Despite the wear and tear that come as a result of use (or overuse?) of the expression “born again,” I doubt if this biblical concept is well understood.
I recently preached from John 3:1-21, the Scripture narrative in which “born again” is originally introduced by Jesus to a Pharisee named Nicodemus. I asked the people in the congregation what the expression meant to them. One said it’s about salvation. Another said it has to do with eternal life or “living without end.” Then another said that “some say” it has something do with religion. All of these answers were said in a tone that, to me, betrayed uncertainty.
If believers themselves are unsure about what “born again” means, can we really blame the secular world if the expression is badly misunderstood, or if it conjures weird pictures of the so-called “born-again Christians”? I wouldn’t be surprised if such negative snapshots of believers can cause “allergic” reactions on people. Perhaps that is why some try to avoid those who are labeled (or label themselves) “born again.”
So even though the Scripture text is a very familiar one—so familiar that in the past I tended to avoid it as a sermon text—I feel that there is still a need for me to revisit it. And I’d like to invite you to join me and together let’s take a very good look at the passage again. Hopefully, we can nail the meaning of the expression this time.
To do that, we’re going to use what I’d call a “reverse approach,” that is, instead of immediately looking at what it is, we’ll begin with what it is not and in contrast to its real meaning as expressed in the words of Jesus.
It is not about getting religion or more religion or better religion
Jesus’ night time guest, Nicodemus, is a connoisseur of religion, if there is such a thing. He’s got religion and religion’s got him. Religion is his career. It is his life. It is everything to him. And since it’s always good to be ahead of the competition, Nicodemus may have been worried–perhaps even jealous–when Jesus appears on the scene.
From the looks of it, if Nicodemus has 1,000 Facebook likes, Jesus has 100,000! And the latter’s increasing popularity seems unstoppable! Jesus may be a competition in the Who’s Who of religion, but because Nicodemus desperately wants to learn the secret of this rising preaching star. He’s got to see him… no matter what! Smart as he is, he comes to Jesus at night, apparently to avoid being seen and “unliked” by his “friends.”
From what Nicodemus says to Jesus we can deduce that to him good religion is about getting God on your side. It’s about becoming God’s fave. Such divine favoritism is evidenced by one’s ability to perform “signs”—stuff that only God’s favorites are able to do.
Some say that Nicodemus is nervous and doesn’t really know what to say to a celeb Rabbi whose name is Jesus. Maybe so but I tend to believe that thinking men think about what they’d say first before they’d say it. As a member of the Sanhedrin, “the Jewish ruling council,” as well as “Israel’s teacher” (vs. 1, 10), babbling in front of Jesus is out of the question—it’s just not good for his reputation!
Immediately after Nicodemus uttered the last word of his introductory statement, Jesus points out the defect in his way of thinking: that what really matters as far as life in relationship with God is concerned is not religion, or getting more of it, or a better one.
It is not about knowing some religious secrets or a key to gaining God’s favor so that one can do stuff that only God’s favorites can do.
It is not about re-inventing yourself like a successful and very rich athlete who perhaps thinks that if he can be the champion in his kind of sport, what could possibly stop him from conquering not only the world of politics but also religion? As a popular “born-again Christian,” he can become the face and mouthpiece of the “born-again” religious movement. And despite his limited understanding of the Bible or the Christian faith, perhaps he now has the authority from God and considers it his duty to reprimand people, regardless of their rank or position, if they do not subscribe to a literal reading of the Bible!
I hope I am wrong about the aforementioned person but from the way it looks, I may be right. And the sad thing is that religious leaders who are fans of his (or there to exploit him?) are not really helping. They seem to feed him the wrong thing and, for some reason, they appear to be in a hurry to lift him up to stardom in the arena of religion. But is that what he really needs?
According to Jesus, no! What this champion athlete needs is not that kind of “born again” which is merely a religious label or as a way to get God on one’s side to do more religious stuff. Like Nicodemus what he really needs is to be born again in the real sense of the expression. But what is it really?
“Born again” can also be rendered as “born from above” which I assume is in contrast to being “born from below,” which is earthly or man-made. To be born from above is absolutely wrought by the grace of God and takes place way before we recognize that the new life shaped by the Spirit of God is there.
Like physical birth, the one who is born from above just realizes that he’s been born. And like a new-born baby that instinctively reaches for his mother’s breast, the one who has been born again takes spiritual nourishment from God and God’s word. As he opens his eyes he sees the kingdom of God, the spiritual realm where he’s been born and meant to live as a child of God.
The one who has been born from above has been transformed by the Spirit of God and designed to live wholly and fully in an environment where the presence of the living and loving God is the very source of life—a spiritually abundant and wonderful life that only those who have been truly born again have experienced and know about!
(To be continued…)
PENnED 
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