What Does It Mean to Be Born Again?

What Does It Mean to Be Born Again?

The phrase “born again” is familiar to many Christians.

But what does it actually mean?

Jesus used those words while speaking with a man named Nicodemus.

Nicodemus was a Pharisee, a religious leader, and a man who knew the Scriptures. He was respected. He was educated. He was serious about religion.

Yet Jesus told him:

“Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3 ESV

Nicodemus was confused.

He understood physical birth, but Jesus was speaking about something spiritual.

Nicodemus had religion.

He had knowledge.

He had morality.

But he still needed new life.

We Need More Than Improvement

Sometimes we think Christianity is mainly about becoming a better person.

We may try to stop bad habits.

Treat people more kindly.

Go to church more often.

Read the Bible.

Pray.

Make better choices.

Those are all good things.

But Jesus did not tell Nicodemus, “You need to improve yourself.”

He told him:

“You must be born again.” John 3:7 ESV

Why?

Because our greatest problem is not simply bad behavior.

Our problem is sin.

We do not merely need to become better versions of ourselves.

We need spiritual life.

The Bible tells us that apart from Christ, we are spiritually dead because of sin.

“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins…” Ephesians 2:1 ESV

A dead person does not need improvement.

A dead person needs life.

And only God can give spiritual life.

Born of the Spirit

Jesus explained to Nicodemus:

“That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” John 3:6 ESV

Our first birth gives us physical life.

The new birth gives us spiritual life.

It is the work of God.

We cannot produce it ourselves.

Church membership cannot give it to us.

Baptism cannot give it to us.

Good works cannot give it to us.

Christian parents cannot give it to us.

The Holy Spirit brings new life when we place our faith in Jesus Christ.

God Changes the Heart

Being born again does not mean becoming religious.

It means God does something within us.

He gives us a new heart.

He changes our desires.

He begins transforming the way we think and live.

That does not mean we instantly become perfect.

Christians still struggle with temptation.

We still fail.

We still need to confess sin and grow in obedience.

But something has changed.

We now belong to Christ.

The Bible describes it this way:

“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV

The old life no longer has to define us.

God begins making us new.

Why Do We Need the New Birth?

Because sin separates us from God.

Every one of us has sinned.

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23 ESV

We cannot repair that separation ourselves.

That is why Jesus came.

John 3 contains one of the best-known verses in the Bible:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son…” John 3:16 ESV

Jesus came because we could not save ourselves.

He died for our sins.

He rose again.

And eternal life is offered to those who believe in Him.

The same conversation in which Jesus told Nicodemus he must be born again leads directly to the message of God’s love and salvation through Christ.

The new birth is possible because of what Jesus has done.

What Does It Mean to Believe?

Biblical belief is more than agreeing that Jesus existed.

It is more than knowing the story of the cross.

It is trusting Jesus Christ personally.

Imagine sitting in a chair.

You may look at the chair and say:

“I believe that chair can hold me.”

But you do not actually place your weight on it until you sit down.

In the same way, we may know many things about Jesus.

But saving faith means placing our trust in Him rather than ourselves.

We stop depending on our goodness, religion, baptism, church attendance, or works.

We depend on Christ.

Can You Remember Being Born Again?

Some people can name the exact date and time when they trusted Christ.

Others cannot.

The important thing is not whether you remember a particular calendar date.

The important question is:

Have you personally placed your faith in Jesus Christ?

Do not base your assurance simply on growing up in church or remembering that you once repeated a prayer.

Ask yourself:

What am I trusting in today?

Is my hope for eternity completely in Jesus Christ and what He did for me?

A Changed Life

Being born again should eventually produce evidence.

Not perfection.

But change.

There should be a growing desire to know God.

A growing conviction about sin.

A desire to obey His Word.

Love for other believers.

A desire to become more like Christ.

These things do not earn salvation.

They are evidence that God is working in us.

A tree does not become alive because it produces fruit.

It produces fruit because it is alive.

In the same way, good works do not make us spiritually alive.

They begin to appear because God has given us new life.

You Must Be Born Again

Jesus did not present the new birth as an optional step for especially devoted Christians.

He said:

“You must be born again.”

Every person needs the same Savior.

The religious person.

The rebellious person.

The person raised in church.

The person who has never opened a Bible.

The person who appears good.

The person whose life is broken.

We all come to God the same way.

Through Jesus Christ.

Being born again is not about turning over a new leaf.

It is receiving new life from God.

And that new life begins when we place our faith in Jesus Christ.

A Question for You

If someone asked you, “What does it mean to be born again?” how would you explain it?

Take some time this week to read John 3 and think about Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus.

And if you have questions about salvation, you are welcome to leave them in the comments below.