Charles Stanley – What Does It Mean to Be “Born Again”?

John 3:1-16

In today’s passage, the Lord instructs Nicodemus that no one can enter into the kingdom of God unless he is first “born again.” Jesus gave the term a spiritual meaning that may be familiar to us today, but Nicodemus didn’t understand. “How can a man be born when he is old?” he asked. “He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” (John 3:4).

Though he was a Pharisee and a teacher, Nicodemus found it hard to grasp what Jesus was describing. And I suspect many people—including believers as well as unbelievers—don’t truly comprehend the concept any better today. So let’s take the time to understand this important idea.

“Born again” is an apt description of what it means to trust Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Our lives are not changed when we enter into a relationship with Christ; rather, our old lives are effectively ended, and we are completely reborn in the Spirit.

Therefore, it makes perfect sense to say that we are “born again.” It means that we are no longer who we once were in sin. Rather, we are a new creation that exists to glorify God (2 Cor. 5:17).

Does your life in Christ reflect the glory of God, or are you still clinging to your old ways of living? It is important to understand that the Lord does not simply want to change you; instead, He wants to remake you—there’s a big difference. As you pray today, ask for the courage to surrender to God and to live a life that proclaims your old self has died. He desires to make you new!