By Buddy Dawson
Born Again
Week 14 in a multi-part series
The greatest sign and wonder that will ever take place on this Earth is the miracle of the “new birth.” I will never begin to insinuate that I understand the complete mystery of what takes place when someone is truly “born again,” but Jesus gives us some insight into this miracle in the third chapter of John.
A religious leader by the name of Nicodemus comes to Jesus seeking truth. Nicodemus, like most other Jewish religious leaders, believed that good works and keeping the Jewish Law would earn them a place in heaven.
Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again’ (John 3:3 -7 NKJV).
Jesus begins two of the above verses with “Most assuredly, I say to you,” expressing the importance of these truths.
First it is important to note that when we are “born of water” or “born of the flesh” this represents a natural birth.
Every human being is born with a sin nature that is inherited from the first man, Adam. Among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others (Ephesians 2:3 NKJV). Paul is also speaking of this sin nature in Romans 7:14-25: For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out (Vs. 18 NIV).
For unbelievers, it is not their individual sins that keep them from the life of God and the Kingdom of Heaven. It is the sin nature or “old nature” that qualifies them as sinners. Being “born of the Spirit” or “born again.” is the only way to change this old nature. No amount of self-discipline or self-righteousness can change this, it has to die.
Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin (Romans 6:6 KJV).
By believing on and receiving as your own, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ the Son of God, the old sin nature is crucified with Him. Miraculously at this point we are “in Christ” or “Born of the Spirit” with a new nature and a new life. This whole scenario is played out symbolically in water baptism. Our old self, or sin nature, is buried with Christ, and we are raised to new life in Him.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; all old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new (II Corinthians 5:17 NKJV).
Buddy and Maude Dawson are the founders and directors of the River of Life Worship Center, 3504 Carolina Beach Rd., Wilmington, NC. therolwc.org/[email protected]
