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Full Tract Text of Be Born Again!
Have you ever wished you could start over? That is a common desire, isn’t it? But, do you know that God has made that possible, for everybody including you?
About 2000 years ago, a very religious Jew visited Jesus one night. He began by complimenting Jesus (as many people still do), but Jesus surprised him by replying, “Ye must be born again.” Why? Let us consider the original story together:
John 3:1-16
There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto Him, Rabbi, we know that Thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that Thou doest, except God be with him.
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto Him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? … And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
New Birth Is Possible and Real
You may imagine how surprised Nicodemus must have been by Jesus’ remarkable response. But Nicodemus asked how such a thing as a new birth could be possible. Nicodemus was a Jew by birth. Nicodemus knew that life comes by birth, and he no doubt believed that his Jewish birth gave him special favor with God. Jesus began to explain the new (spiritual) birth and said, “Marvel not that I said unto thee, ‘Ye must be born again.’ ”
Jesus said “Ye must be born again” twice, for three reasons: (1) New birth is a real thing. (2) New birth is a divine requirement. (3) New birth is a universal need. Every man, woman and child has the need to be born again.
New Birth Is Needed and Required
Romans 6:23 tells us, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” That means that we are all guilty sinners who are not fit for and “shall not see the kingdom of God.” An educated and religious man, Nicodemus knew he was a sinner, like you and me, but he didn’t understand how to accomplish what God requires.
New Birth Is God’s Work
Just as natural birth is a work of God (did you birth yourself?), so also is spiritual birth. To help Nicodemus understand this new birth, Jesus reminded him of a famous event in Jewish history. (You may read about it in Numbers 21:4-9.) Long before Jesus’ birth, Israel had been plagued by poisonous snakes, and God had instructed their leader, Moses, to put a “brazen” (copper) snake high on a pole where bitten Israelites could see it. To be healed — to be given fresh life — all they had to do was to simply look at that snake and be healed. Jesus, foretelling His own death on the cross, comparing Himself to that snake on the pole, stated that a simple look of faith to Him would mean eternal life for anyone who trustingly looked to Him for salvation from eternal spiritual death.
New Birth Is Just the Beginning
This new life from God, by God, and with God involves becoming a new person with new security, a new destiny, a new identity, and a new and permanent relationship with God Himself. “Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: Old things are passed away; behold all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Doesn’t that sound good, and great, and wonderful?
Now, friend, are you dead and doomed, or are you truly alive to God forever — are you born again? There is no new birth and no new life without faith in the Son of God who died for you. No faith — no life! Look in faith and live.