WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE BORN AGAIN? JOHN 3:3


In the religious world today, there is much discussion of being a "born again Christian." In religious circles, probably no phrase is more used and least understood than that of the new birth. What does it mean to be born again? And how do we explain the phrase to our friends and loved ones? This is the subject of our study today. (READ John 3:1-8) To gain a proper understanding of the text, we need to understand who's being addressed and what the subject matter is.

  1. Nicodemus
    1. was a Pharisee, a ruler of the Jews- v. 1, 10
    2. was convinced of obeying the teachings of Christ- v. 2
    3. How did Nicodemus become a Jew?
      1. By the process of physical birth- physically born into a physical kingdom- Israel
      2. Yet he was told he must be born again in order to see the kingdom of God.
      3. Jeremiah 31:31-34


  2. The Kingdom- What is it?
    1. Matthew 3:2 John the Baptist- "Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
    2. Matthew 4:17 Jesus- "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
    3. Mark 9:1 Jesus- "Assuredly I say to you that there be some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power."
    4. "Kingdom of heaven" and 'kingdom of God" used interchangeably- Matt. 19:12, 14, 24
    5. The kingdom is spoken of as being in the future from Matthew 1 - Acts 2.
    6. The kingdom is spoken of in the present tense from Acts 2 onward:
      1. Colossians 1:13 (God) hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son, in whom we have redemption thru His blood, . . .
      2. Rev. 1:9 who am your brother, & companion in tribulation & in the kingdom . . .
      3. 1 Cor. 15:24 at the judgment, the kingdom shall be delivered up to God, even the Father.
    7. What is peculiar about Acts 2? It is the day the church was established.
    8. Thus, no man can be a part of the church unless he is born again.


  3. What does it mean to be born again?
    1. Literally: Born from above, but Nicodemus understood it as born again or anew.
    2. Why not let Jesus explain it?
      1. Jesus said a man must be born again in order to see the kingdom of God- v. 3
      2. Jesus said a man must be born of water and the spirit to see the kingdom of God- v. 5
      3. Jesus said Nicodemus must be born again w/the birth of water and Spirit.
    3. What is the water of verse 5?
      1. Physical birth?
        1. If so, every human being is ½ born again and thus our "half-brother" in the kingdom.
        2. Romans 8:14-17 and Galatians 3:26-29 deny any such relationship exists
      2. Word? Spirit = word in Ephesians 5:19 & Colossians 3:16
      3. What is Jesus meant water? If Jesus wanted to say anything else, why did he say water? And if he meant water, what else could he have said to make it any clearer?
    4. What about verse 8?
      1. Many attribute these characteristics to the Spirit, but it is who is born of the Spirit.
      2. Nicodemus could not see with his eyes that which was being born again.


  4. Other Passages
    1. 1 Peter 1:22-23 "Seeing then ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth thru the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently, being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God which liveth and abideth forever."


    2. Ephesians 5:25-26 "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it by the washing of water by the word."


    3. Titus 3:5 "according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Spirit."
      1. regeneration = new birth
      2. literally, "by his mercy he saved us through the washing of new birth"
      3. cf. 1 Peter 3:21 (RSV- an appeal to God for a good conscience); Colossians 2:12


    4. Romans 6:17-18 "But God be thanked, that when ye were the servants of sin, ye obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness."


    5. To be born again is to obey the Gospel of Jesus Christ through:
      1. the hearing of the word- Romans 10:17
      2. faith in Jesus Christ as God's Son- John 3:16
      3. repentance for sin- Acts 17:30
      4. confession of faith in Jesus as God's Son- Romans 10:9-10
      5. being baptized (immersed) in order to receive the forgiveness of your sins- Acts 22:16
      6. remaining faithful to God for life- 2 Timothy 4:6-8