You Must Be Born Again

To be a Christian is to be Christ-like (the word means "little Christ"), and this can only be accomplished by the transformative power of God operating within a person, courtesy of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit comes to us in what Jesus referred to as the "new birth" (see John chapter 3).

The new birth is conferred on us when we come to Jesus in faith:

• believing that He is "the Christ" (the anointed or chosen one of God), who bore the penalty for our sins and was raised to life again
• turning from what we know to be wrong and a life of serving ourselves in favor of following the example and commandments of Jesus 
• asking God's pardon for our sins in Jesus' name

Merely believing that God exists, or even that Jesus is His Son, is not sufficient to save us. Satan believes in God and knows who Jesus is. The demons Jesus cast out of people sometimes spoke and acknowledged who He was. Yet, they are not His and do not follow Him. Jesus said that His sheep would be known by the fact that they hear and follow Him, and will not hear or follow another.

So, the ultimate question for the person who wonders if they are really a Christian is this: did you ever know that you needed to be "born again"? If you're not sure, ask yourself this: do you "hear" and follow Him? Do His commandments matter to you? Are you changing, becoming more like Him? Or are you still living for yourself and following your own desires?

"Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” - John 3:3

"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand." - John 10:27-28

"He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him...Jesus answered and said to him, 'If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.'” - John 14:21, 23

"By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments." - 1 John 2:3

* Scriptures are taken from the New American Standard Bible