What Does it Mean to be Born Again?

By Kerry Knight, Minister, Emerald Beach Church of Christ

“Jesus answered and said to him, most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of  God” (John 3:3).

“Jesus answered, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of the water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God’” (John 3:5)

We have all heard the expression, “born again Christian.”  A Christian, by design and definition,  is one who follows Christ.  Is adding the words “born again” a redundancy?  Let’s look at the meaning of these two words.  In the account of Jesus meeting with Nicodemus (John chapter 3), this Pharisee was curious about the power of Jesus to work miracles.  He had come to the quick conclusion that God must be with Him, a teacher who has come from God.  At that point, Nicodemus was told, “You must be born again.”  The Pharisee did not understand Jesus, so the Lord probed deeper.  Jesus said that a man must be born of two things: water and Spirit.  To be born of water is a reference to water baptism.  To be born of the Spirit (the Holy Spirit) requires following the teachings of the Holy Spirit (God’s word) and obeying the Gospel, thus receiving the Holy Spirit as a gift (Acts 2:38).

When the Lord was giving the Great Commission to His apostles, just before He ascended back to the Father in heaven, “He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.  He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned’” (Mark 16:15-16).

Being “born again” is the creation of a new person.  Nicodemus had to have faith and to turn from sin through repentance to the living God.  Then he was prepared to have his sins washed away in baptism, just like the apostle Paul in Acts 22:16.  Being born again describes a person who has exercised their faith in obedience to the will of God.  They are now  Christians, abiding in Christ.

“Therefore, if anyone is in  Christ, he is a new creation, old things have passed away; behold all things have become new” (II Corinthians 5:17).