BORN AGAIN
#7 of 7 devotions in Salvation series
John 3:3
“In reply [to Nicodemus] Jesus declared, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again’”
Nicodemus had just admitted that Jesus came from God (John 3:2). He wondered what “born again” means. Jesus explained in verses 5-8: “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at My saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So is it with everyone born of the Spirit.”
In Jewish terms, born again was a "baptism" ... and so it was as Jesus was talking about being born of the water and of the spirit. Spiritual birth means “born from above, and is consistent with Jesus’ redeeming work.”1 This includes that a person must believe, confess and repent sin, and be baptized. The symbolism about baptism is: A person under the water is buried sinful, then rises out of the water with new life (see Baptism Debut devotion, 3rd paragraph). He or she is a new creature, after professing faith in Lord Jesus as Savior.
Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:15,17: “And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again....Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old one has gone, the new one has come!”
Peter tells us in 1 Peter 1:21-23: “Through Him [Jesus] you believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him, and so your faith and hope are in God. Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but on imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.”
Compare this to Buddy’s life now (see Life Goal—Salvation devotion). As soon as Miguel chose Buddy (from a liter of puppies) to be his pet, Buddy’s life was forever changed. No longer did he greet people wagging his tail furiously in hopes that someone would adopt him. He has a master now in Miguel. He has a family, a home, and is forever secure. Just like believers in Christ!
Take Home Nugget
Jesus’ death paid for believers’ salvation. Those who accept that gift, and live obediently, will never face God’s wrath. For Romans 5:9 says, “Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through Him!”
“‘The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,’ that is the word of faith we are proclaiming: that is, you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:8b-9).
1NIV/The Message Parallel Study Bible, (Michigan: Zondervan, 2008), John 3:3, notes on p. 2088.
J.D. Griffith
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“Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God,” (1John 5:1a).
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