A Guide for Christians New converts and those who want to know more about Christianity

I’ve Just Been Born Again is a book that every Christian should read. It reveals the awesome power and rich legacy that comes through a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ.

This is a textbook for building and sustaining the Church of Jesus Christ, the Body of Christ. It is especially helpful not only for new converts but mature Christians as well. People outside the Christian faith will also find its pages enlightening.

The new Believer will discover what it takes and means to be born again and the more experienced will be encouraged and reminded of who they are through the life, death, resurrection, and promised return of Jesus Christ.

Special emphasis is placed on some of the basic questions that confront Believers, including: “How can I be born again?,” “Who is Jesus Christ?,” “Who is God?,” “What is sin?,” “Who is the devil?,” “What is prayer?,” and “What are the characteristics of a Christian?”

I’ve Just Been Born Again is based on the premise that not all who call themselves Christians fully understand their standing and responsibility in God and the world of which they are a part. Undoubtedly, this weakness is in part responsible for the level of stagnation experienced in the lives of many Believers and by extension in many churches across the denominational spectrum. Scriptural support is thus provided to assist.

The doctrine of being born again has for more than two thousand years generated great discussion inside and outside of the Christian faith. Jesus told one of the religious leaders of His day that in order to get eternal life he had to be born again. As religious as he was, Nicodemus couldn’t grasp this concept of spiritual birth, and there are many today who are just like him.

Thousands of people have become Christians in the last decade or so and it stands to reason that churches should be full. However, the majority of churches are far from overflowing.

In the United States, statistics point to a drop in church attendance, along with a decline in the number of people who identify themselves as Christians.

A Barna survey released in 2015 showed that church attendance in America between 2004 and 2014 fell from 43 percent in 2004 to 36 percent in 2014.

Another review by the Pew Research Center on the changing US religious landscape also recorded a falloff in the number of people who identify themselves as Christians. This survey, which covered 2007 to 2014, reported that the percentage of people over 18 years of age who described themselves as Christians dropped from 78.4 percent in 2007 to 70.6 percent in just seven years.

The research showed that while the falloff in affiliation was particularly pronounced among young adults, it occurred among Americans of all ages, all across the country.

The drop in the number of people attending church was pronounced among what are known as the mainline Protestant and Catholic denominations. Evangelical Protestants have more or less maintained their position.

The survey by The Pew Research Center revealed an increase in the number of people who refuse to identify with any organized religion. This category, dubbed “the religiously unaffiliated,” jumped by more than six percentage points from just over 16 percent in 2007 to nearly 23 percent in 2014. They described themselves as atheists, agnostic, or “nothing in particular.”

Statistics on religion in the USA have also revealed that the number of people of non-Christian faiths has doubled from nearly five percent in 2007 to nearly 10 percent in 2014.

Several reasons have been proffered for the falling interest in Christianity. They all seemed to be linked to people not really understanding what it means to be born again, as stated in the Bible. This situation is serious because this is the prerequisite given by Jesus Christ for eternal life.

This book should be more than useful in helping readers to increase their knowledge and understanding from a biblical perspective.

It is also a great educational tool that can be used throughout the Church, especially Mission departments, Sunday schools, Youth departments, Evangelism, and other ministries. At the personal level, it can be used as a devotional tool.

People who want to find out the basics of the Christian faith will find it an excellent source of information.

The extensive use of biblical quotations reinforces the teaching of being born again. It is hoped that this will also encourage readers to get more involved in reading and studying the Word of God.

So you have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and you have been told that you are born again. All this may be new and you are wondering what it means.

The word “born” speaks of beginnings and the start of something new. You start life at birth, although there is a school of thought that life starts in the womb. Being born again, however, is about a new beginning.

Simply put, there are two births: a natural and a spiritual. The first comes after a male impregnates a female and the foetus grows until it is time for it to exit the body or be born.

The second birth is spiritual and is of great significance to Christians. It relates to a person believing in Jesus Christ, repenting of his or her sins, accepting Him as Lord and Savior; a decision that leads to the forgiving of sins and the establishment of a relationship with God.

A born again Christian, then, is someone who has repented of his sins and has turned to the resurrected Christ for his salvation. As a result, he is saved and has become part of God’s family and is therefore accepted to live with Him forever.

