Ye Must Be Born Again
- Bishop Keith Butler
- Feb 14, 2023
- 2 min read
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. (John 3:3-8)
John 3:3-8 is one of the most well-known and often quoted passages in the New Testament, and for good reason. It contains some of the most profound truths about God and His relationship with mankind. In these verses, Jesus answered the well-known Pharisee of the Jewish High counsel known as Nicodemus, who didn’t understand what Jesus meant when He told him he must be born again to enter the Kingdom of God. Just like Nicodemus, many people still don’t understand what it means to be born again.
Jesus explained it isn’t a physical process. He said that you must be born of water and of the Spirit. This is a spiritual rebirth and a complete transformation of the heart and the mind. The water Jesus mentioned was described by Paul in his letter to the Ephesians. He said we are cleansed by the water of the Word. The Bible is a cleansing agent. It will wash your past sins and ungodly behavior out of your brain.
Transformation is not optional if you want everlasting life. Notice Jesus told Nicodemus, ye must be born again. Belief in Jesus is not just a mental assent to certain facts and information; it is a complete surrender of our lives, our thoughts, and our decisions to Him.
Practical Application
Surrender is a daily act of deciding that every word I say and action I take must submit to the Lordship of Jesus. Take time to regularly ask, “Lord, what would you have me say or do here?” Listen and obey.
