Born Again

John 3 Amplified
3Jesus answered him, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that unless a person is born again (anew, from above), he cannot ever see (know, be acquainted with, and experience) the kingdom of God.

4Nicodemus said to Him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter his mother's womb again and be born?

5Jesus answered, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, unless a man is born of water and [[a]even] the Spirit, he cannot [ever] enter the kingdom of God.(A)

6What is born of [from] the flesh is flesh [of the physical is physical]; and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.

When we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior we are "born again". We are born of water which is when we are birthed out of our mother's womb. We are born of Spirit when we receive the Holy Spirit into our spirit. It goes deeper but I just wanted to give a general understanding.

There is a parallel between being born of the flesh and born of the Spirit that I would like to share with you. We are born as a "newborn" in both. We are babes in Christ when we first accept Him and we have to grow up into a mature adult. This takes time and a desire to do so. I am sure you have observed some people who never grow up. You know what I am talking about. They are adults but maturity is definitely lacking. The same applies to us as we grow in Christ. There are some who were born of the Spirit 20 years ago and probably even know the scriptures. They may be an adult in their age in the Lord but to see how they act gives away their maturity level.

I want for all of you to understand that being "born again" is the beginning. It is a brand new start. The beginning of the abundant life that Jesus died to give us. There is much more life to live outside of infancy. We have the victory in all things in Christ in this life now and eternally.

Philippians 3 Amplified
10[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [[b]which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope]

11That if possible I may attain to the [[c]spiritual and moral] resurrection [that lifts me] out from among the dead [even while in the body].

12Not that I have now attained [this ideal], or have already been made perfect, but I press on to lay hold of (grasp) and make my own, that for which Christ Jesus (the Messiah) has laid hold of me and made me His own.

It's time to grow up!

Ephisians 4:11-24 The Message

He handed out gifts above and below, filled heaven with his gifts, filled earth with his gifts. He handed out gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, and pastor-teacher to train Christ's followers in skilled servant work, working within Christ's body, the church, until we're all moving rhythmically and easily with each other, efficient and graceful in response to God's Son, fully mature adults, fully developed within and without, fully alive like Christ.

No prolonged infancies among us, please. We'll not tolerate babes in the woods, small children who are an easy mark for impostors. God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love—like Christ in everything. We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we do. He keeps us in step with each other. His very breath and blood flow through us, nourishing us so that we will grow up healthy in God, robust in love.

The Old Way Has to Go

And so I insist—and God backs me up on this—that there be no going along with the crowd, the empty-headed, mindless crowd. They've refused for so long to deal with God that they've lost touch not only with God but with reality itself. They can't think straight anymore. Feeling no pain, they let themselves go in sexual obsession, addicted to every sort of perversion.

But that's no life for you. You learned Christ! My assumption is that you have paid careful attention to him, been well instructed in the truth precisely as we have it in Jesus. Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything—and I do mean everything—connected with that old way of life has to go. It's rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you.

Let the journey begin :)