Kingdom of God – Born Again

I am so glad that this topic crops up early on in this series because new birth is about how we gain access into God’s Kingdom.

Spiritually Dead

To make sense of being born again, we need to understand our spiritual condition before we welcome God into our lives. The Apostle Paul says, “Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins” (Ephesians 2.1, NLT). The Message paraphrase puts it this way: “you…were [spiritually] dead and separated from Him because of your transgressions and sins...”

The Apostle Paul said to the church in Colossae: “You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away” (Colossians 2.13).

In his letter to the Romans Paul makes our plight abundantly clear: “The wages of sin is death...” (Romans 6.23). Who has sinned and is therefore dead? “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” (Romans 3.23).

Before we welcome God into our lives, we are physically alive but spiritually dead. The practical effect of being spiritually dead is that we are separated from God. We either live in ignorance of Him, or we ignore Him.

You were once like corpses, dead in your sins and offenses

Ephesians 2.1, The Passion Paraphrase

Born Again

The story of Nicodemus the pharisee visiting Jesus at night is recorded in the gospel of John, chapter 3 (NLT).

Now there was a prominent religious leader among the Jews named Nicodemus, who was part of the sect called the Pharisees and a member of the Jewish ruling council. ² One night he discreetly came to Jesus and said, “Master, we know that you are a teacher from God, for no one performs the miracle signs that you do, unless God’s power is with him.”

³ Jesus answered, “Nicodemus, listen to this eternal truth: Before a person can perceive God’s kingdom realm, they must first experience a rebirth.”

⁴ Nicodemus said, “Rebirth? How can a gray-headed man be reborn? It’s impossible for a man to go back into the womb a second time and be reborn!”

⁵ Jesus answered, “I speak an eternal truth: Unless you are born of water and Spirit-wind, you will never enter God’s kingdom realm. ⁶ For the natural realm can only give birth to things that are natural, but the spiritual realm gives birth to supernatural life!

⁷ “You shouldn’t be amazed by my statement, ‘You must be born from above!’ ⁸ For the Spirit-wind blows as it chooses. You can hear its sound, but you don’t know where it came from or where it’s going. So it is within the hearts of those who are Spirit-born!”

⁹ Then Nicodemus replied, “But I don’t understand, what do you mean? How does this happen?”

¹⁰ Jesus answered, “Nicodemus, aren’t you the respected teacher in Israel, and yet you don’t understand this revelation? ¹¹ I speak eternal truths about things I know, things I’ve seen and experienced—and still you don’t accept what I reveal. ¹² If you’re unable to understand and believe what I’ve told you about the natural realm, what will you do when I begin to unveil the heavenly realm? 

Nicodemus was a Pharisee and religious leader who knew his religion! He was also a big hitter – he was a member of the Jewish ruling Council, so he had a great reputation. Entertaining thoughts that this itinerant rabbi (Jesus) might be the long awaited Messiah, but not yet ready to ‘break cover’, Nicodemus visited Jesus at night. While he was a man of standing and influence, he was probably empty and dissatisfied. He did not have a personal relationship with God.

Nicodemus says to Jesus: ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him’ (John 3:2). Note in Nicodemus’s mind there is an inseparable link between what Jesus taught and what He did. Nicodemus observed that Jesus proclaimed the Good news and then He demonstrated it. The Hebrew model of learning makes an inextricable link between learning and experience.

Much of Western learning is derived from a Greek model. It’s abstract – learning divorced from experience. The church in the West have embraced this too, teaching much but demonstrating little. More of this in a later blog.

Jesus ignores Nicodemus’ compliment and starts off on another track all together. Nicodemus could be forgiven for thinking, ‘Are we in the same conversation here?!’ He could be forgiven for thinking this except that, unnervingly, Jesus had the knack of knowing what you were thinking rather than merely what you were saying. Jesus knows that Nicodemus is really thinking, ‘Are you the Messiah? If so, have you brought God’s Kingdom with you and how do we get in?’, or something along those lines. Jesus still knows what people are thinking, so be careful what you think!

3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” 4 “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”

Nicodemus is a bright man, but he’s not getting it! He’s thinking about another physical birth; he knows that’s impossible as his mother has probably long since died!

5 Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit 6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. 7 So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’

Jesus says to Nicodemus that in order to see the Kingdom of God, you MUST be born again. To enter the Kingdom of God, you MUST be born again. To become a citizen of God’s Kingdom which lasts forever and where He rules and reigns, you have to be born again. Not a physical birth, but a spiritual birth brought about by the Spirit of God and confirmed by going through the waters of baptism (‘…being born of water and the Spirit’).

