BORN AGAIN
WHAT IT IS, WHAT IT MEANS.
We all have heard the term many, many times. Its true meaning is to be born again spiritually, as mandated by Jesus in His words to Nicodemus, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, unless a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3) To become born again spiritually is to first be outside of faith and then come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. It results in having the spiritual eyes opened to spiritual truth. This is an act of God in the heart; it is not something that the individual can conjure up on his own. But if the individual seeks to know God and His salvation, He will reveal Himself to that person. If you lack faith and have not knowledge of God, pray to God the Father that He will reveal His Truth to you. Ask for true repentance and confession that you are a sinner in need of salvation. Every person is a sinner who is in need of a Savior. When you are born again, you have left all your own works at attempting to be righteous behind you and accepted His Precious Free Gift of Jesus Christ's death on the cross and resurrection on your behalf. He died so that you may be free; He rose again so that you may have life. Before a sinner can come to Christ he must first "see" himself as a sinner in need of salvation. Bound up in this is true repentance. Mere shallow intellectual accepance of this need is not enough. It must be an inner burder of the heart. Before you say a sinner's prayer, ask God to show you inwardly your deep need for salvation. Then spend time studying the Word of God, praying and seeking God. When your heart is ready, ask for God to reveal Christ Who paid the penalty for your sins and the sins of the world. Ask for the great gift of salvation that is truly believing that Jesus Christ is your personal Saviour. Place all your sins upon Him at the Cross. After you pray that God will send Christ to live in your heart, accept it as a finished work and begin to walk in it by faith. Salvation is an act of God's grace in the heart of a believer. Obey the Word of God. Renew your mind on truth by studying the Word of God daily and putting it into practice in your life. Pray, commune and fellowship with other believers. It is important that you get plugged into a fellowship with other believers, where you can learn, grow and serve together. Get good, solid Bible-based teaching and have a sincere desire to mature in Christ. You can add nothing to the finished work of Christ, but God wants you to grow and develop as a believer -- as His Child in Christ. Also -- and this is very important -- pray daily that God will never allow you to be turned away into false gospels and "another" Jesus. There are many of them to seduce a babe in Christ. This web site is devoted to helping you, as a seeker, a newborn "babe in Christ" and/or as a Christian who wants to study and grow by renewing his or her mind in the Word of God, as seen through the eyes of Grace. Want to read more about the New Birth? This is a longer, more detailed outline of God's plan and purpose: More On The New Birth. |
Copyright © 2005 Mary Cage. Permission is granted to freely use this article with proper credit given. The author requests that if used on a website, that a link be put to this site. Email the author with any questions or comments.