We Must Be Born Again

“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”  - John 3:3

What is the difference between “seeing” the kingdom of God and “entering” the kingdom of God?

First of all, you can see a place without actually entering it.  For example – Temples.  Many people visit temple grounds and see the beautiful Houses of the Lord.  They even feel His spirit there, but it takes more than just seeing the temple to receive the numberless blessings it provides in our lives.  We must do more – we must be doing all we can to follow Christ’s teachings.  We must obtain temple recommends through proper authority that signifies our person worthiness and efforts in living the gospel.  We must be willing to make promises to follow God.  And as we make these addition steps, not only will we see the temples, but we will enter the temple.  I think the same holds true for the kingdom of God.  It’s one thing to see it, but it takes more to enter.

What did Jesus Christ teach Nicodemus that he must to do enter the kingdom of God?

• Jesus taught that we must be born again.  He said we must be born of water and of the Spirit.  Mosiah 5:7 sheds some addition light concerning being “born again.”  It says that as we make covenants (promises) with God, we become His children, sons and daughters, and our hearts change and we are born of Him.  So as we change and improve our lives and make promises with God to follow Him, we can be “born of God.” 

What does it mean to be “born of water?”

• Being “ born of water” indicates baptism.  Jesus Christ gave us the perfect example of the necessity of all to be baptized.  As we make the promise to follow God as we are baptized, it is a symbolic rebirth, as we are immersed into the water and come up fresh and new.

• Moses 6:59 demonstrates a ways that baptism is a symbol of rebirth by discussing how transgression brings the fall (death).  Being cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ is the way for us to live again.  Just as we come to earth, we must be cleansed and born again through water (baptism) and live again with God.

• Romans 6:4 exemplifies baptism as symbol of death by describing “we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”  I like this illustration of newness that comes from baptism.  We go into the water, symbolizing death, and we are raised out of the water as a new being.

What does it mean to be “born of the Spirit?”

• Being born of the Spirit indicates the gift of the Holy Ghost.  That is the next step after baptism, or being born of water.  We receive this gift by the laying on of hands by those with authority to give the Gift of the Holy Ghost.  As we have the companionship of the Holy Ghost, we will have the blessing of guidance, direction, comfort, and knowledge in our lives.

• God compares the Spirit to the wind in John 3:8.  The wind blows where it will.  We can hear the wind, but do we know where it comes from or where it’s going?  This is a good comparison because we can hear the promptings of the Spirit and feel its presence in our lives, although it is subtle like the wind.  But also like the wind, it comes from something greater, and is going on to do great things.

To end, there are a couple of meaningful passages in John 3.  Verses 14-17 and 35-36 show of God’s great love for the world and all His children.  He loves us so much that he gave his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.  He gave His Son that we can be saved and return to Him.  He loves His Son as well, and He trusted Him to do His will.  And if we accept and follow and believe in Him, God promises everlasting life and salvation.  This is a beautiful promise and I’m grateful for this knowledge that I have.  I know that we are children of God, that He loves each of us, and if we follow Him, we can return to Him through the Atonement and sacrifice of Jesus Christ.