LITTLE HEAVEN
BORN DEAD
Philip Pereira
“I am the resurrection and life. Those who believe in me, even though they DIE, will LIVE, and everyone who LIVES and believes in me will never DIE.” (JOHN 11:25,26)
There are few buzzwords we commonly hear these days among Christian circles. Many a times you are asked a peculiar question. Are you a believer? Or are you born again? People from traditional churches like Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant find this bit funny. Especially when you are told you are not a Christian if you are not born again, it can be really upsetting. Don’t get angry. That is not Christian. Now what do these people mean? Are they some kind of fanatics? Is there some meaning to what they speak? Have we tried to understand what is all this about?
In the book of Prophet Hosea, the Lord declares, my people are perishing because of lack of knowledge (Hos 4:6). So knowledge is important. Knowledge on what? The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (Prov 1:7) and our source of knowledge comes from the word of God.
The Bible says, be prepared to defend your faith. In order to help you defend your faith, I am making a small effort to explain these terms in this brief article. These buzz words started at the beginning of last century. There was new experience of the Holy Spirit. The fire spread into all churches, which finally lead to the Charismatic renewal or movement. The first and probably the only reference to being Born Again is found in the gospel of John. (John 3:3-5). Try reading John chapter 3 at least 3 times. There are other indirect references in Epistles.
We see something very interesting happening here. Nicodemus, a scholar, Pharisee comes to see Jesus in the night time (!) to ask the Lord a question. (Pharisees never liked Jesus. The religious establishment of those days did not accept Jesus’ teachings. However there were few true seekers like Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimatheaya etc. For fear of being seen with Jesus, Nicodemus came to the Lord during the night). By answer, Lord tells him unless you are Born Anew (or Born Again in some versions), you cannot enter the kingdom of God (John 3:3). If Jesus said that, then it must be of importance and we should take note of it. Unless we are born again, we can’t enter into kingdom of God. Jesus also explained to him how to be born again.
Let me explain this in a simpler manner and then you can determine whether you can answer positively or negatively to these questions. Remember as I said earlier you have to defend your faith.
God formed (not created) Adam in His image and breathed His life into Adam. (Gen 2:7) Before God breathed His life into Adam, he was without God’s life. Every other creature created (not formed) until then had life. So there is a distinction between the two. Further God said if you eat the fruit of forbidden tree you will surely die. (Gen 2:17) It is good if you read through Genesis Chapter 1 & 2 once. Did Adam die after eating the fruit? The answer is both Yes and No.
The life that God breathed into Adam left the moment he sinned. So he died (YES) spiritually. But he lived physically for long time after that (NO). Spiritual death, gradually lead him to die physically and he died after living for 930 years. Since the time of sin, Adam lived like a Dead Man. From that time every one who is born of flesh (of man and women relationship) is born spiritually dead. He/she lives physically but is without God’s life in them. Please note here the birth of Jesus was unique in that He was born of the Spirit.
I am sure now you understand that we are all BORN DEAD and if we want to go to kingdom of heaven then we must get the breath of God’s life into our life (Born Anew). That was what Jesus was saying to Nicodemus. Don’t forget that Nicodemus was a religious leader, well read in the Old Testament, and presumably aged, may be in the 40s. To him our Lord said you must be born again. What a Challenge to some one so educated, equivalent to our day clergy? See how he argues with the Lord in John Chapter 3.
Now when do we get born again? This is fine for those who are not born in Christian families. They will receive the gospel from some one and commit their life to Jesus, get baptized and are born again. But what about us (those) who are born to Christian parents. Should we also be born again or not? As per the commandment of our Lord, all must be born again. When does this happen to those who are born in Christian families?
When a child is born in a Christian family (As far as I know most of the traditional denominations follow this), the child is brought to the church for baptism. Here the parents make commitments on behalf of the child. What is actually happening is, the parents make commitment on behalf of the child and the child is dedicated to the Lord. Here the parents are responsible to bring up the child in godly manner and when the child grows up to age and is able to understand the need for self-commitment. Now the onus shifts to the grown up man/women with understanding. Once you are of understanding age oh man/women, you become personally responsible. Have you heard people say I gave my life to the Lord at so and so age at Potta etc? Ah, there you are. You see otherwise if being born again is applicable only for people from non-Christian backgrounds then God really becomes partial. But the scripture says God is no respecter of people. He is same for all men and women.
No doubt, every Pascal mass, vows are repeated. But if that vow does not come from your heart and truly Jesus is not invited into your heart, then I think it becomes only a mid night ritual where you probably are half asleep. Yes you can still claim you are Christian. In reality you will only be a nominal Christian who did not believe in the Lords command to be born again. Because you did not believe you are also called as unbeliever.
But as many as received him and believed in His name were given the power to become children of God. (John 1:12) Whether you are a Catholic, Protestant, Pentecostal or any denomination, unless and until you make a personal genuine commitment to the Lord, you have no part in Him. Whether you want to call such people as born again, believer, charismatic is immaterial. The terminology is of least importance. What is important is genuine experience of the Lord. Knowing for sure that your name is written in the book of life. Mind you once you make that commitment to the Lord and are truly born anew, the Holy Spirit takes control of your life, and things will never be the same again. Then you will love to join prayer groups in your neighborhood, love to go to church, love to partake communion, love to love others etc.
Now dear ones, can you answer those who question you if you are born again? Check you commitment. Today is the day of Salvation. If you are doubtful of having that personal relationship with the Lord, and if you are convicted in your heart for the need to ask Jesus into your life (The life of God into your life), now is the time. Repent (Acts 2:38) and call upon the name of the Lord. Don’t assume. Assumptions have no place in heaven. Read Romans 10:9,13. If you want to say Yes Lord, please join with me in prayer:
“ Father, I believe you sent your only begotten son Jesus to earth to die on the cross on my behalf to redeem me from death, I believe you raised Jesus from death on the third day to justify me. I receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour of my life. Lord come into my heart now. Thank you Father, by believing in Jesus and receiving Him I have become your son and I am born anew. Old is gone. Thank you in Jesus name. Amen “ (See Romans 4: 24,25 & John 1:12, 3:16)
If you have prayed with me, then congratulations. You are BORN AGAIN IN CHRIST. No longer living dead man. Join a prayer group nearby as the Spirit leads and grow in Christ.
God bless you all.
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