Jesus says to Nicodemus that in order to see the Kingdom of God, you MUST be born again. To enter the Kingdom of God, you MUST be born again.

A reminder of why rebirth is necessary: “you were once like corpses, dead in your sins and offenses.” (Ephesians 2.1, TPT).

Jesus said, “Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life”. We need the Holy Spirit to bring us alive spiritually; until He does, the reality is that we are half dead! We need to be reborn spiritually, so that we are fully alive – physically AND spiritually. When you welcome God, He comes into you by His Spirit and brings your spirit alive!

Until you are born again, you can neither ‘see’ God’s Kingdom (His domain), nor enter it. When you are born again, you begin to ‘see’ with more than your physical eyes. You begin to ‘see’ the activity of God around you, bringing healing, restored relationships, freedom from addictions, financial provision – the list is endless.

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M told a bit of his story in 2012… I’m ashamed, when I look back, of where I was in my life. I had left my wife and small lad. It was a thoroughly “Godless” thing to do, but I knew no better. I was hedonistic and a thrill seeker. But, I wasn’t happy. Well, I was superficially happy; I earned well and bought “stuff” to cheer me up.

I was at a family Christening with my little boy. He’s been a constant for me in the past year. I wasn’t particularly interested in going to the Christening – churches are boring right? My Mum is a committed Christian and her faith seemed to be helpful to her, but it was absolutely the furthest thing from my mind. However, as I entered the church and sat down, the sense of calm and acceptance seemed palpable. I could almost taste the calm. It was a “high Anglican” church, incense and candle aplenty! I enjoyed the service. I felt calm and I spoke with the priest afterwards. Despite my many failings, I really felt welcome. As I drove home, I just couldn’t shake the feeling that perhaps I was wrong, perhaps God was there after all. I reasoned (and I am a completely logical person…) that there was nothing that I could invent today that would be remembered (let alone practised) in 2000 years time. Was I wrong all along?

I decided to go to a local church where I had gone five years earlier for a Christening; all I recall was that it was charismatic. I just sat and wept through the first service; it was as though the speaker was talking to me. That sense continued at the services – as though the speaker each time was talking just to me when I went.

I started an Alpha course after two weeks (again, amazing timing, perhaps God was lining this all up!) and I can honestly say my life was transformed. The most obvious sign I got was the healing I received on the Alpha weekend. I had arthritis in my left knee. The pain was daily and debilitating. I was seriously giving thought to getting a stick for the days where the pain was too bad. A church member on the Alpha weekend noticed me hobbling and asked if I wanted healing. Naturally I did but I was slightly dubious, as we had just done the Saturday afternoon part of Alpha where we invite the Holy Spirit to come and I had experienced no noticeable change. But I figured it couldn’t hurt. My knee was prayed for and the healing was almost instant. I can now walk and bend the knee; I have had almost no pain since then. I am not given to over egging things, I’m not prone to hyperbole but to me, this was God saying “You want a sign from me? Try this!” I’m hearing you God, loud and clear!

I have now surrendered my life to Jesus and I am trusting God to help me forge a new life. I’m happy for Him to lead and I will follow. He knows what is best for me. I would NEVER have thought that I would become a Christian; it’s just not something that the old me would have done.

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Being born again is not an abstract idea or theological notion – it’s a spiritual imperative. It’s not an option – it’s a necessity! If you want to enter the Kingdom of God – be a citizen of God’s Kingdom under His governance – you MUST be born again. And you’re either in or you’re out of God’s Kingdom. There is no sitting on the fence.

Jesus did not say, ‘To see and enter God’s Kingdom, you must go to church all your life (you may have done that and not be born again). Jesus did not say, ‘to see and enter God’s Kingdom, you must try your hardest’. Jesus did not even say, ‘To see and enter God’s Kingdom, you must not break the 10 commandments’! He said, ‘To see and enter God’s Kingdom, you MUST be born again’! Until you are born again, God’s Spirit does not live in you, you are not fully alive and you are not a citizen of His Kingdom.

Benefits of Being Born Again

Future inheritance. Later on in His encounter with Nicodemus, Jesus says: “…whoever believes in me will not die but will have eternal life” (John3.16). When they lay you in the ground, it is not the end! The Apostle Paul echoes this: “...the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6.23). That spiritual life is eternal in nature. It continues forever.

Jesus said, “I am…Resurrection and Life. The one who believes in me, even though he or she dies, will live. And everyone who lives believing in me does not ultimately die at all”’ (John 11:24). There is life beyond the grave. Jesus died but rose from the grave, never to die again. He shares that resurrection life with all who believe in Him. “…if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you” (Romans 8.11).

