If you ever listened to, or had the honor of attending, a crusade led by the late Reverend Billy Graham, you might have heard the term ‘born again.’ It is fundamental to Christianity – Jesus Christ Himself taught that we all must be born again in order to enter Heaven.
Jesus said to Nicodemus, “No one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again” (John 3:3). Nicodemus was a very religious man who prayed for hours a day, fasted each week, and tithed. Despite participating in all these religious rituals, Jesus told him that he must be born again in order to go to Heaven. That applies to all of us.
We all must be born again in order to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Going to church and participating in religious activities are excellent and encouraged, but none of that on its own will save you.
The basis of being born again is as follows: repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved. Whoever believes is saved, but whoever rejects the Lord is condemned: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them” (John 3:36). It’s important to understand that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, and not by our actions or works: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
When you’re born again, all the sins that you’ve committed are forgiven, and you start a new life — hence, ‘born again.’ As stated by Paul, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
We’ve all broken God’s commandments, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), but Jesus took the punishment for us by His death on the Cross. It’s similar to someone going to court and having his criminal record expunged at the expense of someone else. The judge finds the defendant guilty and is about to deliver a sentence, but someone accepts the sentence instead. The suspect is freed, and his record is expunged. This is what Christ did on the cross: we broke the law, and Jesus paid the fine.
Despite us breaking God’s law, Jesus paid for the sins of the world when He sacrificed His life on the cross, taking on the punishment that we deserve. He opened up Heaven’s kingdom to all who repent and believe by His blood shed. Through His death and His resurrection three days later, Jesus Christ was able to forgive the sins of the whole world.
Being born again isn’t about having everything figured out or being perfect. Being born again begins with an honest decision to turn away from sin, to repent, and to place your trust and faith in Jesus Christ. Ask Him into your life to be your Savior and Lord. Pray about it, read the Bible, and connect with a Church. No matter our struggles or the sins we’ve committed, Jesus meets us right where we are, extending this gift of salvation to all. The only thing we have to do is accept it – this is the true gift of God!
Jesus Christ is the only way to Heaven, as He is the unique bridge between God and mankind. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Jesus Christ is the only way. Put your trust in Christ. Be born again today!
Blessings,
Jonathan Kang