Born Again Only in Christ
Being “born again” is directly related to whether a person can enter the Kingdom of God and receive eternal life.
The Lord Jesus, in obedience to the will of the Father, went to the cross. God used the blood of Jesus to redeem all humanity, making reconciliation with God possible. However, if a person continues to willfully sin, then the effectiveness of the atoning sacrifice is rejected in their life.
If a person wholeheartedly obeys the commandments of Jesus, he will experience the indwelling of Christ. And if Christ dwells in him, he is abiding in Christ; therefore, he is born again.
Those who are not in Christ are unregenerate sinners who do not know the truth, people of the world, children of the devil, and those who are defiled. Those who are in Christ are born again, new creations, citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven, children of God, and those who belong to holiness.
Those who are born again will confess their sins before God and repent, turn back to Him, obey the commandments of Jesus, be set apart as holy, and walk in the light. They will pursue the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, faithfully serve and glorify God, deny themselves, take up their cross, follow Christ, enter the Kingdom of Heaven, and receive eternal life.
I. The Purpose of Being Born Again: To See the Kingdom of God
John 3:3
Jesus answered and said to him,
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
John 3:5
Jesus answered,
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”
From these verses, it is clear that the Lord Jesus strongly emphasized the importance of being born again. A person must be born again in order to see and enter the Kingdom of God.
II. How Can a Person Be Born Again?
1. The Word of God Brings New Birth
1 Peter 1:23
You have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God.
1 John 5:1
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God.
1 John 3:23
And this is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as He commanded us.
John 14:15
“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”
From these verses, we understand that the Word of God brings new birth. A person must believe in Jesus and obey His Word in order to be born again.
2. It Is by the Mercy of Jesus
Titus 3:5
He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His mercy, through the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.
3. Those Who Receive Jesus Are Born of God
John 1:12–13
But to all who received Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God—who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
From this passage, we understand that being born again means being born of God. One must receive Jesus in order to become a child of God and receive authority from Christ, for such a person is born of God.
4. Obedience Leads to Abiding in Christ
John 14:23
Jesus answered and said to him,
“If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.”
From this verse, it is clear that a person must obey the words of Jesus in order to experience His indwelling presence, abide in Christ, and truly belong to Him.
5. New Life in Christ
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
This verse shows that being born again brings a transformed life. Anyone who is in Christ is a new creation, and a new creation is a born-again person.
III. Characteristics of a Born-Again Person
What are the characteristics of a born-again person?
1. A born-again person loves others according to God’s will
1 John 4:7
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.
2. A born-again person receives the outflow of the Holy Spirit through faith in Christ
John 7:38–39
Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’
Now this He said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive.
3. A born-again person does not continue living in sin
1 John 3:9
No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.
4. A born-again person purifies himself and pursues holiness
2 Timothy 2:21–22
Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the Master, ready for every good work.
So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
1 Peter 1:15–16
But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
5. The Born-Again Person Has a Renewed Mind
Romans 12:1–2
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
6. The Born-Again Person Is Led by the Holy Spirit
Romans 8:14
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.
7. The Born-Again Person Bears the Fruit of the Spirit
Galatians 5:22–23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
8. The Born-Again Person Belongs to the Lord
Romans 14:8
If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
9. The Born-Again Person Abides in Christ
John 15:5
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
10. The Born-Again Person Has Christ’s Life
1 John 5:11–12
And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
11. The Born-Again Person Is Being Renewed into the Image of Christ
Colossians 3:9–10
Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
12. The Born-Again Person Puts On Christ
Romans 13:14
Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.
13. The Born-Again Person Spreads the Fragrance of Christ
2 Corinthians 2:14
But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere.
14. A Born-Again Person Has Peace and Joy
John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
Philippians 4:6–7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
Psalm 16:11
You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
From these Scriptures, we understand that a born-again person bears these characteristics. If a person does not exhibit these traits, he is not born again, has no share in Christ, is not a follower of Christ, and cannot enter the Kingdom of God or receive eternal life.
Conclusion
A truly born-again person will be set apart as holy, obey the commandments of Jesus, possess the life of Christ, bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit, and abide in Christ. These are the evidences of a life belonging to God.
The Book of 1 John describes those who are “born of God” as those who:
- practice righteousness
- are set free from the bondage of sin
- love one another
- believe that Jesus is the Christ
- overcome the world through faith
- are protected by God (the evil one cannot harm them)
- abide in Christ
If a person claims to believe in the Lord but does not display these characteristics of life, how can he be considered truly born again?
May everyone honestly examine themselves before God: Am I truly born of God? Am I a born-again person? Does my life bear the mark of Christ? Do I wholeheartedly obey the commandments of Jesus and follow Christ?
God does not look at outward appearance or religious form. God looks at whether a life is truly born of Him. Only those who wholeheartedly obey the will of God and are truly born again will enter the Kingdom of Heaven and receive eternal life.