The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance [eternal life] he promised.

Ephesians 1.14

Full life. It is a mistake, however, to view eternal life as simply an unending progression of years. A common New Testament word for “eternal” is aiónios, which carries the idea of quality as well as quantity. In fact, eternal life is not really associated with “years” at all, as it is independent of time. Eternal life can function outside of and beyond time, as well as within time.

For this reason, eternal life is something that Christians experience now. We don’t have to “wait” for eternal life, because it’s not something that starts when we die. Rather, eternal life begins the moment a person welcomes Jesus into their life and He comes by His Spirit. Jesus said: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life” (John 3.36). Note that the believer “has” (present tense) this life (the verb is present tense in the Greek, too). 

So, life which begins when you become a Christian and is as much to do with quality as it is with quantity. Jesus promised us ‘life [zoe] in all its fullness‘ (John 10.10) or ‘life in abundance’ or ‘rich and satisfying life’. He brings you fully alive, giving you life with meaning, purpose and satisfaction.

For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.

1 Peter 1.23, NLT

As well as abundant life now and forever, there are more benefits of being born again:

Forgiveness. So many people live with guilt and shame. Someone on an Alpha course I ran in 2017 said: ‘If I could ask God one thing, it would be: can I be forgiven?’ The answer for him and for you is ‘Yes’! “God did not send his Son into the world to judge and condemn the world, but to be its Saviour and rescue it” (John 3.17, TPT). Jesus came to rescue and save you, not judge and condemn you. He forgives all your wrongdoing when you believe (put your faith and trust) in Him: “You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. THEN God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins” (Colossians 2.13).

Freedom. You need no longer be a slave to fear or addiction or other bad habits. God wants to set you free! “For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Corinthians 3:17).

Family membership. As I said in my blog ‘Abba’, you are a son or daughter of your Heavenly Father, and a citizen of His Kingdom! “But to all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God” (John 1.12). “…He has identified us as His own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first instalment that guarantees everything He has promised us” (2 Corinthians 1:22).

When you are born again, Jesus gives you a future inheritance, full life, forgiveness, freedom and family membership – all of which is fantastic! All you need to do is receive it.

For his fountain of mercy has given us a new life – we are reborn to experience a living, energetic hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead

1 Peter 1.3, TPT

Nicodemus was at some point born again, given new life. We know that because, in a public display of allegiance which contrasted with his earlier meeting with Jesus under cover of darkness, he helped Joseph of Arimathea bury Jesus’ body (see John 19.38-42).

I would encourage you to watch the story of Nicodemus visiting Jesus at night as part of the brilliant serialisation of the gospels called ‘The Chosen’ (30 mins into the episode)…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K09a7l48VD0

When they lay you in the ground, they won’t be burying you. They will simply be burying your old, tired body that you no longer need. You will have a new one and you will be enjoying heaven! Those of us who are born again by the Spirit of God and are therefore citizens of God’s Kingdom will see all those who have gone before us when we go home.

• Have you been born again? If you know you’re not born again or you’re not sure, make sure today. Express your belief in and reliance on Jesus using the words of the prayer at the end. Say it today; you are not guaranteed tomorrow. If you mean what you pray, God will change you today.
• “You know well enough how the wind blows this way and that. You hear it rustling through the trees, but you have no idea where it comes from or where it’s headed next. That’s the way it is with everyone ‘born from above’ by the wind of God, the Spirit of God” (John 3.8). Who will you pray for the Spirit of God to blow on, to bring them to new birth? Family members? Friends? Colleagues?
• Will you commit to pray for three people at 3.08pm (after John 3.8) every day? Perhaps set a daily alarm.
• Who could you invite on an Alpha course? This could be at a church near you that runs Alpha, or online. During this season of the Corona virus lockdown, many Alpha courses are being run online. As I write this, I am helping with one starting tonight! If you contact me, I can help connect you to a course. Find out more about Alpha – https://www.alpha.org/

Prayer:

Lord Jesus Christ, thank you that you died on the cross for me and rose again from the grave to everlasting life, conquering sin and death for once and for all. Thank you that you offer me forgiveness of all wrongdoing. I am sorry for the things I have done wrong in my life (take a few moments to ask his forgiveness for anything particular that is on your conscience). I now turn from everything that I know is wrong. Please forgive me and help me to know in my heart that you have truly forgiven me.

Thank you that you offer me the gift of your Spirit. I now receive that gift as a deposit, guaranteeing eternal life. Please come into my life by your Holy Spirit to be with me forever. Thank you Lord Jesus. Amen.