What does it mean to be born again?
1. The Setting: Jesus and Nicodemus (John 3:1–15)
The phrase “born again” arises in Jesus’ late‑night conversation with Nicodemus, a Pharisee and teacher of Israel (John 3:1–2). Jesus states, “Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Nicodemus thinks in physical terms—“Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb?”—but Jesus redirects him to the spiritual reality: birth “of water and the Spirit” (John 3:4–6). The contrast is deliberate: flesh gives birth to flesh; the Spirit gives birth to spirit. The point is not moral tune‑up but new creation life that qualifies a person to “see” and “enter” the kingdom of God (John 3:3, 5).
Key observations from the setting:
The conversation addresses a sincere, informed religious leader—showing that spiritual status does not replace new birth.
Jesus presents the new birth as prerequisite to kingdom participation, not an optional spiritual upgrade.
The language of “water and Spirit” signals promised cleansing and renewal.
2. The Phrase Explained: “Born Again” and “Born from Above”
The expression can also be rendered “born from above” (John 3:3; the Greek anōthen allows both nuances). Both capture Jesus’ meaning: new life originates from God. A born‑again Christian is one whose life has been granted from above by the Holy Spirit. This is regeneration—God’s decisive act that transfers a person from spiritual death to spiritual life (Ephesians 2:1–5). It is a change of nature, status, and power: the heart is made new (2 Corinthians 5:17), the person enters God’s family (John 1:12–13), and the Spirit indwells (Romans 8:9–11).
What it is not:
Not a physical, repeatable birth (John 3:4).
Not mere self‑reform or religious resolve (Romans 3:10–12).
Not achieved by lineage, learning, or law‑keeping (Philippians 3:4–9).
3. The Old Testament Promises Behind Jesus’ Words
Jesus’ teaching fulfills prophetic promises of inner renewal:
Ezekiel 36:25–27: cleansing with water, a new heart, and God’s Spirit enabling obedience.
Jeremiah 31:31–34: a new covenant with God’s law written on the heart and sins forgiven.
These texts explain “water and Spirit” (John 3:5): cleansing from sin and indwelling power for obedience. Thus, when Jesus tells Nicodemus he must be born again, he expects a teacher of Israel to recognize that promised heart‑renewal has arrived in him.
4. The Nature of New Birth: Event, Not Process
Scripture presents new birth as a definitive, unrepeatable act of God. Believers are “brought forth by the word of truth” (James 1:18); God “has caused us to be born again” (1 Peter 1:3, 23). While a person may experience a period of conviction and seeking, regeneration itself is instantaneous—a crossing from death to life (John 5:24). Because God is the author, new birth is certain in its effect and secure in its outcome (Ephesians 1:13–14).
Pastoral implications:
Assurance rests on God’s promise, not on the emotional intensity of the moment (1 John 5:11–13).
Baptism and other practices witness to new life but do not cause it (Titus 3:5).
Growth in holiness follows regeneration but must not be confused with the act itself (Philippians 2:12–13).
5. The Universality of the Requirement
Jesus’ command reaches every person—religious or irreligious. Nicodemus’ pedigree could not substitute for new birth (John 3:10). Paul likewise concludes that all have sinned (Romans 3:23) and that only those “in Christ” are new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). Entrance into the kingdom of God requires being born again because the problem is deeper than behavior; it is the heart (Jeremiah 17:9).
Common substitutes that cannot replace regeneration:
Heritage or affiliation (John 8:39–44).
Knowledge or office (Romans 2:17–24).
Moral reform without the Spirit (Galatians 3:3).
6. The Marks of Regeneration: Cleansing and Spirit‑Indwelt Life
New birth manifests in renewed desires and new obedience. These are marks, not the cause, of being a born‑again Christian:
Living faith in Jesus (1 John 5:1; John 3:16).
Love for God and neighbor (1 John 4:7–12).
A new relationship to sin—no longer at peace with it (1 John 3:9; Romans 6:11–14).
Obedience prompted by the Spirit (Ezekiel 36:27; John 14:15).
Hope that looks to resurrection and inheritance (1 Peter 1:3–5).
These evidences grow over time. Believers still struggle (Romans 7:21–25), yet the Spirit steadily conforms them to Christ (Romans 8:29).
7. The Kingdom Focus: Entrance Now and Renewal Ahead
Being born again is inseparable from the kingdom. Jesus links new birth to “seeing” and “entering” God’s kingdom (John 3:3, 5). According to the bigger Gospel, the King’s reign reshapes individuals and forms a people who embody his life together (1 Peter 2:9–10). New birth installs a believer under Christ’s lordship now and anticipates the world‑renewal to come (Romans 8:18–23; Revelation 21:5).
Kingdom trajectory:
Present: transfer from darkness to the Son’s kingdom (Colossians 1:13–14).
Ongoing: Spirit‑empowered obedience that displays the King’s character (Galatians 5:22–25).
Future: bodily resurrection and life in a renewed creation (1 Corinthians 15:20–26).
8. The Cultural Use of “Born Again” and Its Limits
The phrase has entered common speech to describe dramatic personal change—a “born‑again” career or habit. While understandable, Scripture reserves the term for Spirit‑wrought regeneration. Metaphorical uses can obscure the biblical claim: without God’s act of new birth, a person remains outside the kingdom (John 3:3). Christians should use the term with care, keeping its theological weight intact.
9. The Summary Statement
To be born again is to receive from above a new heart and a new Spirit, cleansed from sin and empowered for obedience, granting entrance into the kingdom of God. It is a definitive act of God, necessary for all people, grounded in Jesus’ teaching (John 3) and promised by the prophets (Ezekiel 36; Jeremiah 31). The effects include faith, love, repentance, and hope, as the Spirit conforms believers to Christ and anchors them in the coming renewal of all things.
Bible Verses About Being Born Again
John 3:3 — “Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
John 3:5–6 — “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”
John 1:12–13 — “Born…not of blood nor of the will of the flesh…but of God.”
Ezekiel 36:25–27 — “I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you.”
Jeremiah 31:33–34 — “I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts.”
Titus 3:5 — “The washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.”
1 Peter 1:3 — “He has caused us to be born again to a living hope.”
1 Peter 1:23 — “You have been born again…through the living and abiding word of God.”
James 1:18 — “Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth.”
2 Corinthians 5:17 — “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.”
