The Need for a New Birth

Weekly Update – August 27th, 2026 

What does it mean to be born again? This phrase garnered a lot of attention back in 1976 when President Jimmy Carter officially declared that he was a “born again” Christian. Being “born again” then became almost a sort of add on to the faith. People began to proclaim that they were not only Christians but that they were “born again” Christians, as if there is a difference.  Even still, the use of the phrase “born again” does not mean that it is a well-defined, crystal clear term to all who hear it. Therefore, we ought to look into what we mean when we say that we are born again.

This is the question that a man named Nicodemus originally deals with in John 3. When coming to Jesus by night, Nicodemus says in verse 2, “Rabbi, we know that you have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Nicodemus recognized that normal men don’t give sight to the blind, heal the sick and cause the lame to walk again. But in expecting a clear, straight forward answer from Jesus about who he is, Nicodemus instead gets this reply in verse 3, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 

This phrase, “born again” is something that the apostle Paul refers to in Titus when he says in Titus 3:5, “he (God) saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.” Regeneration is another word for born again. Here is it used by the apostle Paul, to remind us that the process of change, in terms of our conversion, is all of God, and not of any work that we can do. We are all by nature children of wrath and separated from the promises of God, until God decides to act in saving us (Eph. 2). God is the one who gives us Spirit filled hearts that are attentive now to His ways, instead of dead, lifeless hearts that are only attentive to self. 

But why does this matter? Well, whether we say that we are “born again” or that we have been “regenerated”, we must recognize that there is no spiritual life in us apart from the work of the Holy Spirit. We need a new birth! From here, it is necessary that we as Christians not merely recognize these truth, but that we mediate on it and become mesmerized by it, so that we might remember the “hope of eternal life” is given to us from God alone (Titus 3:7). When we realize that God is the one who has caused us to become spiritually alive by his power alone, we face every situation this life has with this hope, knowing that not only are we saved by the power of God, but that we are kept by the power of God as well. 

Understanding the new birth is key for our evangelism. For when we call for a response from those we share Christ with, we are not asking them to respond to the good news of Christ’s death and resurrection through doing more, trying harder or being better. Neither are we asking them to rely on a prayer, give to a church, or get confirmed. Yes, we should expect change, but that comes through the work of the Holy Spirit. The call of the gospel is to repent of your self reliance and your sin and turn to Jesus Christ. That is it! We can confidently rest in this truth when we believe that conversion is all a work of God through causing us to be born again.

So again, what does it mean to be born again? It means we have been given a new birth unto spiritual life by the grace of God. It does not come through the basis of a prayer or through an action of our own, but it is simply given to us by the mercy of a sovereign God. Being born again entitles us to an eternal inheritance greater than this world could ever offer. But then remembering that the source and the cause of our rebirth is God, keeps us filled with joy as we wait for the fullness of our inheritance at the end of this life. Have you been born again?  If you have, give praise to God and sing with Peter as he proclaims in 1 Peter 1:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 

Serving Him with You,

Pastor Michael Nelson