complaining and lack of faith. To save those infected, Moses was instructed by God to place a statuary serpent on a flagpole at the center of the camp. All who looked upon the bronze serpent would be miraculously healed from the toxicant coursing through their veins (Numbers 21). The point of comparing Jesus was making to Nicodemus was that, at our core, nosotros too are corrupted by the deadly poison of personal sin. Every bit the apostle Paul writes, "all have sinned and fall brusk of the celebrity of God." (Romans iii:23, bold emphasis added). Unfortunately, the consequences of this sin are spiritual death and eternal separation from God (Romans 6:23).
Thankfully, as God provided a way out for the Israelites, He provided the perfect Savior and healer through His Son, Jesus Christ. As the bronze serpent was raised up to save the children of Israel, so Jesus Christ was raised on the cross to be our saving grace. In his letter to the Romans, Paul writes, "but God demonstrates his own love for usa in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans v:8)
He went on to debate that, "because of his great love for the states, God, who is rich in mercy, fabricated u.s.a. live with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved." (Ephesians ii:iv). Jesus made it clear: to enter the kingdom of God and experience truthful transformation, forgiveness, and healing, complete renewal and regeneration are required. The poison of sin is too bully to overcome by any quick fix or homo antidote. We must be born again.
According to Matthew Henry, "corruption and sin are woven into our nature; we are shapen in iniquity, which makes it necessary that the nature exist changed. It is not enough to put on a new coat or a new face, but we must put on the new human being, we must exist new creatures."
Jesus argued that we must start over and exist "built-in over again" into a new life "of water and the Spirit." (John three:5)
Several passages of the New Testament repeat this thought.
"He saved the states, not on the ground of act which nosotros have done in righteousness, just co-ordinate to His mercy by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ." (Titus 3:five-6)
"If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is built-in of Him." (1 John ii:29)
"Blessed exist the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused u.s.a. to exist born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." (1 Peter 1:3)
The Bible makes it clear. You must be built-in once more, in club to be saved.
How Are Christians Born Again?
It's of import to affirm what the Bible says about salvation and that Christians are Non born again by their ain piece of work or claim. Unlike many globe religions, salvation is non obtained by anything we do but rather what Christ does in us. We are not capable of saving ourselves from our sin, nor are we able to purchase our fashion into heaven.
" For by grace yous have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast." (Ephesians two:8-9)
True Christians must have the foundational truth of the Gospel, that is, that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died on the cross, was buried, and rose again three days later. In doing then, He lonely interceded earlier God on our behalf, paying the ultimate price for our sin in one case and for all so that we might be saved (Hebrews 7:25).
"And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among mankind by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)
Jesus said information technology best in His conversation with Nicodemus: "for God so loved the world, that He gave His simply Son, so that everyone who believes in Him volition not perish, only have eternal life. For God did non send the Son into the world to guess the world, but and then that the world might be saved through Him." (John 3:sixteen-17). Homo wisdom may claim that at that place are many paths to God and sky. Jesus, however, quickly dispelled this lie, saying, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no i comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6)
Those who wish to be built-in once more must believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross and was resurrected. They must admit that they have sinned and are in need of saving. They must confess their sin and accept the free gift of salvation offered through Jesus Christ. Every bit it is written, "if we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He volition forgive united states our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John i:9)
What Is the Significance of 'You Must Be Built-in Again'?
In response to Nicodemus's confusion about the meaning of being born again, Jesus answered, "truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which has been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which has been born of the Spirit is spirit." (John 3:5-half dozen)
The one who is built-in again exchanges the corrupt, sinful life for a new life born from above. That person receives a fresh start in the form of forgiveness, eternal salvation, and spiritual renewal. Without, he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. The campaigner Paul writes, " if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things take come." (2 Corinthians five:17)
Paul also writes in his letter to the Galatians that, "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, simply Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the mankind I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself upwards for me." (Galatians 2:twenty).The one who is born over again is freed from the shackles of sin and death. Paul laid it out in this manner, "knowing this, that our old cocky was crucified with Him (Christ), in social club that our body of sin might be washed away with, and then that nosotros would no longer exist slaves to sin; for the i who has died is freed from sin." (Romans 6:6-7)
The apostle John also argued that, " no 1 who has been built-in of God practices sin, considering His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin continually, because he has been built-in of God." (i John 3:9). Does this mean that we will never sin or make mistakes? No. Jesus paid the price for our sin. Through His death, our previous life of sin has been crucified with Him (Romans 6:ten). We will however make mistakes. We are non perfect. However, upon being born over again, sin and the things of this world no longer hold mastery over us, for Christ overcame sin and the world, we have been born anew in Him (i John 5:i-four).
In doing so, those who are born again are given a new heart, a new mind, and eventually a new torso in eternity, singled-out from the polluted, decadent things of this world. As it is written, " practice not be conformed to this globe, but be transformed past the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is expert and adequate and perfect."(Romans 12:2). Nicodemus's inability to understand what Jesus meant by being "born again" proved Jesus's signal perfectly.
To the earthly mind, the spiritual wonders of God and eternity oft seem similar foolishness. Understanding can simply come from a spiritual transformation and re-forging of the mind through Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16). According to Matthew Henry, "the natural human being must become a spiritual human, earlier he is capable of receiving and understanding them." The i who is built-in once more is transformed from the inside out. Their desires modify, their attitudes and actions are reformed, and their life begins to produce new fruit, born of the spirit (Ephesians 5:22-26).
More than importantly, Jesus paid the cost for our sin and so that nosotros might become "children of God" and heirs to His kingdom, welcomed, "into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade." (ane Peter 1:4). This inheritance, Jesus argued is our eternal treasure and reward (Matthew vi:19-21).
Every bit it is written in volume of Jeremiah, "y ou will seek me and discover me when you seek me with all your middle." (Jeremiah 29:13). And find Him Nicodemus did. Nicodemus may have come to Jesus in private, but he, like many, would somewhen confirm his belief in Jesus publicly. He too would be born again and made new through Christ'southward work on the cross, proving that Christ came and died for all and that "whoever will call on the proper name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:13)
Further Reading
What Does "Built-in Over again" Mean? Why Did Jesus Say "You Must Be Born Over again"?
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