What is salvation and the new birth (being born again)?
Let us start by saying that the Bible calls it being “born again”.
During Jesus’ ministry here on earth, a rabbi (teacher of Jewish law) named Nicodemus came to interview Jesus
at night and stated, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us, your miracles alone are proof enough of this.
Jesus then told him, “That unless a person is born again (anew, from above) he cannot
ever see (know, be acquainted with and experience) the Kingdom of God” Nicodemus then said to Jesus,
“how can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter his mother’s womb again and be born?” Jesus answered,
“I tell you, unless a man is born of water and (even) the Spirit (Holy Spirit), he cannot (ever) enter the
Kingdom of God. What is born of (from) the flesh is flesh (of the physical is physical) and what is born of
the Spirit is Spirit”, John 3:2-6.
This is the new birth, what is referred to as being “born again”. Jesus Christ paid a great price (His life)
by suffering and dying on the cross to pay the price for every sin that mankind had committed up till then
and every sin humanity would commit in the future to open the way of salvation, the “new birth”.
What part does belief have in salvation (the new birth)?
Jesus said in John 3:15-16, ”everyone who believes in Him (who cleaves to Him, trusts Him and relies on Him) may not perish
but have eternal life and (actually) live forever. For God so greatly loved the world that He gave up His only begotten Son,
that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish, come to destruction,
be lost but have eternal everlasting life”.
Jesus said in verse 17, ”for God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge
(to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation through Him”.
How do you receive salvation (the new birth)?
In Romans 10:9-11, the Apostle Paul teaches, “Because if you acknowledge and confess
with your lips that Jesus is Lord and in your heart believe (adhere to, trust in and rely on the truth) that
God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart a person believes (adheres to, trusts in
and relies on Christ) and so is justified (declared righteous, acceptable to God) and with the mouth he
confesses (declares openly and speaks out freely his faith) and confirms (his) salvation”.
What is the promise of salvation (the new birth)? It is that when anyone receives Jesus as Lord,
they receive the assurance of Romans 10:11 which says, “No man who believes in Him (adheres to, relies on
and trusts in Him) will (ever) be put to shame or be disappointed”. And then the apostle John further
confirms, “But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He (the Father) gave the authority (power,
privilege, right) to become the children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in,
and rely on) His name”. God becomes Father and we are His children.
A Prayer for Salvation (Please say this out loud)
Heavenly Father, I come to You in the Name of Jesus. Your Word says, "Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Acts 2:21). I am calling on You. I pray and ask Jesus to come into my heart and be Lord over my life according to Romans 10:9-10. "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." I do that now. I confess that Jesus is Lord, and I believe in my heart that God raised Him from the dead.
I am now reborn! I am a Christian - a child of Almighty God! I am saved!
By saying this prayer out loud you have been heard by God and have heard it yourself meeting God's
requirement to be saved. You are now a born-again child of God the Father through the shed blood of Jesus!
Continue with the blessing God has given you and pray each day. You'll never be the same!
Find a good Word of God preaching church, and become a part of a church family who will love and care for you
as you love and care for them. We need to be hooked up to each other. It increases our strength in God.
It's God's plan for us to be in an earthly family of believers even though our natural family may not be.
