What does it mean to be born again? As I thought about this, I tried to think of something, an analogy that would help us see how understanding what it means to be born again is crucial to how we are supposed to live as sons and daughters of God. But I couldn’t think of an analogy that would be even close to appropriate. I couldn’t think of an analogy that wouldn’t in some way diminish the powerful truth about being born again.
Before Jesus puts the words “born” and “again” together in John 3, the term “born again” had not been used anywhere in the Bible. Jesus is the first person to take these two distinct words and make them one. In fact, the term “born again” is only used three times, in John 3:3 and 7 and in I Peter 1:23 and we’ll look at these verses in a few minutes.
Now before getting into the message, I want you to know that it will be impossible to talk about what it means to be born again in one message. So, this morning’s message will focus on two or three key points about what it means to be born again.
The number one thing I want you to take away from the message is this: when you believe with your heart and confess with your mouth Jesus as your Lord and Savior, God sees you as different from the person who has not done this. God treats you differently.
And, I don’t want you to miss this: the devil also sees you differently. When a person is not born again, the devil can influence that person’s life in a way that he cannot influence the person who is born again. He knows that, for all practical purposes, there is no difference between you and the Jesus that we see in the four gospels. Let that sink in.
Spiritually, what’s operating on the inside of us is no different than what was operating on the inside of Jesus in the four gospels.
So, what does it mean to be born again? Now many people, will ask the question this way: what does it mean to be a Born Again Christian? From what I know about scripture, there seems to be some confusion in the Church about this. Can a person be a Christian and not be born again? I looked up the definitions for “Christian,” “born again” and “born again Christian” in Webster’s dictionary. I think you’ll find them interesting.
? Webster says a Christian is “one who professes a belief in the teachings of Jesus.” The word “professes” caught my attention so I looked it up. And it means “to declare or admit openly or freely.” So Webster says a Christian is a person who declares or admits openly or freely that he or she believes in the teachings of Jesus.
But ladies and gentlemen, there are far too people who say they are Christians but are not willing to declare or admit openly and freely that they believe everything Jesus taught in the gospels and everything the Bible teaches. How can a person be a Christian and not say “Yes” to everything Jesus taught in the gospels and not say “I believe everything that’s written in the Bible?”
If the Bible says something is wrong, then the Christian is going to say that same thing is wrong. Are you with me? Webster says a Christian believe in the teachings of Jesus and whatever Jesus says is true. I can’t speak for anyone else in this room, but Barry, so “that be Barry!”
? The definition for “born again” is “of, relating to, or being usually a Christian person who has made a renewed or confirmed commitment of faith, especially after an intense religious experience.”
According to Webster, “born again” is usually related to a Christian person. Usually. In other words, “born again” is not a term that describes all Christians. And it’s not a term that’s limited to Christians. And you’ll understand why when you hear the definition of “born again Christian.”
? Now, let’s see what Webster says about “born-again Christian.” A “born again Christian” is a person who has “returned to or newly adopted an activity, a conviction, or a persona, especially with a proselytizing zeal.”
A “born again Christian,” according to Webster, is a person who has made a decision to follow a particular belief system and who want others to also be a part of that belief system.
Let me say it another way: the dictionary says a “born again Christian” has made a decision to be “born again” based on what he or she believes.
Do hear what I’m saying? The person made a decision that “I am born again based on what I believe.”
Now, based on the definitions in the dictionary – and ladies and gentlemen, there is a reason I chose to give the definitions from the dictionary and we’re going to see this in just a moment.
Based on the definitions in the dictionary, a “Christian” is not necessarily a person who is “born again” and a person who is “born again” is usually a Christian who has simply decided to renew his or her commitment to live as a Christian.
Why did I give you Webster’s definition for “born again,” for “Christian,” and for “born again Christian?” Said another way: why did I give you man’s definition for these words? Did you hear me? Why did I give you man’s definition of these words.
When people aren’t sure what a word means, 99% will turn to a dictionary like Webster’s to find its meaning. Now let me tell you a little bit about dictionary editors. They study language as it’s used. So over a period of time, words are added that were not there before. They carefully monitor what words people use most often and how they use them. So, usage is what determines a word’s meaning. Are you following me?
Let me give you an example. When my wife was pregnant with our children in the 1980s, people said she was pregnant. Today it’s called a “baby bump.” Are you with me? It’s called a baby bump! How many of you heard this term before the last four or five years? It’s now in the dictionary!
Webster’s definition for “born again,” “Christian,” and “born again Christian” – now listen to me ladies and gentlemen – is based on how the people in a society, including sub-set considerations like ethnic cultures, use them every day. In other words, society determines a word’s meaning. Do you hear me? Society determines a word’s meaning. Do you see the problem here?
What have we identified as the most critical failure of the dictionary is this: Word meanings are defined by society. We need to understand this when we look to the dictionary for understanding words in the Bible. Because society determine word meanings, the dictionary will never capture the truth of what these terms communicate about us as sons and daughters of God.
