Born Again: Seeing the Kingdom of God

I will never forget the first time I saw Yankee Stadium

As a boy, I played sandlot baseball and loved the game. Going to New York City and seeing its beautiful carpet of endless green grass where major leaguers played transported me into another world. That world was as high above mine as it was wonderful.

That's what being born again does; it unveils the beauty of God's eternal kingdom!

****************************************************************************************

What does “born again” mean?

Some people use “born again” and “saved” as synonyms. I don’t think so! Jesus* (4BC-30AD) tells us

“Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. “John 3:3.

So being “born again” gives us the ability to SEE the kingdom of God, and this enlightenment comes from God, from the Spirit.

(a * after a name means there is more about that person in my book SPIRITUAL LIVES)

What happened when Saul of Tarsus was born again?

Take a look at the most dramatic “Born Again” story in the New Testament. Saul of Tarsus* (5-67) HATED Jesus Christ, but he was “born again” on the road to Damascus by a blinding light and the voice of Jesus*.

At that moment, Saul saw the kingdom of God. But was he saved? Not at once.

Acts 9 tells us he was blind for three days and didn’t eat or drink. What did he do? He prayed, and God gave him a vision of a man coming to help. That man came, and told Saul that God had chosen him to preach the Gospel:

Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized. – Acts 9:17-18

NOW he was saved.

What was different? He took the two steps Jesus said were needed:

Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. --John 3:5

Many do not. BILLY GRAHAM* (1918-2018) said that only 25% of those who came forward actually became Christians. More recent studies show that only 6% continue to follow Jesus one year later. And these low numbers are not new.

When Jesus explained who He was most of His followers left Him:

No man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. – John 6:65-66

Was Judas born again?

One disciple was damned even though he walked with Jesus for three years, cast out devils in His name, preached, and healed the sick! And Judas Iscariot is not alone.

Years later St. Paul* (5-67)had this to say of one of his co-workers:

For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, – 2 Timothy 4:10

Demas was walking in the footsteps of Balaam*(1502-1452BC), who had not only seen Jehovah but spoke with Him familiarly. St. Peter (1BC-67AD) likens covetous followers to him:

Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; --2 Peter 2:15

Sadly, this forsaking was the case with Kings Saul* (1115_1055BC) and Solomon* (1034-975BC). The first was chosen by God Himself and prophesied but wound up filled with an evil spirit, seeking guidance from a witch and committing suicide!

Solomon! Beloved child of David, who built the temple, to whom God appeared twice, turned away via lust and introduced the idols of the heathen and their shedding of innocent blood into that temple.

Born again needs follow-up!

All of these were “born again,” and saw the kingdom of God but did not enter it. Why? Because they did not believe. The threshold for salvation is simple:

That whosoever BELIEVETH in Him should not perish but have every lasting life. John 3:16

Jesus put this more simply still later, saying “FEAR NOT; ONLY BELIEVE.” Mark 5:36

That belief is not mere intellectual assent to His existence. The devil believes that. Saving belief must be affirmed by allowing Him to come into your heart and be Lord and Christ. The Holy Spirit comes into your life, you are baptized in water and in the Spirit and you enter the kingdom of God. How will you know? Your life will change. You will believe in your heart that Jesus loves you, died for your sins, rose from the dead, and is in heaven preparing a place for you. And you will tell others about it! You will live for Jesus and He will live in you! Praise God!

**********************************

A man named Ni­co­de­mus

To Je­sus came one night.

He said, We know You’ve come from God;

Your won­ders show His might.

In an­swer, Je­sus did de­clare,

Give heed, these words are true:

You can­not see God’s king­dom come

Unless you’re born anew.

Then Ni­co­de­mus quest­ioned,

Reborn, how can this be?

For sure­ly none can to the womb

Return and new life see.

Jesus re­plied, Flesh brings forth flesh,

But like the blow­ing wind,

The Spir­it does give birth to spir­it;

Thus man is born again.

As Mo­ses in the de­sert

Did lift the snake up high,

The Son of Man must be raised up

That men might live, not die.

For God so loved this world of men,

He gave His Son for us,

That we might have eter­nal life,

If we in Him do trust.

God did not send His Son to

Condemn the world of sin.

Christ came in­stead to save all those

Who place their trust in Him.

All who be­lieve es­cape God’s wrath;

They come in­to the light.

But all who prac­tice ev­il deeds

Are guil­ty in God’s sight.

Without the Son, all per­ish;

The ver­dict is de­creed.

All those who fail to trust Christ’s name

Condemned will ev­er be.

Lord, give me bold­ness to pro­claim

Your mes­sage to the lost,

That they might gain eter­nal life

By look­ing to the cross.

---Su­san H. Pe­ter­son, 1999 (pub­lic do­main).