What does it really mean to be “born-again”?
The dictionary defines “born-again” as a person who has converted to a personal faith in Christ. Many Christians describe themselves this way — but what does it really mean? Once we’re born, we can’t re-enter our mother’s womb. So, how does this spiritual new birth happen?
Countless books and articles try to explain how to be born again.
When I googled “born-again,” I even found a “wiki how-to” guide with cartoon illustrations of the steps. The pictures were entertaining — but not exactly helpful.
So, instead of relying on the latest books, articles, or internet advice, the best place to start is the original source: the Bible.
Jesus and Nicodemus
The first time “born-again” appears in the Bible is in John 3 during Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus, a Pharisee and Jewish religious teacher. Nicodemus had heard of Jesus and His miracles and knew that there was something special about Him. So, he went to Jesus to see for himself. As a member of the Jewish ruling council, Nicodemus had everything to lose if others found out — but this was a risk he was willing to take.
In this conversation, Jesus used an analogy — as He often did — to bring home an important point.
He compared physical birth to spiritual birth and told Nicodemus, “No one can see the Kingdom of God unless they are born again” ( John 3:3).
Nicodemus was bewildered. He asked,
“How can someone be born when they are old?” Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”
Nicodemus realized there was no way he could make himself be born again physically — and if he couldn’t do it physically, he certainly couldn’t do it spiritually on his own either.
This revelation alarmed him. As a Pharisee, he trusted that strict obedience to the law would earn his place in Heaven. But now Jesus was telling him that the only way to enter the Kingdom was to be born again — something Nicodemus could never achieve by his own effort. He couldn’t earn salvation; he couldn’t work his way in.
Sensing Nicodemus’ confusion, Jesus explained further what it means to be born again.
He said,
“No one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.”
As a Jewish teacher, Nicodemus likely understood this reference — he was well-versed in the Old Testament.
This is precisely what God promised long before, through the prophet Ezekiel (Ezekiel 36:25-27).
“I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God.”
God repeats this promise in Ezekiel 11:19:
“And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh.”
God promised Israel that a day would come when He would sprinkle them with clean water, cleanse their sin, and give them a new heart and spirit — a fresh start. When Jesus told Nicodemus, “You must be born of water and Spirit,” He was pointing back to these Old Testament promises — which began to be fulfilled on the cross and continue to be fulfilled as people are made new by the Holy Spirit.
Born of God
The Old Testament pointed ahead to the spiritual rebirth that humanity needed. The New Testament reveals that this new birth comes through Jesus Christ. In Scripture, being born again means being born from above — born of God.
“Yet to all who did receive him [Jesus], to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God – children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God” (John 1:12-13).
This passage makes it clear that being born again does not happen by:
- “natural descent” — we don’t inherit salvation by our family line (as some Pharisees believed),
- “human decision” — it’s not something we achieve through human effort
- “a husband’s will” — it’s not a natural birth at all.
Instead, new birth is a miraculous act of God. When we receive Jesus and believe in His name, God gives us the right to become His children — born again into His Kingdom.
Titus 3:5 summarizes being born-again like this:
“He has saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to his mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit.”
Those who are born-again are born of water and spirit: they are cleansed of their sin and made new again by the Holy Spirit. They are given a new heart and a fresh start. They are born-again!
So if being born again is an act of God, not man, how do we experience it? Peter helps answer that question in 1st Peter 1:23-25.
“…for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is through the living and enduring word of God.”
Not by Works, but by God’s Grace
We are born again through the Word of God. The Word of God is the word about Christ; it is the Gospel. To receive Jesus, we must first hear the message of the Gospel. Once we hear the message of the Gospel and believe what we hear, then through a miraculous work of God, we are washed “with water through the word,” and God sends His Holy Spirit to make us new again. We become a new creation ( Ephesians 5:26, 2 Corinthians 5:17).
Being born-again happens to us, not by us.
We are not born-again by doing good works.
We are not born-again by engaging in religious acts such as baptism.
We are not born-again by how well we know the Bible, how many times we attend church, or how much we tithe.
All of these may be good things, but they cannot bring about the new birth.
We are born-again by the mercy and power of God alone — a miraculous work of grace that we could never accomplish ourselves.
Seeking the Truth In Jesus
Nicodemus came to Jesus in the quiet of night, unsure of what he would find — but desperate for truth.
Some part of him must have questioned whether following the law was enough to get him to Heaven. Some part of him must have suspected a piece of the puzzle was missing.
Certainly, he understood the consequence of being wrong: eternal separation from God, separation from all that is good. The risk was too great for him to ignore.
So, he sought the Truth in Jesus, and he found it.
Like Nicodemus, we too seek the truth in Jesus — no matter the cost. We have nothing to lose and everything to gain. God promises us that if we seek Him, we will find Him, if we seek Him with all of our heart ( Jeremiah 29:13).
So, heed the call and follow the truth to the feet of Jesus. Ask Him to wash away your sins, to give you a new heart and a fresh start. Ask Him to let you be born-again into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Ask and you shall receive!
When you do, you will be born-again and welcomed into the Kingdom of Heaven!
Ready to Go Deeper?
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