December 23 - Being Born Again

"Jesus answered and said to him, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God'" (John 3:3 NKJV)

We celebrate the birth of Jesus, but Jesus told Nicodemus (John 3) that we must also experience a birth - we must be born again. The new birth is a process: you're convicted of your lostness, convinced that Jesus is the Answer, and converted by the Holy Spirit. Being "born again" simply means "receiving God's life on the inside". It is a complete transformation inside the heart of a person. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "If any man is in Christ, he is a new creature. The old has passed away and the new has come."

It's puzzling - you don't really understand it. You say, "Jesus, be my Lord," and the next day you look the same on the outside, but give it time, and you recognize something inside has changed. It's practical - it influences your everyday life. A heart transplant, as Ezekiel described: God takes the heart of stone and gives you a heart of flesh that's responsive to Him. Ezekiel 36:26 says, "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh." Symbolically, this means God takes the unresponsive heart out (stone), and He puts a responsive heart in (flesh). We are new on the inside.

William Booth of the Salvation Army understood this. He said, "To get a man soundly saved is not enough to put on him new britches, give him work, or education. These are all outside the man. If the inside remains unchanged, you have wasted your labor. You must graft upon the man's nature a new nature which has the element of the divine."

The new birth is permanent - once you are born again, you cannot be un-born again. Just as once you have been physically born, you are now alive. And it's passive - it's a total act of God that you receive by faith. You ask God to save you, and by the work of the Holy Spirit, you are new. Praise the Lord. The best gift you can give Jesus for His birthday is the gift of yourself. We celebrate the birth of Jesus at Christmas, but He wants to celebrate your SPIRITUAL birth today.

Reflection Question: Can you point to a time when you were born again, or do you need to experience this spiritual birth? Check out: https://www.joshfranklin.org/gospel if you need help understanding how to receive this free gift of salvation. Don't wait! Unwrap your present today!

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for making spiritual birth possible through Jesus Christ. I ask You to do that work in my heart right now as I trust in Jesus. Help me live in the reality of my new life in Christ. In Jesus' Name, amen.