Being born again, which literally means born from above, also speaks to regeneration or the beginning of a new life. There are other phrases in the Bible that relate to being born again. They include being “born of the Spirit,” “born of God,” being “a new creation,” “renewing of the Holy Spirit,” and “the washing of regeneration.”

Before we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior we are spiritually dead in sin. This goes back to creation where Adam, the first man, disobeyed God and was ejected from the Garden of Eden. This resulted in spiritual death for mankind. The entire story can be found in the book of Genesis, chapter three.

Man was created without sin but with the free will to choose right or wrong. Adam was given instructions by God not to eat the fruit of a specific tree, but he did it anyway. By disobeying God he sinned and was thrown out of the Garden and became spiritually separated from God. This meant that everyone born afterward was born in sin.

After the fall of the first man, God later sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to restore His relationship with mankind. The Old Testament reveals that God’s people were under what is called “the law” and so were not able to enter into His presence. The chief priests had to offer animal sacrifices in order for God to forgive their sin. God, by sending His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross as a sacrifice, provided a way for man to be reconciled to Him. Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice for sin, and His blood became the antidote, the cure or the atonement, for it.

When Jesus Christ was crucified at Calvary, the system of offering animal sacrifices ended. The way back to God for all sinners is therefore now through Jesus. He emphasised this in the Gospel of John, chapter 14 when He said:

“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” (John 14:6 NKJV).

There are, however, some religions that dispute this, claiming that there are several ways to get to God. That is not biblical.

Jesus also described Himself as “The Good Shepherd,” stating in John’s Gospel, chapter 10, that the sheep knew their owner.

“Then Jesus said to them again, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 12 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. 14I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. 15As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.’” (John 10:7–16 NKJV).

Because God has created man with the will to make decisions for himself, by becoming born again or not, he determines where he will spend eternity, or as some would say, “the afterlife”.

When you repent or turn your back on sin, when you acknowledge Jesus’ sacrifice and accept Him as your personal Lord and Savior, you are “washed in His blood” and “saved” or born again. His spirit, the Holy Spirit, comes to live within you, becoming your guide and teacher. The Holy Spirit, being the single most important component in the life of a Christian, transforms you. Only the presence of the Holy Spirit determines that you are born again and therefore a true Christian.

Being born again also speaks to regeneration or the beginning of a new life. When Adam sinned by disobeying God in the Garden of Eden, it resulted in spiritual death for mankind. Jesus Christ is sometimes referred to as “the second Adam” since, by His death and resurrection, man now has the opportunity to return to God by being born again, Jesus’ shed blood being the saving or redeeming factor.

The Holy Bible says that those who accept Jesus Christ as Savior and who are born again will spend eternity with Him.

“In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:2–3 NKJV).

Jesus also spoke about how He will judge the world.

“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world’.” (Matthew 25:31–34 NKJV).

He also had something to say about those who are not righteous.

“Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels’.” (Matthew 25: 41 NKJV).

So the born again will go to a place of peace and happiness; but those who reject Jesus Christ will be condemned to everlasting fire, which burns but does not consume.

John chapter three, verses 16–18, says:

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:16–18 NKJV).

This means that when you accept Jesus as Savior you become a Christian and have received the promise of eternal life in Heaven after your natural death. When you genuinely ask Jesus to forgive you and invite Him into your heart and life, you become born again. This means that you have been given a spiritual birth and Jesus has come into your body through the agency of the Holy Spirit.

While the whole idea of being born again may seem weird or even unbelievable, it has been fuelling discussion for centuries. It was first heard way back in the days when Jesus Christ walked the earth. He used the term with Nicodemus, as recorded in the Gospel of John, chapter three.

“There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. 3 Jesus answered and said unto him, ‘Verily, verily, I say unto thee; except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God’. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, ‘How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?’ 5 Jesus answered, ‘Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again 8The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit’. 9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, ‘How can these things be?’ 10 Jesus answered and said unto him, ‘Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? 11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, we speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?’ ” (John 3:1–12 KJV).

The New Living Translation puts it this way:

“There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. 2After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. ‘Rabbi,’ he said, ‘we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.’ 3 Jesus replied, ‘I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.’ 4 ‘What do you mean?’ exclaimed Nicodemus. ‘How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?’ 5 Jesus replied, ‘I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. 7 So don’t be surprised when I say, You must be born again. 8The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.” 9 ‘‘How are these things possible?’ Nicodemus asked. 10 Jesus replied, ‘You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don’t understand these things? 11 I assure you, we tell you what we know and have seen, and yet you won’t believe our testimony. 12 But if you don’t believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things?’ ” (John 3:1–12 NLT).

