{"id":49289,"date":"2024-07-24T00:16:30","date_gmt":"2024-07-23T21:16:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/?p=49289"},"modified":"2025-06-04T22:59:26","modified_gmt":"2025-06-04T19:59:26","slug":"understanding-what-it-means-to-be-born-again","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/en\/2024\/07\/24\/understanding-what-it-means-to-be-born-again\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding What It Means to Be Born Again"},"content":{"rendered":"

Blessed be the name of our Lord Jesus Christ! You’re warmly invited as we explore what the Bible teaches about being <\/span>born again<\/strong>\u2014a truth that lies at the heart of Christian salvation. As Psalm 119:105 (ESV) says, <\/span>\u201cYour word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s dive into this vital topic by looking at a conversation Jesus had with a religious leader named Nicodemus<\/strong>, found in the Gospel of John.<\/p>\n

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The Encounter: Jesus and Nicodemus<\/strong><\/h3>\n

John 3:1\u20135\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
\n2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, \u201cRabbi, 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.\u201d
\n3 Jesus answered him, \u201cTruly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.\u201d
\n4 Nicodemus said to him, \u201cHow can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother\u2019s womb and be born?\u201d
\n5 Jesus answered, \u201cTruly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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What Does \u201cBorn Again\u201d Really Mean?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Nicodemus believed that miraculous signs<\/strong> were proof that someone had a relationship with God. But Jesus pointed to something deeper: a complete spiritual rebirth. This new birth<\/strong> isn\u2019t symbolic or ritualistic\u2014it is transformational<\/strong> and essential for salvation.<\/p>\n

Jesus\u2019 teaching in John 3 shows us that entering God\u2019s Kingdom doesn\u2019t come through religious achievement, status, or works\u2014but by a supernatural act of God: being born again<\/strong>, or in Greek, \u03b3\u03b5\u03bd\u03bd\u03b7\u03b8\u1fc7 \u1f04\u03bd\u03c9\u03b8\u03b5\u03bd<\/em> (genn\u0113th\u0113 an\u014dthen<\/em>)\u2014meaning “born from above.”<\/p>\n

This aligns with the broader New Testament message:<\/p>\n

2 Corinthians 5:17<\/strong>\u2013 \u201cTherefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Born of Water and the Spirit: What Does It Mean?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Jesus says we must be born \u201cof water and the Spirit.\u201d<\/strong> This refers to two elements of Christian conversion:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Born of Water<\/strong> \u2013 This points to water baptism<\/strong>, an outward act that represents inward repentance and the washing away of sins.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Acts 2:38<\/strong>\u2013 \u201cRepent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

      \n
    1. Born of the Spirit<\/strong> \u2013 This refers to the inward, spiritual regeneration that comes through the Holy Spirit<\/strong>. The Spirit renews our hearts, gives us new desires, and empowers us to live a godly life.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Titus 3:5 <\/strong>\u2013 \u201cHe saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

      \n

      Being Spiritual: A New Identity<\/strong><\/h3>\n

      To be born again means to be born of God<\/strong>\u2014to be made into a new kind of person. Jesus said:<\/p>\n

      John 3:6<\/strong>\u2013 \u201cThat which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

      This shows a clear difference between our natural, sinful nature and the new life that comes through the Spirit. Being \u201cspiritual\u201d isn\u2019t defined by gifts like prophecy or miracles alone, but by a transformed life<\/strong> that overcomes sin and the world.<\/p>\n

      1 John 5:4 <\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 \u201cFor everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world\u2014our faith.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

      1 John 3:9 <\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 \u201cNo one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God\u2019s seed abides in him.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

      \n

      What About Miracles? Are They Proof of Salvation?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

      Miracles can be signs that God is working through someone\u2014but they are not the primary proof of salvation. Jesus warns that some will perform miracles yet still be rejected by Him:<\/p>\n

      Matthew 7:22\u201323 <\/strong>\u2013 \u201cOn that day many will say to me, \u2018Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name\u2026?\u2019 And then will I declare to them, \u2018I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.\u2019\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

      The true evidence<\/strong> that a person belongs to God is that they have been born again<\/strong>\u2014they live a new, holy life in Christ through the Spirit.<\/p>\n

      \n

      What Matters Most<\/strong><\/h3>\n

      Religious identity, good works, and spiritual gifts all have their place, but they cannot replace the need for a new birth<\/strong>. Without being born again, a person cannot truly know or enter the Kingdom of God.<\/p>\n

      Galatians 6:15<\/strong>\u2013 \u201cFor neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

      1 Peter 1:23<\/strong>\u2013 \u201cSince you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

      Have you been born again\u2014not just in outward actions, but through a genuine work of God in your heart? If not, turn to Jesus in faith. Repent of your sins, be baptized in His name, and ask for the Holy Spirit to renew your life. That is the true starting point of your walk with God.<\/p>\n

      May the Lord bless you and lead you into the fullness of life through Christ.<\/strong><\/p>\n