Nicodemus wanted to know how he could know if he was born again. The rich young ruler wanted to know what he could do to have eternal life. The questions are similar, the answer to both is found in Jesus, not in works, position, or tradition.
Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. John 3: 3-6-Nicodemus
“Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” Matthew 19:16=Rich Young Ruler
We are born of flesh through our mothers. But, being born of the Spirit is the work of God alone. No earthly flesh can get you born again. It is the Spirit that will change us into a new life, free from the ancestral tendencies of sin.
Over the years, I have heard many reasons why someone will miss out on the kingdom of God. Most of them have to do with some cherished sin, dogma, or worldview. But, the number one reason for a person to perish without any hope of a future with God is to reject Christ and push away the work of the Holy Spirit. For the unbeliever, it comes down to simply not believing He is the Son of God. But also unbelief that He can give a person both forgiveness of sins and the power over their cherished sins.
Nicodemus was not an unbeliever. What would keep him out of the kingdom was that He had never been born again! Jesus made it very clear that…
“…unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.“
John 3:5
This mystified the learned Pharisees. A hard question for each person who is a believer and points to their church-going upbringing, denomination, and tradition must ask this:
“Have I been born again? How do I know?”
Nicodemus went through this conversation with Jesus because he thought one way, and Jesus corrected him. It is not unusual for God to ask us to take an inventory of our lives.
Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.
2 Corinthians 13:5
I hope you caught the answer to the “test.” It is whether you know (or do not know) that Jesus Christ is in you. If you can’t answer affirmatively, maybe you have not been born again. Because if you have been born again, you will know” that Jesus Christ is in you.”
Are you a churchgoer, a church leader, or a pastor, but the experience of being born again mystifies you? If your thoughts are more on being good (fill in the denomination name), then maybe you are like the prideful Nicodemus and have never been born again.
Jesus continued:
“That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. ”
John 3:6
Here Jesus mentions two entities: flesh and spirit.
Flesh-Our Nature
By nature, the heart is evil; No human invention can find a remedy for the sinning soul. Job asks:
“who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.” Job 14:4.
“The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” Romans 8:7
Can an Ethiopian change his skin or a leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil. Jeremiah 13:23
“Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.”
Matthew 15:19
Paul struggled with this, but he knew the answer:
I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Romans 7: 21-24
The answer:
I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! Romans 7:25
The fountain of the heart must be purified before the streams can become pure. He who is trying to reach heaven by his own works in keeping the law is attempting an impossibility. There is no safety for one who has merely a legal religion, a form of godliness. The Christian’s life is not a modification or improvement of the old, but a transformation of nature. There is a death to self and sin, and a new life altogether. This change can be brought about only by the effectual working of the Holy Spirit.” Desire of Ages, p172
Notice: The Christian life is a “transformation of nature...and the “effectual working of the Holy Spirit. ”
“There is, therefore, now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who[do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” Romans 8:1
As each person is convicted of their sins, they will turn to Jesus alone. The Holy Spirit brings conviction of sin (John 16:8). This is part of your birth pains! But you have not been born again yet.
Conviction leads to repentance again, the work of the Holy Spirit. Repentance comes when you get a good view of God’s goodness toward you! It is the realization that you must turn from what you are or have been doing because it dishonors the goodness of God, and you have no power. You are still in birth pains.
“…do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
Romans 2:4
Repentance will lead us to ask Jesus only for forgiveness (Confession). You will open the door to your heart to let Him come in and be a personal God to you (Rev. 3:20). If you make a firm decision to follow and obey Him, you will be bold. Your first act is a public declaration by following Jesus in baptism by immersion. This baptism shows that you have died to your old way of life and risen as a new person.
Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Romans 6:4
There is a death to self and sin, and a new life altogether. This change can be brought about only by the effectual working of the Holy Spirit.
Desire of Ages, p. 172
The Spirit-A New Nature
Walking in the newness of life means “living” in and according to God’s will. You will desire to grow in your experience with Christ. Your attention towards self with change to humble service and love of other people. This is how you will know you have been reborn and are a true disciple of Christ.
