Do You Know The Possibilities That Comes With Being ‘Born Again’?
Have you just surrendered your life under the Lordship of Christ or you are renewing your commitment to Him, I have a question for you, do you know the meaning and the eternal implication of your decision to receive and follow Christ?
Yes! I know you are born again but do you know the implication of being born again? If not, you are missing out on maximizing and living the possibilities of the new life that comes with your decision to surrender your life under the Lordship of Christ.
What Does It Mean To Be Born Again?
First and foremost for the sake of clarity, let look at what it means to be born again;
The book of John 3 was the only place where the term ‘Born Again’ was used directly and it’s amazing to see that that word came from the Lord Jesus.
Nicodemus (a Pharisee) asked the Lord Jesus what he needed to enter the kingdom of God; ‘you must be born again’ was the response given by Jesus to him.
When it seems Nicodemus could not understand what Jesus was saying, the Lord Jesus further explained ‘that which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is spirit’ (verse 6); ‘for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal life’ (verse 16).
In other words being Born Again in a simple term can be referred to having a new life (God’s life) in your spirit by believing and receiving the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. This concept is also known as ‘New Birth’ or ‘Spiritual Birth’.
How is this possible?
Just as Genesis 2:7 noted about how the first man became a living soul (by God breathing the breath of life into him), whenever anyone respond to the gospel of the Lord Jesus, the Spirit of God enters the person and give the person a new life (eternal life). Although, the person is a living soul but now, a living soul with ‘eternal life’.
Ephesians 1:13 ‘in whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise.’
John 6:63 ‘It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing, the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life’.
What are the implications of being born again?
When you respond with faith to the gospel of Jesus Christ, there are four key implications of being born again:
- You are born again in your spirit: ‘…verily, verily I say unto you except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God….and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit’. John 3:3,5
- You now have the Spirit of God in you: ‘But ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his’ Romans 8:11.
Now there are implications of you having the Spirit of God in you, which are:
- Because you have the Spirit of God in you; you now belong to God. ‘…Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his’ Romans 8:11.
- Because you have the Spirit of God in you; You have hope of resurrection on the last day; But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies, by His Spirit that dwelleth in you.’ Romans 8:11
- Because you have the Spirit of God in you; you are to submit to His leading (no longer about your will but His will). ‘For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God’ Romans 8:14
- Because you have the Spirit of God in you; You are now sons of God. ‘The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God’. Romans 8:16
- Because you have the Spirit of God in you; you have received the Spirit of adoption and now have God has a Father. ‘…but ye have received the Spirit of Adoption, whereby we cry, Abba Father’. Romans 8:15
- Because you are now a child of God, you are joint-heirs with Christ. Romans 8:17
- You now belong to a new family: ‘But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his name’ John 1:12.
- You are a new creature: ‘Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new’. 2 Corinthians 5:17
Oh! How wonderful are these truths that come with your decision to follow Christ. Knowing this will help you to maximize your life knowing truly that the Spirit of God now lives in you.
Yet I have a question for you. Now that you are saved, what’s next?
(c) Oladimeji Olayinka Joseph