We are spiritual beings. Jesus said so. One thing Jesus makes clear, however, is we are either spiritually dead or alive. The success of our spiritual life in 2021 begins first by being spiritually ALIVE.
One day Jesus engaged a conversation with a man named Nicodemus. Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a ruler of the Jews. It was inappropriate for Nicodemus to enter into a conversation with Jesus in public because to do so was controversial at best and scandalous at worst, so Nicodemus came to Jesus under cover of night.
Nicodemus made an observation of Jesus. He said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”
Jesus’ response demonstrated His care for Nicodemus. Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Jesus’ statement was bold and, let’s be honest, a little weird.
How can one be born again? Seriously? What did Jesus mean?
We aren’t the only ones with questions. In fact, if you close your eyes and picture the situation, you can see and feel the awkwardness between Nicodemus and Jesus as Nicodemus plans his response to Jesus’ seemingly absurd statement. Nicodemus asked Jesus: “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
Thanks for the insightful and clarifying question, Nicodemus. No, seriously, thank you!
Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”
Jesus made clear, God created us to be spiritually alive. Fully alive. But we are not born that way.
Therefore, we must be born again.
When we are born physically we are born of water.
In order to be born spiritually we must be born of the Spirit of God.
How do we do that?
Jesus gives us the answer and and in His answer the key for success in our spiritual life. Actually it’s the answer to the success of our life period. Jesus said, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.“
Eternity is a spiritual experience which begins when we believe in Jesus and continues after our lives on earth are complete. It’s true we receive new bodies and eternity likely will be similar to our experience on earth minus the pain, suffering, and all the bad stuff caused by sin (more on that later). It will be the perfect experience of being in complete relationship with God the way we were designed since the beginning.
The key to success in our spiritual lives in 2021 is believing in Jesus. Just as the miracle of physical child birth is a gift from God so too is the miracle of spiritual birth. There is nothing we can do to make it happen other than to believe in Jesus. When we believe in Jesus, God births life inside us—in our inner person. Our spirit is made alive in Jesus.
If you’ve never believed and trusted Jesus before, your spiritual life is a hoax and you will have no spiritual success in 2021 or…ever, that is, until you believe in Jesus.
To be born again, you simply need to: Admit that you’re spiritually dead without Jesus; Believe that Jesus lived, died, and was resurrected for you (more on that tomorrow); Confess Jesus as your Savior and Lord both privately and publicly.
Success in our spiritual life begins here: Believing in Jesus.
Tomorrow we will examine why we must be born again and the power-filled life we receive in Jesus as we continue to follow Him.
Happy New Year!
-PB
P.S. Today’s Scriptures are taken from John 3 in the Christian Standard Version. Check it out here: https://www.bible.com/bible/1713/JHN.3.CSB