Born to be Born Again

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he or she is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17

Can you imagine getting a chance to live your life over again? What would you do different? I am quite confident that every person on the planet would do things differently if they received a do-over in life.

Experience and maturation teaches all of us that we make many mistakes in life. In fact, every single person on the planet sins and falls short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Take a moment and think about the heartache and pain your sin has brought to your life. Do you wish you made different choices while growing up? I know I sure do.

When people do not want to admit they need to change, they justify their sinful behavior by proclaiming this is the way they were born. In their attempt to make an argument that would allow them to continue participating in immoral behavior without condemnation, they actually state very clearly what they Bible teaches in regards to human nature.

Romans 5:12 says, “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.”

It is true that we are born to sin. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the garden, sin entered the human race. The consequence for their disobedience is that every person born after them would now possess a sinful nature from birth. Galatians 5:19-21 says, “The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Our actions reveal our nature.

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him."

3In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."

4"How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"

5Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit (John 3:1-5).

Even though Nicodemus was a Pharisee, a member of this Jewish party that saw the way to God as being through obedience to the law, he knew he needed more than just “good deeds” to be in right standing with God. Nicodemus, like all of us, still had to deal with his sins. He needed to be born again.

The reason we need to be born again through God’s Spirit is because the wages of our sins is death (Romans 6:23). We have all sinned, and therefore, we are all dead in our trespasses.

So the next time someone tells you they were born that way when they try to justify their sinful behavior, don’t argue with them. Tell them they are absolutely 100% correct. Then, speak the truth in love by telling them their conduct is sin according to God’s Holy Scriptures. After that, tell them they need to repent of their sins, and receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior, so they can become born again with a new Christ-like nature.

Remember…our actions reveal our nature. Are you born again?