This is an excellent object lesson: the dictionary, written and assembled by extremely intelligent men and women, will never, will never, will never, will never be able to capture the essence and truth of the meaning of words from a spiritual context. “
Second Peter 1:20-21 say “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”
And the example I always like to give is that of a president of a company calling in his secretary so he can dictate a letter to Mr. Jones. The Holy Spirit wrote the Bible ladies and gentlemen. And the Bible says that holy men of God were moved by the Holy Spirit to write it. In other words, they took dictation.
What Second Peter is saying is simply this: if you want to understand the meaning of words and passages in the Bible, then you must allow the Bible to tell you what they mean.
So, what does it mean to be “born again?” Since Jesus put the words “born” and “again” together, we must allow Him tell us what the term means. Agreed? Now turn with me to John 3 and we’re going to read verses one through seven.
(1) There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
(2) The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doesn’t, except God be with him.
(3) 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.
(4) Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?
(5) Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
(6) That which is born of flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
(7) Marvel not that I say unto thee, Ye must be born again.
I want to take a look at a couple of things from this passage. The word “born” is a very common word. It means a husband has deposited seed into his wife’s womb that produces life in her and results in her giving birth to a child. The word “again” means “from above.” The word is used 13 times in the New Testament and, in each case, it refers to something that starts at the top or something that starts at the beginning. Everything flows from the top or the beginning.
Here in John 3, Jesus uses the word “again” to refer to the place where His Father lives. Jesus is telling Nicodemus that he must be born from above – be born of the spirit of God – if he has any hopes of entering into the kingdom of Heaven.
Jesus says you must be born of water and of the Spirit. What He’s simply saying is that before you can be born again, you have to be born the first time. Bro, Barry, duh. Everyone knows that. But the point Jesus is making is that your first birth is not enough to get you into heaven.
First Peter 1:23 gives us additional information about being born of the spirit of God. It says “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.”
We are born again by the word of God. What does that mean? It’s what we read in Romans 10:9-10. “That is thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with he heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
Getting born again is a two part process. You first have to believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the death. And, second, you have to confess this with your mouth.
Now listen to how the Amplified Bible renders this verse. “You have been regenerated (born again), not from a mortal origin (seed, sperm), but from one that is immortal by the ever living and lasting Word of God.”
Just like the husband deposits seed into the womb of his wife to bring forth a child, God deposits His seed into us that removes the seed of our sin nature and produces His life and nature in us. Do you see, ladies and gentlemen, how the dictionary misses the spiritual aspects of what happens when a person is born again? Getting born again is a spiritual birth. It’s not an activity. It’s not a conviction that a person returns to or adopts. It’s a spiritual change.
Now, Jesus says something that’s very important and I don’t want us to miss it. He tells Nicodemus if you have any hopes of doing the signs that you saw me do, you must be born again – you must receive a new spiritual nature! Jesus is saying to Nicodemus, now please capture this, once you are born again, once you have a new nature, once you have a nature that is like mine, you will be able to do the same miracles that you have seen me do!
Do you know how many in the Church really don’t believe that? They don’t believe that they can truly do the works that Jesus did. But that is what Jesus said.
Can you see the “deer caught in the headlights” look on Nicodemus’ face? And Jesus confirms this very same thing to us today in John 14:12. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”
The first point I want to leave with you this morning is this: When we believe with our hearts and confess with our mouths Jesus as our Lord and Savior, God becomes our literal Father.
When we are born again, when we are “born from above,” we receive a sinless nature just like God. He deposits in us seed that cannot be corrupted. But the change that takes place is on the inside and the only way a person will know someone is born again is by how the person lives.
That’s why Jesus says in Matthew 5:16, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, ( Why is it important that they see your good works?) and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” When we read the four gospels, we will see our example of how to “let our light shine” as we look at the life of Jesus.
Now here’s the second point: We can walk in the same authority that Jesus walked in when He was here on earth – when we know who we are as born again sons and daughters of God.
Jesus knew who His Father was, and every day of His life He let His light shine so the world would see who His Father was and to bring glory to His Father. When God is our Father, when we are born again, then everything we see Jesus doing in the gospels, we can do today. And I mean everything! That is the power and authority that we have flowing through our spiritual veins because we are born again!
Now here’s the question each of us must answer: Do I believe I can do the works Jesus says I can do? If Jesus says I can do what He did, for example, give sight to the blind, heal lame legs, and cast out devils, then either Jesus is a liar or I am not living the way that He says I can live. And just to be clear: Jesus cannot lie. This one is on each of us.
Do you remember the record in Mark 9 about the man who had a son who was possessed by a devil? Let’s read verses 22, 23 and 24.
(22) And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fist, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.
(23) Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that beleiveth.
If we are not doing the things that Jesus says we can do, then the father’s heart cry in verse 24 should be an encouragement to each one of us. “And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.”
