What does “Born Again” mean?

This phrase has puzzled not only Nicodemus but also many contemporary believers of Jesus. Let’s read the whole context in the NIV version.

John 3:1 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”
3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.[a]”4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit[b] gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You[c] must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”[d]“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

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Before we dive deeper to understand the perplexing words, it helps to explore first the ambient condition.

First; During the time of Jesus Christ, only Judaism existed as a religious order, and Nicodemus is one among its teachers. Therefore, it is very remote that Jesus deferred to a religious belief or a religion when He asked Nicodemus to be born again. It is not about religion. 

Second; There are two different dimensions humans must live; the physical and the Spiritual dimension, Jesus explained to Nicodemus in verse 6. Unfortunately, Nicodemus and most of us don’t understand and are alienated from the Spiritual dimension. (Colossians 1:21) . We were Spiritually dead in our transgressions and sins (Ephesians 2:1).

Third; God’s love was showcased through His tolerance to human’s indifference about Spiritual matters, being aware of its separation from the Spiritual dimension (v7-9). Thus, He sent Jesus Christ, his only son to redeem and save humanity from eternal damnation.

Having said that,  we’ll tackle what does born again mean?

On my birthdate, I was born to the flesh. I grew up alienated from God. Although, I believe in the existence of God, that He is loving, merciful, and almighty. I didn’t have any desire for Spiritual things, neither any sensibility. I attended religious activities and served a local community church, but it was for the sake of obeying my parents and elders, and participating in religious occasions were mostly for enjoyment along with neighborhood friends. I totally lived in my flesh, in the world filled with evils. The evils that greatly influenced the evolution of the world and its system. The system of the world that feeds the craving of the flesh. I was dead Spiritually, and I deserved then, the wrath of God.

Ephesians 2:1-3 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.

A moment in my life the grace of God by His mercy has caught me up. The Holy Spirit knocked on my worldly life. But my stubborn heart and arrogant mind were adamant on my worldly way of life. But in a long while, God’s unconditional love, abundant mercy, and persistent grace have unlocked the door of my life. I opened myself to the prodding of the Holy Spirit. I invited Him to come into my life. Then I experienced the moment in my life that in a real sense I don’t want to happen again, but my spirit is longing to experience it again.  To tell the details of the moment is quite long, but it was like, I went through a psychological disorder, I acted like a mentally ill person. But I was fully conscious of my extreme swinging modes; from severe crying into loud out laughing with matching tears, CSF, and drools. It was beyond myself. God let me experience what He can do that I can’t. After an hour as I settled normally, then and there I knew I was born again. I started to like Godly things. I want to listen to gospel music. I love reading the bible. I earnestly seek more about God. I joined a church ministry and led bible study groups. I became aware of my accountability for my character. By God’s grace, I was elected to become one of His children through faith in Jesus Christ, the Lord, and savior.

Ephesians 2:4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly (Spiritual) realms in Christ Jesus. 

Further, I would like to offer my understanding of John 3:5 particularly the phrase “born of water” interpreted by some as another independent event. For me, it is a corollary statement to John 3:3 detailing the essence of being born again.  I would like to defer to Ezekiel 36:25-27. Water is an integral part of Spiritual regeneration prophesied by Ezekiel three centuries before Christ.

Ezekiel 36:25-27 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

In line with our Spiritual regeneration, or being born again, our Spiritual life must grow and mature. We are not born and stay an infant indefinitely. The stage of growth in theology is sanctification. A continued process of cleansing the old worldly ways.  The water represents the cleansing element that we have to live by it. Our old worldly ways will not leave us easily, it has rooted deep in our flesh. To be born of water is necessary for our Spiritual life. Otherwise, it will be overwhelmed by our flesh.  Apostle Paul’s prayer appropriate for our sanctification process is in 1 Thessalonians 5:23. 

“May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ”.

Being born again is the regeneration of our Spiritual life, restored into the family God. It is a fulfillment of a prophecy, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in us will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus, Amen.