Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
John 3:7
The term ‘born again’ is a reference to being saved, being born of the Spirit through our faith in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. To be born again is to be indwelt with the Holy Spirit at which time the Spirit performs “the operation of God” upon us, the circumcision made without hands, where we, our souls, are cut away from the sins of our flesh.
Colossians 2:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
Colossians 2:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
We become the children of God, that is, born of his seed, which remains in us, and the sins of our flesh are no longer imputed to us.
1 John 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
Some misinterpret and distort this to mean that truly blood-bought, born-again individuals cannot and will not sin. This, of course, is as ridiculous as it sounds. I know of no one saved or lost who does not sin. Those who teach this do not know what sin is. Sin is in a mere thought. We cannot sin because we, our souls, have been separated from the flesh and its sins. The power of sin is the law, and we are dead to the law; hence, the law has no more power to convict us of sin.
Romans 5:13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
Romans 8:33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.
We, our souls, are circumcised, cut away from our flesh. This is the “circumcision made without hands”, “the operation of God.”
When we trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit does his work upon us, and we are given and sealed with him as the earnest (guarantee) of our salvation until the day of redemption.
2 Corinthians 1:22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
Ephesians 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
The day of redemption, to the chagrin of many, is the Rapture or the great Translation when the Church, body of Christ, is called out and we receive full salvation with our redeemed new bodies.
Romans 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
1 Corinthians 15:51-53 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
With being born again comes the promise of being adopted by God, which comes with our new bodies, “waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.”
Romans 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
The adoption is completed on the day of redemption as stated above.
Galatians 4:5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
Ephesians 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
To be born again is the same as the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Back to: Questions