The father asked Jesus to help him increase his faith. Right now, we may not be where Jesus says we can be, but we can cry out to Him just like this father did and ask for more faith because the Bible tells us in Hebrews 12:2 to look “unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.” Jesus can help take us from faith level one to faith level two, etc. Praise God!
In John 3, Jesus also tells Nicodemus “that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of Spirit is spirit.”
He is identifying a third point I want to leave with you this morning: When we are born again, it only affects our human spirits, nothing else.
Being born again does not affect our minds or our bodies. In other words, a person can be born again but that doesn’t mean the way he thinks and the way he behaves changes the moment he or she says “Yes to Jesus.”
How many of you know Christians that when you look at their lives it causes you wonder if they are truly a Christian? You see what they do. You hear what they say. Changing how one thinks and how one behaves to agree with the new born again nature, to agree with the change that has taken place inside, must be done on purpose.
Let’s read Romans 8:13-14. We’re talking about things we must do on purpose to agree with the change that has taken place on the inside of us.
(13) For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
The word “mortify” means you put to death. It’s where we get the word “mortician.”
(14) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God – led by that new nature, that born again spirit – they are the sons of God.
The Bible says for us to live by our new nature we must – on purpose – put to death, stop doing, the things that disagree with who we have become as God’s sons and daughters.
Now look at Romans 12:1-2.
(1) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice (In other words, your body is not going to become a sacrifice to your new nature. Your body is going to be in submission to your new nature.), holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
(2) And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
The Bible tells us to transform our minds – to do a complete 180 – from thinking the way the world thinks to the way God thinks. In Philippians 2:5 the Bible says to “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”
There is a word in the verse I just read that will determine whether or not you live by your new nature or you don’t. It’s the word “let.” So many in the body of Christ think God is in control, that God is going to have His way in all situations. But if the Bible tells us that we have to “let” something happen, then that means God is not in control.
If God had His way, each of us would be doing exactly what He wants us to do. But the Bible says “let his mind be in you.” We have a choice ladies and gentlemen and each time we make a choice not to “let” then we’re cutting off God’s ability to bless us.
So how do we put on the mind of Christ? We pull out the Bible and we read it. We read it. We read it.
Now before we close, let’s answer the question: “Can a person be born again and not be a Christian?” Or, “can a person be a Christian and not be born again?” If we were to answer the question based on the definitions we read earlier from Webster, the answer would be “Yes.” But what does the Bible say? And ladies and gentlemen, that is always going to be the question. What does the Bible say?
It doesn’t matter what the world says. It doesn’t matter if every agrees with it. It doesn’t matter what everyone accepts. What matters is what does the Bible say? Just because our country has given us the right to do certain things, what does the Bible say? And if what the country finds acceptable and the Bible doesn’t, then our country is wrong.
It’s not an easy place to live ladies and gentlemen. It’s not an easy place to live. But Jesus never said things would be easy for us. You will not find that in the Bible. He said that they have hated Me and they are going to hate you. And sometimes, ladies and gentlemen, it’s going to be other Christians hating you because you are doing what the Bible says you are supposed to do.
Based on what we’ve read in the Bible, this is what we know so far.
? A person who is “born again” is born from above with a new nature received from God and now God is the person’s Father.
? And we know that the person who is born again has a human spirit that has been regenerated. It no longer contains sin and death, but the holy life of God.
? We often use the term “converted” to express going from spiritual death to spiritual life. That is what born again means! Everything contained in “spiritual life” now belongs to us.
With this in mind, turn to Acts 11. We’re going to jump into the middle of this passage, beginning with verse 21 and read through verse 26.
(21) And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.
(22) Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch.
(23) Who, when he come, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.
(24) For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord.
(25) Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul:
(26) And when he found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
The last point I want to leave with you this morning is this: The believers, those who were born again, those who had “turned to the Lord,” those who had been “brought to the Lord,” those who had made themselves Jesus’ disciples – the first name given to them, the first name they were called, was “Christians.” They were not called “Born Again Christians.” They were simply called Christians. The Bible says the only way a person can be called a Christian is if the person has “turned to the Lord,” or as Jesus says “they have been born again.”
When we understand what it means to be “born again,” we will see that we are given the ability to conquer the thoughts and behaviors we see in the world and in the Church today. Without being born again, without having a nature that’s just like our Father’s nature, we are no different than the Gentiles, the non-believers, Jesus describes in Matthew 6:32 who are constantly seeking the things needed in life.
But in verse 33 Jesus encourages those of us who are born again, whose Father is the God of the universe, to “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” The only reason we can seek the kingdom and everything if offers, is because we are born again.
We don’t worry about where our next meal is coming from ladies and gentlemen. Why? We are born again. God is our Father. We don’t worry about money to buy clothes for ourselves and our families. Why? We are born again. God is our Father. We don’t worry about having money to pay the mortgage, the rent, or the utilities. Why? We are born again. God is our Father.
So we can follow Jesus’ last instruction here in Matthew 6:34, “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” The reason we don’t worry about tomorrow is because we are born again. God is our Father.
