Jesus answered, “I assure you: Unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I told you that you must be born again. The wind blows where it pleases, and you hear its sound but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” John 3:5-8 HCSB
We don’t remember when we are born and it’s probably a good thing. I imagine it is a pretty traumatizing experience for a newborn. Can you imagine? You are tucked in this nice warm place that’s dark and feels really safe, then all of a sudden you are pushed and pulled out into the light where all these people are making funny faces and funny noises. Everyone wants to hold you and you don’t even know these people like that. Wow! It’s probably good that we don’t remember all that. ,
I certainly don’t remember my physical birth. I remember being baptized at the age of 11 or 12, but I vividly remember the day I gave my life to Jesus. It was August 22, 2010 at around 10:00 a.m. I had been saved in my pre-teen years and under the watchful eyes of my parents, as a teen, I did pretty well obeying God’s word. But then I got married and life happened. I lived through a devastating divorce and while I still loved God, I ventured away from Him. I allowed my sin to pull me away. Later I stepped back over, closer to God but wasn’t 100 per cent totally committed. I left a few gaps and the devil just squeezed through and took over. But on August 22, 2010 I longed to return to the life I had before I stepped away from God. I wanted the life I had where I didn’t allow those little cracks in the door for the devil to squeeze through. I had a little talk with Jesus and He assured me that if I would give it all over to Him that He would take care of everything. He assured me that if I would just focus on Him that He would take care of everything else (Matthew 6:33-34).
That was the best decision of my life. Prior to that I had been living like the Israelites, spending years going round and round that same old mountain. Taking 40 years to make a 14 day trip. It was exhausting.
In our scripture passage today, Nicodemus, a Pharisee and a Sanhedrin (the groups that had Jesus arrested) visits Jesus and asks Jesus about his teachings. Nicodemus wants to know how to enter the kingdom of God. Jesus tells Nicodemus that for a man to enter the kingdom of God, that he must be born again. Now this confused Nicodemus because he asked Jesus in verse 4 how someone can be born again when they are old. He was thinking of a physical birth or re-birth. Jesus is speaking of a Spiritual birth.
When we are physically born and enter the world as an infant, we have no sin. However as time progresses for human beings we sin. At some point we reach an age where we are accountable for our sin. This is why the spiritual birth is so necessary for us to enter the kingdom of God. The term born again refers to our becoming a new creature (2 Corinthians 5:17). When we are born again, the Holy Spirit comes to reside in us. This is what helps us with our faith. This is what helps us to not sin when the temptation is great.
We all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Nobody is perfect, but praise God we are given a do-over. We are given the opportunity to start over and begin anew. Don’t waste the opportunity that is given. Turn to God and allow Him to make you a new creature in Him. Allow Him to help you to live a life with a peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7). Help Him to help you have unending joy (Isaiah 35:10). You will be so glad you did!
Have a great day!