Some theologians believe that when Jesus told Nicodemus, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God,” that He was speaking figuratively. There is, however, a strong argument that Jesus was in fact speaking literally and was indicating that you had to receive the Holy Spirit to be born again and water baptism was the outward showing of that inward transformation.

The birth of the Spirit involves a person accepting Jesus Christ as Savior, a decision that opens the way for the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus Christ, to come and live within you. Water baptism, where the person is immersed and then raised up, is the outward showing of the inward transformation from death to life eternal.

Paul the apostle made it clear in his second epistle to the Corinthians that accepting Jesus Christ as Savior is the transforming power.

“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.” (2 Corinthians 5:17–19 NKJV).

The New Living Translation of that passage puts it this way:

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to Himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to Him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And He gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.” (2 Corinthians 5:17–19 NLT).

The phrase “born again” only appears three times in the Bible: John chapter three, verses three and seven, as quoted earlier, and in the first epistle of Peter, chapter one.

“Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: 23 Being ‘born again’, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever. 24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: 25 But the word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.” (1 Peter 1:22–25 KJV).

The Living Bible puts it this way:

“For you have a new life. It was not passed on to you from your parents, for the life they gave you will fade away. This new one will last forever, for it comes from Christ, God’s ever-living Message to men. 24 Yes, our natural lives will fade as grass does when it becomes all brown and dry. All our greatness is like a flower that droops and falls; 25 but the Word of the Lord will last forever. And His message is the Good News that was preached to you.” (1 Peter 1:22–25 TLB)

The new birth allows you to see or enter the kingdom of God. This is made clear by Jesus in His conversation with Nicodemus where He said:

“Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5 KJV).

By giving his life to Christ, the born again Christian becomes what has been termed “a new creation”.

It must be understood that “the new birth” or the new creation comes from God. John explains this in chapter one, verses 12 and 13 of his Gospel, where he said:

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12–13 NKJV).

Being born again speaks to conversion and this requires doing what is right and not just admitting what is wrong. The Bible goes even further, stressing the need for a complete spiritual transformation.

The question you must certainly be asking is, “Just how does someone become born again?” Paul speaks to this in chapter three of his epistle to Titus.

“For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:3–7 NKJV).

This is made even clearer in The Living Bible translation.

“Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient; we were misled by others and became slaves to many evil pleasures and wicked desires. Our lives were full of resentment and envy. We hated others and they hated us. 4 But when the time came for the kindness and love of God our Savior to appear, 5 then He saved us—not because we were good enough to be saved but because of His kindness and pity—by washing away our sins and giving us the new joy of the indwelling Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out upon us with wonderful fullness—and all because of what Jesus Christ our Savior did 7 so that he could declare us good in God’s eyes—all because of his great kindness; and now we can share in the wealth of the eternal life he gives us, and we are eagerly looking forward to receiving it. 8 These things I have told you are all true. Insist on them so that Christians will be careful to do good deeds all the time, for this is not only right, but it brings results.” (Titus 3:3–8 TLB).

The late Rev. Dr. Holmes Williams, founder and senior pastor emeritus of the People’s Cathedral in Barbados, aptly described the process of being born again. He had this to say in his book, Know What You Believe, the church’s membership manual:

“In the new Birth, the Word of God is the seed, the human heart is the soil, the preacher of the Word is the sower who drops the seed into the soil. God, by His Spirit, opens the heart to receive the seed. The hearer believes, the Spirit quickens the seed into life in the receptive heart; the new divine nature springs up out of the Divine Word—the Believer is born again, created anew, made alive, passed out of death into life.”

When a person becomes born again he or she must, as in the case of natural birth, be prepared to take time to mature. Yes, you are being renewed in spirit but the process takes time. You are what is termed “a babe in Christ” and, like any baby, you will need to go through a process of growth or maturity.

The best advice that can be taken by any person who is new to Christianity or who has recently been born again, is to read and study the Bible “for yourself”. As you gain knowledge you will recognize the changes that take place in you. Peter, in chapter two of his first epistle, advises the young Christian:

“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby:” (1 Peter 2:2 KJV).

