Understanding Being Born Again

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

For a person to be in Christ means they must be Born Again. First of all individuals are tri-part beings made in the image and likeness of God. They are a Spirit, they have a Soul and they live in a body ( 1Thess.5:23). The Spirit of a person contacts the Spirit realm, the Soulish part of a person contacts the intellectual realm or the realm of reason. The body contacts the physical realm where the sense of touch taste hearing seeing smelling all occur.

The Spirit of a person is who they really are and even after death the Spirit lives on forever. This is scientifically proven that even when a person dies on the operating table and brought back again they speak of seeing in many cases their body on the table or other spiritual sights. The fact is that they are still living in the realm of the Spirit even after their body has departed.

This Spirit part of a person is made in the likeness of God because John 4:24 says that God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in truth. When a person becomes Born Again it is their Spirit that becomes a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Ephesians 2:8-9

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,not of works, lest anyone should boast.

The word saved is another term for Born Again. The Born Again experience is not a mind over matter term or anything to do with the mind, but is is an act of faith in what God has promised in his Word would occur if certain steps are taken. In fact a person has nothing to do with the Born again experience except confess with their mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in their heart that God has raised him (Jesus) from the dead and they will be saved or Born Again (Romans 10:8-10).

Many try to save themselves by stopping bad behaviors and becoming morally good. Mans efforts to become morally good apart from the blood of Jesus Christ is called self righteousness. Self- righteousness brings with it an attitude of pride and boasting which is forbidden in Gods Word. Proverbs 16:18 declares Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

Mans efforts to get to God on their own is nothing new but can be seen in Genesis 11 where the people were of one language and they decided to build a tower to heaven and would have done so if the Godhead had not confused their language. Jesus said in John 14:6 I am the way the truth and the life; no man can come to the Father (God) but by me. Jesus freely gave his life on the cross and rose from the dead the third day so mankind could by faith believe that work of redemption and become Born Again.

• Recognize your need for Jesus

This step is called conviction and causes a person to feel the need to change their life for the better. It causes a person to take self inventory and claim responsibility for wrong actions. Conviction never condemns a person causing them to feel guilty for sin because John 3:17 says God sent not his Son (Jesus) into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved (Born Again).

A person is condemned already because they have not received the only begotten Son of God (John 3:18). Conviction comes from the Holy Spirit also to convince a person of sin (John 16;8). What this means is everyone is not convinced they are sinners because pride always causes a person to feel they are OK as they are, but conviction causes a person to see themselves the way God does and become godly sorrowful for how they have hurt God and they for the first time want to change so they can please him instead.

• Godly sorrow works repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10)

If you pray this following prayer in sincerity from the heart, according to God's Word the Bible you are Born Again!

"Father, I thank You that Jesus died and rose again the third day for me. I confess I have broken Your law from your word. Forgive me of my sins. I receive the forgiveness right now. Lord Jesus, come into my life. Give me a new heart with new desires. And by Your Spirit, give me the power to live a life that is pleasing to You. Thank you for forgiving me as You promised. Thank You for the gift of eternal Iife.

If you have prayed this prayer and received Christ into your life I would love to hear from you in the comments section. Thank you.