“I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” — John 3:3 (NIV)
The term “born again” has probably been overused since it was popularized in the seventies. This verse is where the saying originates. Nicodemus, one of the religious leaders, came to Jesus at night with questions about faith. These were sincere questions, and because of his position, he came at night so that he could ask them without being severely chastised by his fellow religious leaders. Jesus rarely gave simple answers. Rather, He gave answers that caused people to think, to be drawn out, and ultimately, to change. This conversation must have brought about the desired effect, because after Jesus was crucified, Nicodemus boldly helped bury his body, risking further approbation, and perhaps even death for siding with Jesus.
Jesus is saying that if we are alive, then we obviously had a physical birth. But you should not assume that you are spiritually alive just because you are physically alive. Spiritual birth happens as a result of another process, which Jesus describes in what is probably the most famous verse of the Bible, and which we shall look at in one of the next reflections. Until one is born spiritually, some say that you are spiritually dead. I’m not sure this is the most accurate term, because generally if something is dead it was once alive, while if you have not been born spiritually you might be considered “pre-born” or “unborn” or “not yet alive”.
Continue reading “You Need to Be Born Again, But That’s a Beginning, Not an End (John 3:3)”
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