John 3:1-3 – “There was a man of the Pharisees named
Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to
Him, ‘Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do
these signs that You do unless God is with him.’ Jesus
answered and said to him, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is
born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’”
When
we pray to receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior we experience the new
birth. Jesus defined this as being, born again. What happens when we are born again? We leave behind a life of sin. We become citizens of another kingdom. Colossians 1:13 reads, “He has delivered us
from the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His
love.” We become citizens of the kingdom of God. Psalms 145:11 says this kingdom is both
glorious and majestic.
The
Apostle Paul writes concerning the new birth in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore,
if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away;
behold all things have become new.” To
be born again is to pass from spiritual death into spiritual life. We learn in John
5:24, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him
who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has
passed from death into life.”
When
we experience the new birth we are born
from above. The Scriptures reveal
the following about the new birth:
- 1 John 3:9 reveals we are born again of holy seed.
- John 3:8 reveals the new birth is produced by the Holy Spirit.
- 1 Peter 1:3 teaches the new birth is a result of God’s great mercy.
When we
experience the new birth everything changes.
Our nature changes, our standing changes, and become members of the
family of God. We learn in 1 Peter 2:9, “But you are a chosen generation, a
royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim
the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”
In Luke 19:10
Jesus gave us a glimpse into His mission, “For the son of man has come to seek
and to save that which was lost.” He is
still seeking for those who are lost so they can experience the new birth.
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