As Christians, we have heard the phrase "born again" many times throughout our spiritual journey. It's the term Christians use to describe the moment when we "Ask Jesus into our heart" as if they are magic words and he jumps into us. But have we ever stopped to truly understand what born again means and when or how it happens? We'll explore the concept of being born from above and how it relates to our salvation.
The phrase "born again" comes from John 3:3, where Jesus tells Nicodemus that unless one is born again, they cannot see the kingdom of God. The original Greek word used for "again" is "anóthen," which actually means "anew" or "over again," indicating repetition. In other words, to be born again is to be born from above or to be born anew in Christ.
We see this idea of being born again from above in Hosea 6:2, where it says, "He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day, that we may live before Him." This verse is referencing the resurrection of Christ, who was in the tomb for two days before rising on the third day. This is significant because it represents our own spiritual death and resurrection in Christ.
1 Peter 3:18 further emphasizes this idea, stating that Christ suffered for our sins once for all time, so that He might bring us to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit. This shows us that our spiritual rebirth is made possible through Christ's sacrifice on the cross.
Ephesians 2:6 tells us that we have been raised up with Christ and seated with Him in the heavenly places. Colossians 2:12 also speaks of being raised up with Him through faith in the working of God. It's important to note that this verse says we were raised up with Him, not through our own faith, but through the faithfulness of Christ and the power of God in action.
Romans 6:5 says that if we have been united with Christ in His death, we will certainly be united with Him in His resurrection. This means that just as Christ died and was resurrected, so too have we died to our old selves and been made alive in Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:22 states that in Christ, all that is dead has been given life and empowered with divine life.
Colossians 3:1-3 tells us that we have been raised with Christ and that our true life is hidden away in God in Christ. Our old selves have died, and our new selves have been made alive in Christ. Our spiritual rebirth happened at the cross when Christ disarmed the rulers and authorities and triumphed over them.
In conclusion, being born again is not just a phrase we use to describe our conversion to Christianity. It's a powerful concept that represents our spiritual death and resurrection in Christ which was when we were 'Born from Above', a choice he made for us. He made the choice for us to be made alive in Him, and empowered with his divine life. We are no longer slaves to the body of sin but have been set free in Christ. Let us cling to this truth and walk in the fullness of our new life in Christ.
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