You Must Be Born Again. What???

So often we hear the line from John 3, "You must be born again" as a prerequisite to being saved but do we understand it? Even non-Christians have heard the term and sometimes refer to us as, those "born-again Christians." We say it, they hear it, but what does BORN-AGAIN really mean? First of all, let's look at random versions from five different Bibles to confirm that anyone who wants to enter the Kingdom of God MUST be born again.
1. NIV (New International Version): Jesus said, "Verily truly I tell you, no one can see the Kingdom of God unless they are born again."
2. ASV (American Standard Version): Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily I say unto thee, Except one be born anew he cannot see the Kingdom of God."
3. CBS (Christian Standard Bible Version): Jesus replied, "Truly I tell you, unless someone is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God."
4. KJV (King James Version): Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God."
5. NRSV (New Revised Standard Version): Jesus answered, Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the Kingdom of God without being born from above."

You can see that regardless of what Bible you pick up, every version agrees except or unless a person is born-again they will never see nor enter the Kingdom of God. Those are the direct words of Jesus. No version has ever changed that truth. However, people usually stop at verse 3 and never continue reading to find out what Jesus meant by being "born-again." So often we just seem to ignore verse 5 which expounds what being born of the Spirit is. Here is the full verse (Jesus Himself speaking), "Very, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God." Do you see anything of significance there? Let me highlight it for you. Jesus Himself has told each of us that most assuredly and indeed, unless and until (barring no other way) you are BORN of WATER and of THE SPIRIT, you will never enter God's Kingdom after physical death. Being "born-again" is conditional. It is subject to a requirement. It requires water and Spirit. The word "water" has a significant meaning in this verse. This is what I want you to know. Most interpret the verse to mean a person has to be literally baptized in H2o ... submerged, dunked, engulfed, etc. and then you're saved. And though Christians do participate in literal water baptism as a way to acknowledge their faith and a symbol of washing away their sins, baptism in literal water is an indication of what actually happens in a spiritual sense. Jesus is telling us something in the spiritual sense! Watch closely, Jesus said you must be BORN of water. Born of water?? Born? Not dunked, dipped, or sprinkled? What does that mean? How can you be BORN of water? You can be submerged in water (baptized), but born if it? That's an entirely different thing.

Literal water baptism symbolizes "cleansing." It is an act of obedience symbolizing a persons belief in a crucified, buried, and risen Savior ... the believer's death to sin, the burial of the "old life," and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. But Jesus desires more than a symbol from us. He wants a deeper cleansing. Paul speaks about this deeper cleansing. What is it? It is the cleansing of our minds! It means a renewal of our minds by water but the "water" Paul is talking about is GOD'S WRITTEN WORD (the Bible). It is God's Word (Spirit and truth) that cleanses and washes our minds which have been bombarded and infected with all types of worldly lies, deceptions, and sins. The significance of water in a spiritual sense is so important! Consider this: All throughout the Bible believers are referred to as a "she," the "Body" or "The Church" of whom Christ is the head. "She" is also referred to as His Bride (the bride of Christ) since we are married unto Him in faithfulness. To be His Bride, she must be washed, cleansed, spotless and pure (symbolized in Revelation by being dressed in white) and the only way she can be made white is to be cleansed by Him; The WORD who was made flesh (John 1:14.) At the last supper when Jesus said, "Take, eat. This is my Body" He was spiritually referring to HIS WORD! We have communion with Him when we partake of (eat) His Word. THAT is fellowship with the Lord. Why? Because it is only through His Word that our minds, thoughts, and actions are changed. Look at Ephesians 5:6. It speaks about Christ giving up His life for her (His Church), "that He might sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing of the water BY THE WORD." Continuous washing and cleansing, growth and maturity come by "eating" THE WORD. It is Living Water and every Christian needs it daily to feed their spirit as the physical body needs food.

Now, this is key ... Jesus also said (watch closely) "The WORDS that I speak are Spirit and they are life" (John 6:63). So then, not only does the WORD cleanse and wash that same Word is Spirit and life! Jesus Words ARE God's Spirit and it IS the only means by which your heart, mind, conscience, and soul changes from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3:18) as it transforms us into His likeness with ever-increasing glory which comes from the Lord who is the Spirit! You must understand the importance of reading, taking in, and digesting THE WORD. Scripture clearly tells us JESUS WAS THE WORD MADE FLESH AND LIVED AMONG US (John 1:14). JESUS WAS AND IS THE WORD. According to John 1:1 THAT WORD was from the beginning. It was with God and was God. And that WORD was made flesh (Jesus) and lived among the apostles, disciples, Sadducees, Pharisees, people of Rome and every other person. The disciples were witnesses, "and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). This, therefore, proves Jesus WAS God who came in the flesh as man, to depart to us His Spirit, His Truth, His WORD, that we might be born-again in newness of life, transformed into a "new man" (2 Corinthians 5:17; Colossians 3:10); Romans 6:6; 2 Corinthians 4:16; Ezekiel 11:19) and find our way back to Him. God's Word is living and God speaks to us through it. His Word is Spirit and it is life.

The Holy Spirit is the only one who can reveal and communicate the Bible's spiritual truths. Those who read the Bible apart from the Holy Spirit teaching them cannot understand it because, unlike all other books, it is spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2: 6-16.) It is not a mental exercise but a spiritual one. "We (believers in Jesus) have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. The man without the Spirit (of God) does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Corinthians 2: 12-14). The more time we spend reading the Bible (taking of His body in communion) the more the Spirit QUICKENS us (arouses, awakens, strengthens). He reveals and shows us what His Word means, bringing us into alignment with His one, absolute truth ... JESUS THE WORD MADE FLESH!

You must be born again. Exactly this: First, we have to hear the Word of God. “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). That is the first step. “It pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe” (1 Corinthians 1:21). It sounds foolish that words from a Bible have the power to penetrate our hearts and change our lives, but they do because they are God’s holy words. Then there is the work of the Holy Spirit. He convicts: “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” (John 16:8). He changes us. He changes our wills, our affections, our objectives for living, our disposition. He gives us a new purpose and new goals. “Old things pass away, and everything becomes new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Then He indwells us: “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” Jesus Christ says that we must repent of our sin. That means we are willing to change our way of living. We say to God, “I’m a sinner, and I’m sorry.” It’s simple and childlike. Then by faith, we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Master and Savior. We are willing to follow Him (HIS WORD) in a new life of obedience, in which the Holy Spirit helps us as we read the Bible. You don't have to worry that you haven't the strength to stop sinning. You'll never have it within your own power to do so but I promise, stay in God's Word, remain faithful to read, learn and grow and HE WILL DO THE WORK IN YOU! He gives you His power to overcome and live the life that pleases Him. It's a beautiful thing.
Until next time,
-Pat-