This simply means that you should get to know the Word of God, the Bible.

The born again Christian must from the very outset change his way of thinking. You have to change your very mindset and this can only be done with the help of the Holy Spirit.

Paul, in the book of Romans, chapter 12, verses one and two, calls on his fellow Christians not only to treat their bodies well but to have only good thoughts and intentions.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:1–2 NKJV).

The Living Bible translates that passage this way:

“And so, dear brothers, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living sacrifice, holy—the kind He can accept. When you think of what He has done for you, is this too much to ask? 2 Don’t copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but be a new and different person with a fresh newness in all you do and think. Then you will learn from your own experience how His ways will really satisfy you.” (Romans 12:1–2 TLB).

Only those who are converted, have a spiritual transformation, and have the Holy Spirit living in them, qualify as born again Christians. Paul the apostle made this clear in chapter eight of his letter to the Romans.

“But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” (Romans 8:9–11 NKJV).

The Bible is the Word of God and Jesus Himself is described as “The Word”. It therefore stands to reason that in order to know Jesus Christ you have to know the Word of God. This holy book, the Bible, is God’s way of revealing Himself to mankind. It is the manual for Christian living. Verse six of chapter six of Hosea says that God told the children of Israel that His people perished for lack of knowledge and that can be true of some of today’s Christians.

Paul the apostle also put great emphasis on knowing the Word. In chapter two of his second letter to Timothy he gave him this advice:

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV).

Studying and learning the Word of God has many benefits. It helps you to get to know Jesus Christ and so allows you to create a closer relationship with Him. It also strengthens your faith. As Paul told the Roman Church:

“Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17 NKJV).

When Jesus was leaving the earth He promised the disciples that the Father would send someone to teach them.

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” (John 14:26 NKJV).

The King James Version puts it this way:

“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” (John 14:26 KJV).

There is strong evidence that a large number of Believers do not study the Bible and as a result live weak Christian lives.

The born again Believer is required to live a holy life. Peter the apostle gave this advice in the first chapter of his first epistle where he gave good reason for it:

“As obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy’.” (1 Peter 1:14–15 NKJV).

The born again Christian should have a consistent and dedicated prayer life: it is the very essence of keeping in touch with God and building and maintaining your faith. Jesus always took time to pray and this is an example to be followed. Paul encouraged the church at Thessalonica to:

“Rejoice always. 17Pray continually. 18 Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (I Thessalonians 5:16–18 NIV).

Paul also encouraged the Philippians to pray, when he told them:

“Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” (Philippians 4:6 KJV).

Prayer is so important that even the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to do it. He responded by giving them what is called “The Lord’s Prayer”.

Although several people take this to be a prayer in itself, it is really a guideline as to how you should pray. Don’t just recite it; take time to meditate on it.

The born again Christian must also strengthen his faith and his relationship with Jesus Christ through training or what is termed discipleship. Jesus’ disciples learned from Him and, just before He left the earth, He instructed them to also teach others, as outlined in Matthew’s Gospel.

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19–20 NKJV).

The born again Christian should also seek out and find other Believers with whom he or she can associate. This involves becoming a member of an assembly or congregation. The Bible recommends in Hebrews 10 that there should be this relationship:

“And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:24–25 NKJV).

Getting together to worship God is vital to the born again Christian and every effort should be made to attend church services because this strengthens faith. Jesus pointed out this to His disciples as stated in Matthew 18.

“Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in Heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:19–20 NKJV).

There are some denominations that, although calling themselves Christian, do not adhere fully to the doctrine of being born again. Part of their theology or belief is reflected in a hymn written by John S. Jones in 1881. The first stanza says: “I was made a Christian when my name was giv’n, One of God’s dear children, And an heir of Heaven. In the name of Christian I will glory now, Evermore remember my baptismal vow.”

This has been described by some people as old theology but the hymn is still sung in some churches. Whether it is old theology or not, it is certainly not biblical and you as a Christian must ensure that everything that you do on this Christian walk is biblical or has grounding in the Bible.

Be warned: the same way that you can choose to be born again, you can decide to break the relationship with Jesus Christ and die spiritually.

“Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” (Romans 8:12–13 NKJV).

The choice is yours. Make the right one. Either way there are consequences.