At the end of each service at our church, people are instructed to turn and ask those sitting nearby whether they are saved or "born again". If they are not, they are invited to come up and receive salvation. During this time, someone once asked, "what does it mean to be born again?" This question is one that is often pondered, but rarely expressed. Most people who don’t understand simply pretend they know what’s going on. That person in church was bold enough to ask - just like a man long ago. The man, Nicodemus, asked the question of Jesus himself. This was probably difficult for Nicodemus, being a man of high social status and education. Nevertheless, He asked Jesus, "How can a man be born again when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?" John 3: 4. Jesus went on to explain that belief in Him, the Son of God, was the way to spiritual rebirth and everlasting life. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." Jon 3:16.

Being born again is the process of believing that Jesus Christ is the divine Son of God, and part of the Holy Trinity (that means that Jesus is actually God manifested in the flesh), and then making a decision to live a new life for Him. The book of Romans gives simple steps to salvation. "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart, God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9. The scripture shows the importance of confessing out loud that Jesus is the Lord, and then believing with all your heart that He died for your sins and was raised from the dead. This doesn’t mean you have to go down the aisle of the church or make your announcement in public. It does mean that you have to speak the words of salvation, even if you’re alone in your own bedroom.

But how do you get to this point? It may be very difficult if in your logic-bound mind you just can’t bring yourself to believe that someone rose from the dead. You may try to find some scientific answer to "rationalize" an explanation. But this will only block the truth. Instead, relinquish all your earthly ideas, intellect and education, and yield yourself to Him. Let go of the need to be in control, and be vulnerable for just a moment. Get on your knees before God and ask Him to open your heart. Something like this: "God I don’t understand everything about Jesus. I understand Him from a literary and historical perspective. But I really want to know what else there is. Please open my heart to reveal Your word and Your Spirit to me so that I may know the truth."

Do you know that God is compelled by His very own promises to grant that request? He said in His word that "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God that gives it to all men liberally" James 1:5. He also said in His word that "If we ask anything according to His will, he hears us, and if we know that he hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we (will receive what we have asked)" 1 John 5:14. God’s will is that we all come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, open your heart today and just ask Him to help you know the truth. "If you abide in My word, you are my disciples indeed and you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." John 8:31-32