By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
John 13:35
Sadly, I have often seen someone convicted of sin commit to Christ. They are baptized and then immediately (if not later) return to their old way of life. What happened? They were baptized but did not rise out of the waters, a new creature in Christ. They were not reborn! They went into the grave of baptism and came up a wet unconverted sinner.
There are two ditches we can fall into if we are not careful. They are direct opposites of each other.
First is thinking you have to reach a point of perfection before you can enter the kingdom of God. The other is the dangerous teaching of the presumption that I am locked in once I have received Christ into my life and been baptized. I can’t fall from grace.
Don’t get caught in the trap of thinking you can reach a point in your experience where you stop sinning because you can’t!
Don’t misunderstand. God will give you either instant or a battled victory over sins that “so easily beset you,” such as drinking, drugs, temper, theft, lying, etc., but you are still a sinner saved by the grace of God through the faith. The big difference is that you are aware of your sinfulness and desire to really change things in your life to glorify Him!
Sinning is not limited to the legalistic view of obeying the ten commandments. As Jesus explained, it is a heart or spiritual experience of trust that leads to obedience to God’s will. For example, we can sin by not trusting God. or by knowing to do good and not doing it.
“for whatever is not from faith is sin..” Romans 14:23
“…to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
James 4:17
It is a sad, unproductive selfish person who thinks they must stop sinning entirely before entering the kingdom of heaven. They don’t understand justification (being made righteous by the blood of Christ). They do not understand a life of faith. They do not understand that the works of the law do not justify them.
Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.
Romans 3:28
Conversely, It is a presumptuous person who thinks once they are baptized, they are locked in and cannot fall from God’s grace. God continues to tell us to be on guard against the wiles of the devil and our own sinful nature. If we could not fall from grace, why would we need to put on the armor of God?
You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. Galatians 5:4
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Romans 6:13
Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.
1 Corinthians 10:12
These words of Paul were written to believers in Rome and Corinth. Not to unbelievers!
The presumption of being unable to fall is just as dangerous as the legalists who feel they must be good enough and constantly fearful of salvation in Christ. Sanctification (the work of a lifetime, where God shapes a person’s life) is not appreciated by these believers.
How Can I Know I Have Been Born Again?
Keep this in mind. It is for our encouragement and God’s will for us to know we have salvation and have been born again. It happens by faith (trust) in God and His word:
“These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
1 John 5:13
The first part of this verse is often quoted, but the last part is just as important. “that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.” As we get to know the written word of God and have a personal experience with Jesus, He gives us assurance and the ability to continue to trust in God. Some people start the good fight of faith but fade away because there is no power from the saving knowledge in their experience with Jesus. They have left the side of Jesus and fallen into unbelief.
Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;
Hebrews 3:12
Conclusion
We will know that we have been born again, and so will our friends and family because there will be a decided change in the person’s personality, lifestyle, and love for others. Why? Because Jesus has given us a new heart through the work of the Holy Spirit, not just one time, but continually. A Christ-like love will mark our lives for others and the God we serve.
“While the work of the Spirit is silent and imperceptible, its effects are manifest (made known). If the Spirit of God has renewed the heart, the life will bear witness to the fact. While we cannot do anything to change our hearts or to bring ourselves into harmony with God; while we must not trust at all to ourselves or our good works, our lives will reveal whether the grace of God is dwelling within us. A change will be seen in the character, the habits, the pursuits. The contrast will be clear and decided between what they have been and what they are. The character is revealed not by occasional good deeds and occasional misdeeds but by the tendency of the habitual words and acts.” Steps to Christ p. 57
The work of the Holy Spirit to change our sinful tendencies is as imperceptible and invisible as the paths of the wind. It is because it is the Spirit of God who works on our hearts and minds to change us. The Spirit cannot be seen. Won’t you allow Him to do that in your life today? He can’t do it unless you give Him permission.
The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
John 3:8
Revelation 3:20
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.