Contents
- How Does Becoming Born Again Work?
- 1) Our Condition: The Need for Salvation
- 2) Repentance: Turning from Sin
- 3) Faith: Trusting in the Blood of Jesus Christ Alone
- 4) Confession: Declaring Christ as the Living Lord
- 5) Regeneration: Born of the Spirit
- 6) New Life: Bearing Spiritual Fruit
- 7) Perseverance: Growing as Disciples
How Does Becoming Born Again Work? Back to contents ↑
Within Christianity, you will often hear the term “Being Born Again”, but what does this actually mean?
1) Our Condition: The Need for Salvation Back to contents ↑
Key verses: Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23
Paul in his epistle to the Romans shows that:
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”
You might think 'what's the big deal, then we live without God', however a few chapter later Paul mentions that:
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
This word “death” means, next to physical death, also “misery in hell”. So if we think that we don't need salvation, we end up in hell!
2) Repentance: Turning from Sin Back to contents ↑
Key verses: Acts 3:19; 2 Peter 3:9
We presume that since you are here on this site, you don't want to end up in hell and don't even want to think about it. However, not thinking about is it ending up in hell automatically, as all have sinned and come short of the glory of God as seen above. We can not pretend that our past sins are somehow gone by pretending it never happened. And if we are honest, we know that we are weak and will fall back to sin again quite easily. How do we know this? The Law has been given in the Bible to serve as a mirror. It shows us that we are never able to live up to the standard of God. How to solve this dilemma?
“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;”
Additionally:
“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
So we now learn that turning away from sin and repenting from it is the key to become saved. But how are our past sins dealt with?
3) Faith: Trusting in the Blood of Jesus Christ Alone Back to contents ↑
Key verses: Romans 5:9; Ephesians 2:8-9
So, in what way are our past sins dealt with? Paul writes in his letter to the Romans:
“Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.”
Jesus, who never committed any sin at all, died on the cross for the punishment that we rightfully deserve for committing sinful deeds. This is where His blood comes in, as His pure/ not defiled / not sinful blood, has been shed because He loved us so much that He gave up everything for you, even His own life.
This should make us humble and give up everything that we have for Him alone.
If we believe this, Paul in his letter to the Ephesians declares:
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
This makes clear that if we believe, we will be saved by His blood. This implies that you can't be saved by doing good works. It is impossible to earn your way into heaven, as we all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
4) Confession: Declaring Christ as the Living Lord Back to contents ↑
Key verses: 1 Corinthians 15:6; Romans 10:9–10
Three days after Jesus died, He rose from the dead as was wittnessed next to other accounts by about 500 simultaneously:
“After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.”
Now Romans 10:9-10 makes it clear:
“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. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
So this implies that you speak with your mouth as to what you believe as a testimony before God and men.
5) Regeneration: Born of the Spirit Back to contents ↑
Key verses: John 3:3–6; Titus 3:5–6
Now that you have given your testimony about what Jesus has done for you, you have to realize that you are now "born of the Spirit", that is, you are now someone who has a 'live' connection with Jesus and God the father through the Holy Spirit. Without this spiritual birth, you are unable to see/ enter into the kingdom of God as explained to Nicodemus:
“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”
Notice that Jesus says to become born again of water and of Spirit, water pointing to the baptizing in water through immersion in water and the Spirit pointing to the Holy Spirit.
Titus explains us that we are now saved according to his mercy and that the regeneration happens through the Holy Spirit. Note that this regeneration is te process of regenerating, which explains why we have to fight sin for the rest of our lives.
“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;”
6) New Life: Bearing Spiritual Fruit Back to contents ↑
Key verses: 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 5:22–26
You are now a new creature as Paul states in the 2nd letter to the Corinthians:
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
If you really have the Holy Spirit AND you listen to Him closely, you are supposed to change in character:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.”
Now don't make the mistake to try to self-improve in these areas. It is a fruit brought forth by the Holy Spirit and fruit has to grow and ripen. This means that your primary focus should be on living in harmony with the Holy Spirit. If you notice that you fail, ask the Holy Spirit to show you which areas need repentance and let Jesus regenerate you again.
7) Perseverance: Growing as Disciples Back to contents ↑
Key verses: Matthew 28:18–20; Hebrews 12:1–2
You cannot grow as a disciple without spiritual food. Compare this to the normal food you eat: bring up the discipline to read the Word of God and pray on a daily basis, as without that food you will starve to a spiritual death.
Further instructions are given by Jesus just prior leaving the earth to go to heaven:
“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
Now notice in the letter of Paul to the Hebrews:
“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
You now have a lot of brothers and sisters who are on the same path as you. Please find yourself a church that supports you in your relationship with Jesus and His Father through the Holy Spirit. You can't do this alone!