Born Again

A while back we received a question that we would like to once again share with you along with the reply that was given.
Stated briefly, the question dealt with the concept of  being  "born again."  People who had grown up in a christian environment were puzzled because they could not look back on their lives and pick out a moment when they had become "reborn."  They had worked hard to do what was right, even though they acknowledged that they, like everyone, had sinned.  They  felt they had seen the hand of God helping  them  in  their  lives.   But why couldn't they look back and say, "This is when I was born again?"
This question shows a  tremendous amount of  insight.   It also demonstrates a great deal of honesty.  But, most of  all,  it shows  that there are people who listen to the gospel with open minds,  not bound by preconceived ideas or traditions.
The writer made so many good points.   Those who are born of  God practice righteousness.  We know this from passages such as 1  John 2:29. According to 1 John 3:9 those who are born of God try not to live in sin, although 1 John 1:10 points out that we still commit sins.  Of course, the difference here is between committing a sin and living in or abiding  in sin.
Being born of God involves love, as we learn in 1 John 4:7, and faith in Jesus Christ, as we note in 1 John 5:1.  Those who are born of  God receive help in overcoming the world (1 John 5:4).   Obviously,  being a child of God requires obedience to the Father.  This is stated in  1  John 5:3.
All of this is true, but it still  does not answer  the question. Exactly when is it that the new birth takes place?
"Unless one is born again," Jesus tells Nicodemus in John 3:3,  "he cannot enter the kingdom of God."
"How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus wonders.
"Truly, truly, I say to you," Jesus answers, "unless a man is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."
So the new birth involves water and the Spirit.
"For you have been born again not of seed which  is perishable but imperishable," 1 Peter 1:23 informs us, "that is, through the  living and abiding word of God."  The verse  right before  this one  talks about purifying our souls.
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ," 1 Peter 1:3 states, "who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."
So the new birth involves water, the Spirit,  the word of  God,  a cleansed soul and the resurrection of Jesus.
Peter helps us tie some of these together in 1 Peter 3:21.
"And  corresponding  to  that,"  this verse  teaches  following  a discussion of Noah and the flood, "baptism now saves you - not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God  for  a good conscience -through the resurrection of Jesus Christ."
Paul writes in Romans 1:16 that the gospel is the power of  God unto salvation.  He points out in Romans 10:8-17 that faith comes from hearing and hearing by the word of Christ.  He teaches in 1  Corinthians  1:18-2:5 that the message of the cross, of Jesus and Him crucified,  is what God chooses to save people.
The point of these verses and others is that we must do what  the Bible tells us, and not what we think is right or what someone else  tells us is right.  The power is in the gospel, the word of God.
"Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of you sins,"  Peter tells the crowd in Acts 2:38, "and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Scriptures such as John 14:26 and John 16:13 tell us  that  the Holy Spirit guided the writers of the Bible.
"For no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will," 2 Peter 1:21 states,  "but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God."
Since this is the case, the gift  the Holy Spirit gives  is  the salvation that is found in and through the word of God.
When, then, do we find water, the Spirit, the word of God, a cleansed soul and the resurrection of Jesus all together?  We'll  find out after this song.

When do we find water, the Spirit, the word of God, a  cleansed soul and the resurrection of Jesus all together?  It is  found when an adult believer is immersed into Christ.
Recall from previous discussions that the person who is baptized must be able to hear the gospel.  We saw this in Romans  10:17.   According  to verses such as Mark 16:16 he must be able to believe.  Acts 2:38 as well as other Scriptures state that he must be able to  repent.   And passages such as Romans 10:9 require confession of Jesus as Lord and Christ.
It is impossible for an infant to do any of these.  And as we have noted on other occasions, an infant doesn't even need  to be baptized because he doesn't have any sins.
Remember that immersion is the only kind of baptism known to the New Testament.  The Greek word itself means to "immerse, to dip,  to plunge." Other  forms were being practiced,  however,  when the early English translations were made; so the translators coined a new word so they would not have to face the obvious consequence.   A properly  translated Bible leaves room for nothing but immersion.
This is only logical, since New Testament baptism must  involve a death, burial and resurrection.
"Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ have been baptized into His death?" Paul asks in Romans 6:3.
"Therefore we have been buried with him through baptism into death," the passage continues, "in order that as Christ was raised from  the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might WALK IN NEWNESS OF LIFE."
When are we born again?  When do we begin to walk in newness of life? When do we find water, the Spirit, the word of God, a  cleansed soul  and the resurrection of Christ?
"For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death," Paul goes on,  "certainly we shall  be also  in  the  likeness of  His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, that our body of sin might be done away with,  that we should no  longer  be slaves to sin; for he who has died is free from sin.
"Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also  live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him.
"For the death that He died, He died to sin, once for  all;  but  the life that He lives, He lives to God.
"Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God  in Christ Jesus."
When does the new birth take place?  The answer  is so simple  that many refuse to accept it.  That is why there are so many people who wonder exactly when it was when they were born again.  Sadly, there are  few of these who are honest enough to confront the question.
If so few are interested in listening,  why  then do we bother  to preach this message?
"Therefore knowing  the  fear of  the Lord,"  Paul  explains  in 2 Corinthians 5:11, "we persuade men."
"For the love of Christ controls us,"  he goes on  from verse  14, "having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf."
"Therefore if any man is in Christ," the apostle states in verse  17, "he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold new things have come."
When are we a new creature?  It is when we are in Christ.  When do we get into Christ?  Read Galatians 3:27 and Colossians 2:9-12.   But please don't read these unless you want to know  the answer.   That's Galatians 3:27 and Colossians 2:9-12.
"And working together with Him," Paul teaches in 2 Corinthians 6:1-2, "we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain; - for He says, 'At the acceptable time I listened to you, and on the day of  salvation  I helped you.'; behold, now is 'the acceptable time,' behold,  now  is  'the day of salvation.'"
Paul is telling us that today is the day to be reborn if we have not already been.  Tomorrow will be too late, because tomorrow never comes.
Today is the time to obey the truth and be set free.

Unless otherwise noted, "Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE(R), (C) Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977. Used by permission."