Ye Must be Born Again
"Jesus answered and said, 'Verily, verily I say unto thee, except a man be
born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.'” (John 3:3 KJV)
That scripture, to me says it all. How much clearer can it be? Jesus is
talking to Nicodemus, a Pharisee and a ruler of the Jews. Being afraid to
talk to Jesus where he would be seen by anyone who would report it to one of
the other Pharisees, he came to Jesus under the cover of darkness and said
to Him, “Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man
can do those miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.”
That was verse 2 of John Chap. 3. and Jesus answered, “Verily, verily I say
unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
Of course, we know the rest, Nicodemus wanted to know how that could be, a
man could not enter into his mother’s womb and be born a second time? Then
Jesus answered, “Verily, verily I say unto thee, except a man be born of
water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God. V.6. That which
is born of flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit.”
Being born of the flesh means born the natural way; born of the Spirit
means, born of God, by way of accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior and
committing our lives to Him. Then living as closely to His example as is
humanly possible and if we sin, asking forgiveness immediately.
Therefore, I cannot understand where people get that when a person dies and
is not saved, or has not repented of their sins, he/she will go to Heaven.
Where does it say that in scripture? I hate to be the bearer of bad news,
but friends the scripture clearly says, “ye must be born again.” How then is
it possible for a person who has never repented of their sins and has not
experienced Salvation to go to Heaven?
In order to be born again, according to scripture, one has to repent of
their sins and live a reasonably clean life; there must be evidence of a
changed life; the Bible says, “Pure religion and undefiled before God and
the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction
and to keep himself unspotted before the world.” (James 1:27 KJV) besides
all of the above and keep the commandments. in other words there must be
fruit. Fruit is what we do for God out of a love for God and a desire to
please Him.
Jesus also said, “the greatest of these (the commandments) is love”. We must
love one another, our fellow man.
My own parents died when I was very young and I hope and pray I see them in
Heaven. But it is not a certainty. I never heard my father repent of his
sins; neither did I hear my mother say a prayer of repentance. But I did see
a change in my father. He stopped drinking and cursing. My mother never did
anything wrong that I saw. My father still smoked, but there is nowhere in
scripture that says you are doomed to hell for smoking; although as some
have said, you smell like you have already been there. Therefore, I am
hoping and praying I will see them in Heaven someday. They were good people,
but that does not make them born again Christians. Jesus said in John 14:6,
“I am the WAY the TRUTH and the LIFE; no man cometh to the Father but by me.”(KJV)
As the scripture says, we are all sinners, “For the wages of sin is death”.
(Romans 6:23). That does not mean instant physical death. It means spiritual
death and separation from God unless we repent and are forgiven. God is
faithful, if you repent and ask forgiveness He is faithful and just to
forgive. (I John 1:9KJV)
So it seems to me when the Holy Spirit taps us on the shoulder and says,
“it’s time”, the best way to assure one’s entrance into Heaven is to respond
to that gentle urging by repenting and asking forgiveness of sins. I
remember when He tapped me on the shoulder. My knees turned to jelly and I
could barely stand. I went down the aisle of the church and asked Jesus to
be the Lord of my life at the age of twelve. The seed was planted. But there
was no change. Later at the age of 53 I was truly saved and my life was
changed. I truly gave my life to Him.
Jesus willingly took ALL our sins on Himself on the cross; He died a
horrible, agonizing death; He suffered unimaginable pain and shed His
precious blood that all might be saved. The least we can do is ask
forgiveness and live for Him, doing all He calls us to do; His work here on
earth till He calls us home to that Heavenly kingdom; the “Shining City on a
hill” with streets of pure gold and where the river of life runs through it;
where there will be no more tears; no more sorrow; no more fear and no more
death. Praise His Holy Name forever.
By Nell Berry 6/10/07
Bio: Nell, a 76 year old mother of four, grandmother of nine and great
grandmother of two, soon to be two more, and her husband of 57 years now
live in Alabama; recently moved from Missouri. Her interests are sewing,
crocheting and writing. They love to go to their new church.