Believing and Receiving

“Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?” John 3:11-12

What Jesus said to Nicodemus in John chapter three is what the entire New Testament says, “If you will believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, you will receive the gift of eternal life by being born again.” Nicodemus’ questions on new birth did not come from a lack of understanding, but rather from a lack of belief. Jesus was saying to Nicodemus, as He says to us all, “If you believe in Me, you will be born again.”

When you believe Jesus and receive eternal life – when you are born again – you will be different. When a child is born that child will bear the characteristics of two people: His mom and his dad. He has their nature. He has their looks. His personality will be somewhat of a combination of what they have brought him through conception. Likewise, when you are born again and God becomes your Father you will act like Him. You will walk like Him and live like Him. When you are born again, you are not born again as yourself. You are born as a new you. You are distinct from a person who doesn’t know Jesus and you are different from when you didn’t know Jesus.

Jesus sees everyone divided into two groups – people who have been born once and people who have been born twice. Make no mistake. Jesus made it clear. Whether or not you will see and enter into the Kingdom of God will depend on one thing – “How many times have you been born?”

Jesus was born physically so that we might be born spiritually. Just as He entered into an earthly family by a physical birth, we can only enter into His eternal family by a spiritual birth.

Dear Lord, I want to live my life in a way so that people can clearly see I am your child. Help me to live differently. Help me to live in a way that reflects your love and your image so that I might encourage others to want to be born again like I have been. In Jesus' name, amen.