Musing – What does being “Born Again” really involve?

 Hebraic Musing – What does being “Born Again” really involve?

If you ask the man on the street if he wants to go to heaven, the typical answer is an emphatic “Yes!”  But what did Jesus say is required to enjoy the “Kingdom of God”?   “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3 NKJV   And we remember how that answer confused Nicodemus trying to imagine being born again while being in his full-grown body.  What are some similarities between being “Born Again” spiritually and what we went through when we were born the first time? 

What does a new-born baby require in order to grow up and mature?

·         A newborn needs to be fed, in fact they are searching for the nipple right away!

·         Newborns need their diaper changed with some frequency.  And it takes a few years before they learn to control themselves and keep themselves clean.

·         Babies don’t know how to speak or express themselves except to cry out.  Eventually, as youths, they grow from single words to full sentences.

·         Babies need to be bathed.  Despite their relative innocence, they get dirty.

·         As toddlers, they enjoy running and playing and physical activities, having fun and staying fit as they grow-up physically, emotionally and mentally.

·         And being a typical boy growing up, I did need discipline and did get quite a few spankings.

·         And unique giftings become clearer as the child matures.  Personalities and special interests develop!

When one becomes “Born Again”, what does one need to do to grow as a saved, mature, useful Christian?

·         When I was ‘born again’ I didn’t even know what those word meant (like Nicodemus)!  I needed to be fed God’s word, and I was learning from scratch!  I was searching desperately to be fed to learn more.

·         I had a lot of dirty habits that required changing.  And I’m still struggling to keep myself clean and to control myself.

·         When I was born again, I didn’t know how to explain what happened to me.  I needed to learn to speak “Christian” and how to express myself in prayer and how to use and quote God’s Holy Word.

·         When I was a 6 year old Christian I was teaching a class of youths on the need for the cleansing of Baptism and they challenged me – “Pa Brush, have you been baptized”.  My answer – “No, but I will this afternoon, with you!”  I too needed to be bathed!

·         I was immediately submitted to a weekly accountability group and enjoyed sharing the Christian books that I read each week.  After a year, Jesus confronted me – “Joe, you are reading books about Me; why don’t you read My Book?”  So, for the next five years I read nothing but the Bible, His Book; and thus I grew up Spiritually. And learned to enjoy life and stay Spiritually fit.

·         I find that My LORD Jesus and His Holy Spirit (the Hound of Heaven) still has to discipline me by pointing out my failures along with deserved circumstantial spankings.

·         When does one really become a grown-up, mature Christian?  Even at my age, I’m still learning, sharing, using and enjoying the unique giftings that Father God has bestowed on me.

How have you grown since the day you were “Born Again”?

Points to ponder

When does the newborn stop growing?

When should “Born Again” Christians stop growing?

♫  Where He leads me I will follow, I'll go with Him, with Him all the way. ♫

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd      August 13, 2024

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of Christian Faith”
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”     Weekly “Hebraic Musings”