Under the veil of night, a man named Nicodemus sought out Jesus. Nicodemus was a member of the Sanhedrin, the governing body of the Jewish nation. As a Pharisee, he believed in strict adherence to the Mosaic Law. His visit was likely clandestine, given his status as a Jewish ruler.
Nicodemus addressed Jesus as “Rabbi,” a title of respect for Jewish teachers. He acknowledged that Jesus was sent from God because of the miracles He performed. Jesus answered Nicodemus with words that have echoed through the centuries, challenging hearts and minds to seek something more than what this world has to offer. “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
True righteousness, peace, and joy in this world and eternal life in the hereafter—gifts of God’s kingdom— are unattainable without spiritual rebirth. Being “born again” signifies a spiritual transformation. It is not a physical transformation but a divine work of God by which He awakens the soul.
Birth signifies a beginning. As natural birth introduces us to earthly life, spiritual birth marks the beginning of a spiritual walk with the Lord. This spiritual birth is not the result of joining a religious group, moral reform, adopting good standards, or adhering to some tradition of worship. To be born again is the work of Jesus Christ. When people place their faith in the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, He extends forgiveness of sin and reconciliation with God. Regeneration, or being born again, is accomplished through the divine power of God. He regenerates our hearts and makes us new creatures. The power of sin is broken, and born-again individuals can live in the freedom and holiness of Jesus Christ, not because of their own strength, but because of a divine transformation of self through the power of God.
Salvation hinges on spiritual rebirth, without which people remain spiritually dead and disconnected from God. Worship alone in a mosque, temple, tabernacle, or chapel does not induce the new birth. Many religious adherents have not experienced the spiritual birth of which Jesus spoke. He told Nicodemus, “Except a man be born again….” Regardless of one’s socio-economic status, spiritual heritage, nationality, age, gender, or religious affiliation, ALL must have this spiritual birth to attain eternal life. Mere recognition of Christ as the Messiah is insufficient. A radical transformation of a new birth is essential. To be born “again” means “the second time,” and it also means “born from above.” Hence, spiritual birth is not just professing Christ or confessing sin, it is when the soul is transformed from sin and uncleanness to righteousness and holiness. This spiritual birth is not a result of human effort. It is a divine, instantaneous birth of the spirit that occurs through a divine act of God.
Upon birth, children inherit their parents’ identities and traits. Similarly, when people experience the new birth, their identity changes, and they become children of God. They are no longer bound by the carnal nature of sin but are partakers of the divine nature, having power with God to overcome sin.
Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:6, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” The natural birth is after the flesh and our works and deeds are fleshly, but there is another birth. That which is born of the Spirit of God is spiritual. It is sad that so many people seek to satisfy the needs of the soul through the fleshly pursuits of sin, human organizations, religions, and the philosophies of humankind. Just as we were born in the flesh, we MUST have a spiritual birth.
Being born again is much more than a theological concept; it is an invitation and experience of a radically transformed life that far supersedes what sin and religion offer. It is a spiritual awakening, a second chance, and a promise of eternal hope.
Have you been born again? The ONLY way to inherit eternal life is through a spiritual birth. Open your heart and place your faith in the Lord Jesus as the Son of God. Trust in the redemptive work of Jesus who died on the cross for your sins. Acknowledge your spiritual emptiness, confess and turn away from your sins, and surrender your life to God. Invite Jesus to be the Lord and Savior of your life. When you do that, He will work the miracle of a spiritual birth, and your soul will be transformed from death to life. ■
