“What’s the big deal about not being born again; after all I’m a good person. It’s not like I’ve ever killed anyone. I’m not a bank robber. Sure I might cuss from time to time, but God knows that I don’t mean it. I know that I am going to Heaven.” I have heard this statement from many people over the years. My response is usually… Really? Are you absolutely positive?

In John 3, we read about the interaction of Nicodemus, a religious leader, most likely a member of the Sanhedrin (the ruling council) and Jesus. Nicodemus sought out Jesus in the cover of darkness without other members of the Sanhedrin to learn from the man named Jesus. He needed to determine fact from rumor about Jesus. Though Nicodemus was a learned man, he still had questions. He wanted to know more and he knew that Jesus had the answers.

In this interaction, Nicodemus acknowledges that Jesus could not have performed the miraculous signs if God were not with Him. (John 3:2) From all of his studies, Nicodemus knew about the kingdom of Heaven. He knew that it would be ruled by God, it would be restored on earth, and it would incorporate all God’s people, not just the Jews.

When Jesus said to Nicodemus, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” Thinking only in the practical, Nicodemus of course answers, “how can a man be born when he is old? … Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born.” To that Jesus answers… “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.” John 3:3-5

This concept was so completely foreign to Nicodemus. This kingdom that Jesus spoke about was not a physical kingdom that one could gain entrance into by way of his knowledge, good deeds, degrees, wealth, community standing, offices held, familial lineage or pedigree. No, this kingdom required only one thing from anyone – Jew or Gentile wanting entrance – repentance and spiritual rebirth.

This conversation between Nicodemus and Jesus took place nearly 2000 years ago. If it were to take place today with any one of us and Jesus; His answer would still be the same. If you want to be assured that upon your death you will enter the kingdom of Heaven, you must be born again – spiritual rebirth.

So what does that mean for us? What does it mean to be born again? What is Spiritual Rebirth? And why it is necessary?
“I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” John 3:3 Do you see the key word there? NO ONE How you have lived your life, no matter what you think about your “good” life. NO ONE will see the kingdom of God UNLESS he is born again. Unless you are spiritually reborn, you will not see the kingdom of Heaven. Jesus, in speaking with Nicodemus, spoke of the necessity and nature of regeneration or the new birth. Natural birth is the beginning of life: to be born again, is to begin to live anew. We are spiritually reborn with a new mission a new purpose, new goals, new principles, new affections and new aims. This new birth is from heaven. It creates a great change in the heart of the sinner by the power of the Holy Spirit. It means that something has been done in and for us that we cannot do ourselves.

To be born again is to have the Holy Spirit transform our hearts from indifference and hostility toward God to a love of God and a desire for righteousness and holiness. The only way one can come to God and experience what it means to be “born again” is through repentance of sin and faith in Jesus Christ; read John 14:6 “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

The Bible clearly teaches in Ephesians 2:8-10, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast” and in Titus 3:5 “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit ”, and again in Romans 10:13 “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” that salvation is a gift; it cannot be earned in any way.[1]

To receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord means more than accepting Him as a fact of history, a teacher, or an example. It means more than giving mental assent to the fact that Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the world. It means that one turns from sin and with his or her whole heart trusts in Christ as personal Savior and Lord. God makes that one a new person; see 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” The Bible says, “To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).” [2]

Being a “good person” is great! We should all be “good” people. However, you must know that being good is not going to open the gates to the kingdom of God – Heaven. If you want to see the kingdom of Heaven, there is only one way to get there. Regardless of what is being promoted in the world today, there is only one way to the Kingdom of God and that is through God’s Son Jesus Christ.

The Bible says, “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, [Jesus Christ], that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

We are all sinners. We have all done, thought or said bad things, which the Bible calls “sin.” The Bible says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

The result of our sin is death, eternal spiritual separation from God. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

The good news is that God sent His Son to die for your sins! There is no sin that you could commit that cannot be forgiven. There is no sin that you could commit that Jesus wouldn’t willingly die in our place so we could have a relationship with God and be with Him forever in the kingdom of God – Heaven. “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

But it didn’t end with His death on the cross. Jesus rose again and still lives! “Christ died for our sins. … He was buried. … He was raised on the third day, according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

Jesus is the only way to God. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me” (John 14:6).

Jesus is alive in the kingdom of Heaven with His Father. He is going to come again. He is going to set foot on the earth and He is going to setup His Kingdom on earth. At that time, those who have not repented and been born again (salvation), those who have relied solely on their good works or those who have refused the free gift of eternal life, those who have turned their backs on the truth of the Jesus, will NOT be a part of the Kingdom.

We can’t earn salvation; we are saved by God’s grace when we have faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. All you have to do is admit you are a sinner, believe that Christ died for your sins, and ask His forgiveness. Then turn from your sins—that’s called repentance. Jesus Christ knows you and loves you and He wants to spend eternity with you. You are His beloved… make Him yours.

Open your heart and be honest with Him. Are you ready to come to Him with an honest, contrite, repentant heart? Eternal life awaits. Your eternity depends on your answer right now. If you are ready to change your life, to become washed clean by the cleansing “blood of the Lamb of God”, to have your sins forgiven once and for all, then I would encourage you to click here and get to know this Jesus!

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endnotes:

[1] https://billygraham.org/answer/what-does-it-mean-to-be-born-again/

[2] IBID