Why Did Jesus Say “You Must Be Born Again”? What Does “Born Again” Mean? by Chad Napier for Christianity.com
Being “born again” is required for salvation. The term, “born again” was introduced to Nicodemus in the Bible and explained by Jesus in Scripture. A person is “born again” through faith in Jesus Christ, who took the judgement for our sins to give his righteousness to anyone who would believe.
The principle of being “born-again” is difficult for the sinner to fully understand. In 1 Corinthians 2:14, Paul taught “the natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.”
“Born Again” Is Introduced to Nicodemus and Explained by Jesus in Scripture
This was reflected during the conversation of being “born again” between Jesus and Nicodemus. Their conversation reflects this confusion over a physical action being attributed to a spiritual beginning.
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In John 3:7-8, Jesus spoke of the mystery of the gift of grace to the world. He said, “You must be born again.” Then he detailed, “the wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
In John 3:3-4, Jesus announced, “truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot be the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus sought an explanation to this novel idea and asked, “how can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
Thus, the reader can initially gather that being “born again” is required for salvation and a heavenly destination. Jesus then explained the difference between the physical birth and the spiritual birth to which he was referring.
Why Did Jesus Say: “You Must Be Born Again”?
A birth contemplates the non-existence of life prior to conception. The fall of Adam and Eve imputed the presence of sin upon all of mankind. Just as aging affects the body, sin damages and infects the soul. But the soul dies to the power of sin when its faith is placed upon Jesus Christ. Paul gave a great explanation in Romans.
