Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. (1 Peter 1:3, NIV)
So you’ve become a Christian. You said a prayer. You made a commitment. But what actually happened? What caused you to make this commitment when you did? Why did you do it when you did and not at some other time – either when you were younger, or at some point later on in your life?
Peter goes straight to the explanation: “He has given us new birth” (1:3), or in other words, “You have been born again.” There is a great deal of confusion today over what is meant by this phrase ’born again.’ People sometimes ask: “Are you a born again Christian?” as if this was just one brand among many.
When the Bible says that you have been ‘born again,’ it means that God has brought a deep change at the very center of your being. He has given you a new nature, which means that you have a new disposition, a new appetite, and new capacities. We will explore together this peculiar change of nature that occurs in the life of every Christian.
How would you answer the question: “Are you a born-again Christian?” And what does this phrase mean to you?
