Being Born Again; What Does It Mean? – Sunday Thought For The Day

I concluded the “Sunday Thought For The Day” the week before we celebrated Resurrection Day, by telling you I would the after Resurrection Day I would discuss “what is being born again.”  Let us begin.

“Born again” is Jesus’ own language for the kind of new beginning a person needs in order to belong to God. In His conversation with a religious teacher named Nicodemus, Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again” (John 3:3).

Nicodemus assumed Jesus meant a second physical birth, but Jesus was describing a spiritual birth—an inner change God brings about.

Why a new birth is necessary

The Bible presents the human problem as deeper than lack of education, self-control, or guidance. It is a heart problem: we are separated from God by sin and cannot fix that separation by effort alone. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

Being “born again” addresses that root issue: not merely improving the old life, but receiving new life from God.

What “born again” means

To be born again means God gives you a new kind of life—spiritual life—so that you become His child in a real, relational sense. John explains it this way: “But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God—children born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but born of God” (John 1:12–13).

This is not mainly about adopting a religious label. It is about God changing who you are at the deepest level and bringing you into His family.

The role of the Holy Spirit

Jesus connected the new birth directly to the Holy Spirit: “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh is born of flesh, but spirit is born of the Spirit” (John 3:5–6).

The point is that spiritual life does not come from human nature (“flesh”) or human willpower. It comes from God’s Spirit giving life from the inside out.

“Water and the Spirit” in plain terms

Jesus’ phrase points to cleansing and renewal that only God can provide. The Bible often links “water” with washing and purification, and it links the Spirit with inner transformation. Another passage summarizes this same idea: “He saved us, not by righteous deeds we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5).

Baptism is an important outward sign of repentance and faith, but the new birth itself is God’s inward work—something no ceremony can mechanically produce.

How the new birth happens

The new birth is received, not achieved. The Bible describes a personal response to God that includes repentance (turning from sin) and faith (trusting Christ).

At the center is Jesus—His death and resurrection as God’s provision for sinners. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

Salvation is not earned by good deeds: “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8–9).

What changes when someone is born again

Being born again does not mean instant perfection, but it does mean a real new beginning and a new direction. “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Common evidences include:

◇ A growing desire to know God and take His word seriously.

◇ A clearer conviction about sin, along with a willingness to confess and turn from it.

◇ New affections: love for Christ, love for other people, and a changed relationship to what once ruled you.

◇ Ongoing transformation over time, not merely a one-time emotional experience.

What being born again is not

Being born again is not:

◇ Simply becoming more moral or disciplined.

◇ Joining a church or adopting Christian culture.

◇ An emotional moment you can manufacture.

◇ A private spiritual upgrade that leaves your life unchanged.

The new birth is God’s work that results in real change, even if that change includes struggles and growth rather than instant maturity.

How assurance fits

A common concern is, “How can I know it’s real?” The Bible points assurance to Jesus Himself and God’s promise, not to flawless performance. “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:12–13).

The message at the center

Being born again means receiving new life from God through Jesus Christ—life given by the Holy Spirit, grounded in God’s mercy, received by faith, and evidenced by a transformed life. “For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God” (1 Peter 1:23).

I would like to thank the “Bible Hub Team” for their prodigious work in providing this message.

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