Born Again

One of the greatest obstacles for many in accepting Jesus as their Lord and Savior is the notion of being born again. I know. It kept me from the saving power of the Gospel for many years. I don't need to be born again is a common refrain from those who have some church experience but no personal relationship with Jesus. It's almost as if being born again means you start back at square one. All of your good deeds are now invalid.

Yet being born again does bring with it a new start. Prior to knowing Christ, we were alienated from the Father. Orphans with no home. John 3:3 is very clear--truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. Jesus himself spelled out the entry requirement for heaven. You must be born again. There is no plan B.

Romans 8:15 tells us that as believers we have received the Spirit of adoption as sons allowing us to call God "Abba Father". In Biblical times, being adopted into a family meant receiving full standing as a member of the family. Just as our children became immediate members of our families and didn't have to earn their way in; we too enter into God's family at our spiritual rebirth.

Because all have sinned and fall short of God's glory (Romans 3:23), none of us meet the entry requirements for heaven of our own merit. Being born again means recognizing our sinful state, recognizing that we are incapable of earning our way into heaven, recognizing that we are incapable of saving ourselves and that we need a Savior. Being born again is accepting Jesus Christ--the only one who lived a prefect, sinless life--as our personal Savior. He is the only one who makes all things new (Revelation 21:5).