Born Again

“Can a man enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?” Nicodemus asked after Jesus told him he must be “born again” in order to enter the kingdom of God (John 3:1-8). The answer, of course, is “no” a man cannot be born twice, physically. So what was Jesus talking about?

He was talking about a spiritual rebirth. In Genesis 2:17 God tells Adam that he could eat of every tree in the garden except from the tree of “knowledge of good and evil . . . for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” We all know the rest of the story. Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden tree and yes, they eventually died, but not on that day. Or did they? Actually, yes they did, but their death was spiritual. Their once pure, unbroken fellowship with God was shattered and they were driven from His sight. No longer could they walk and talk with Him in the cool of the evening as they once had. Theirs was now to be a life of thorns and thistles, sweat and toil. But worst of all, a life incapable of fellowship with God.

As I said in a previous post, the first drop of blood was shed by God Himself when he killed an innocent animal to make skins to cover Adam and Eve. It was far more than a covering of clothing. It was a sin covering. And all through the Old Testament animals were slaughtered to provide that sin covering for man. Then came Jesus and provided His own blood as the final and complete and perfect sacrifice. It is His precious blood alone that makes atonement for our sins and a way back to fellowship with the Father. And it is only by our acceptance of Jesus’ sacrifice that our once spiritual connection with God is restored. Spiritually, we are “reborn” and once again able to walk and talk with God. No church, no denomination, can give us this. It is only the blood of Jesus. Period. And the rule still applies. If we want to enter the kingdom of God we must be born again.

It’s a pity that the phrase “born again” has evoked such scorn and become the butt of so many jokes, because in truth it is the most enviable position. The “born again” believer is at once at peace with God, able to call Him Abba, Daddy, able to confide in Him as a friend, has the assurance that God is for him and not against him. Being “born again” removes us from the thorns and thistles of this world and seats us with Jesus in the heavenlies as joint heir with Him.

My fervent pray is that everyone be “born again.”  I know of no better or loving prayer.

Until next week,

Sylvia