YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN? THAT'S WHAT JESUS SAID

There was a man of the Pharisees names Nicodemis, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God; for no one can do the things that You do unless God is with him." Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemis said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and 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." (John 3.1-6)

Born again. That's what our Lord said. He was referring to spiritual rebirth through Him. The Apostle Peter touched upon this rebirth when he wrote: "You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the the living and enduring word of God. For 'all flesh is like grass and its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers and the flower falls.' That word is the good news that was announced to you."

To have a personal encounter with Christ, who is the Word (see John 1.1), whereby the interior man is changed can be a spiritual rebirth. Spiritually, the old man dies away, with its lusts for power, status, wealth, sex, or acquisition. A new man in Christ emerges who is now concerned about divine love of God and for others, and personally drawing closer to Christ.

The Apostle Paul referred to death of the old man this way: "For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin. For if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him." - Romans 6.5-8)

The new Christian is a babe or child in the faith. Peter spoke about babes needing pure milk. Jesus said "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18.3) Notice that Christ said childlike not childish. He held up a child as a model because children are dependent upon, and trust in, their parents. Christ's followers should be likewise to God. As they grow in faith, they should move from milk to meatier faith, wisdom and understanding. The one thing that does not change is dependence and trust in God.

Perhaps that is where my serious and degenerative disability has worked to my advantage. Throughout more than 30 years of fear and anguish associated with aggressive multiple sclerosis, I have learned that I must trust God and clearly understand and accept that I can not take this journey on my own, and nor should I. I'm completely dependent on Him.