John 3:5-6 Jesus answered, “most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

Continuing on in this conversation Jesus and Nicodemus are having of being born again, Jesus explains His meaning further and emphatically. We have to be born of the water and Spirit. So what does being born of water mean? Ezekiel prophesied in chapter 36:25 in his book about being cleaned with water the Lord cleanses with. We are baptized in the way John the Baptist baptized. This is an outward expression of an inward cleansing.

Born of the Spirit is what cleanses us when we accept Jesus as our Savior. It is an inward cleansing from the effect of sin. We are sinners; we were born into sin and without this cleansing there is no relationship with a righteous God. He goes further and states, “What is flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” When we accept Jesus as Savior we are no longer of the flesh. We are His and we are now of the Spirit. We are sealed by the Spirit and nothing can take us away from Him.

This should tell us that we are safe from the punishment of sin. Jesus has paid the price, and we are in the hands of a loving God. But in order to be born again, we must first hear the gospel. Then, we must exercise faith in what we hear, then walk by the faith we proclaim. You have heard the gospel if you have read this. Now are you ready to exercise your faith and walk with Jesus?

• Jesus, the only way!
• Abba, Father!
• Flesh or Spirit?
• Stop living for the flesh!
• Being Known