Don’t be surprised that you must be born again

In the third chapter of John, an unbeliever named Nicodemus is introduced. He is a ruler and teacher of the Jews. He had seen or heard of the miracles that Jesus did, but had not believed that Jesus was God come in the flesh before this visit.

Like Nicodemus, we all need to be reconciled to God. And like Nicodemus, God reaches out to each one of us so we have an opportunity to be with him.

The night when Nicodemus came to see Jesus, Jesus explained how to know God and to be part of His Kingdom. The same instruction that Jesus gave to Nicodemus in the third chapter of John applies to all of us. Jesus said in John 3 that you must be born again to see the kingdom of God.

Being born again means that your heart — or your spirit — is created new by God. We are changed on the inside by the grace of God and given eternal life — we are saved from sin and spiritual death.

In John 3:7, Jesus says, “Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.”

Jesus didn’t want this truth to surprise Nicodemus. Nicodemus, however, was surprised at Jesus’ declaration. He was surprised because he thought that his body had to be reborn, when Jesus was actually referring to his spirit.

When Jesus mentioned the term “born again,” Nicodemus’ thoughts went right to the physical man rather than the spiritual man. Nicodemus looked at the impossibility of fitting a full-grown man back inside his mother’s womb. That is why he was surprised.

Many years ago, I thought the same thing. Not knowing the scripture, I had even heard others repeating almost the same words that Nicodemus had said. Many people think of their bodies or their minds rather than their spirits when they refer to themselves, just like Nicodemus.

It is only when we consider the spiritual aspect of being born again that Jesus’ statement begins to make sense. The born-again experience is not a change of the body or a change of the mind, but a change of the heart. That is why Jesus explained the difference between spiritual birth and physical birth when he said in John 3:6, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

The good news is that Jesus died for the sins of all and took our punishment so the lost fellowship between God and man could be restored. He didn’t die just for those who believe, he died for all, according to 1 John 2:2. Even though Jesus died to atone for all sin, every individual must make a choice with his or her spirit or heart to turn to him in order to receive eternal life and be born again. Jesus said we must make that choice to see the kingdom of God.

God is all about choosing. He said in Deuteronomy 30:19, “I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.”

Life is a choice.

God said that not believing in Jesus is still making a choice. Look at John 3:18 to see this: “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

God provided an alternative to hell for us through his son and he allows us to choose fellowship with him or separation from him.

God is just. He could not give us free will and force us to choose his son. That would be unjust.

God is love. He gave us all something we could never deserve — eternal life. In John 3:16, Jesus said, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Now is the time to turn to God and to forsake your sin. When you receive Jesus as your Lord, you become a new creation, according to 2 Corinthians 5:17, and are born again.

Being born again is easy. In Romans 10:9, God says, “That if 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.”

Tell God from your heart that you choose his son over the life you have. Turn to Jesus and be born again and eternally saved.

Brian Endle is a missions director at Palmer Victory Fellowship of Palmer. Contact Palmer Victory at pvf.outreach@gmail.com or 745-5045.

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