We Are NOT Born Again

A Phrase We All Know, But Do We Understand?

From the pulpit to the pew, the phrase "born again" is a cornerstone of modern Christianity. Every preacher uses it, and it's a concept we've grown up with in nearly any church setting. It's presented as the very heart of personal salvation doctrine.

But what if this foundational phrase, one we’ve heard our entire lives, isn't actually our context? What if the Bible places it in a different story altogether?

This article aims to explore the biblical context of being "born again" by letting the scriptures themselves define their terms. Understanding this term correctly is not just an academic exercise; it's foundational to understanding Israel's prophesied role in the coming Kingdom of God. By setting aside modern church tradition and looking at the text as written, we may arrive at a surprising but much clearer understanding of this crucial concept.

The Conversation: A Ruler, a Kingdom, and a Requirement

To understand what "born again" means, we must go to the conversation where it first appears. In the Gospel of John, a man named Nicodemus comes to Jesus. Nicodemus was a ruler of the Jews, and they discussed how to enter the "kingdom of God." This context is critical.

The gospel that Jesus and his twelve disciples preached during His earthly ministry was the "gospel of the kingdom" (Matthew 9:35). This message was about fulfilling God's promises and covenants with the nation of Israel. This was a different message than the gospel of grace that the Apostle Paul would preach later. The disciples preached the gospel of the kingdom for years. Yet, the scriptures are clear they did not understand the cross or resurrection yet (Luke 18:34). So how could their gospel be the same gospel of God's grace, which is centered on the cross? It could not.

Therefore, when Jesus told Nicodemus he must be "born again," He was stating a specific condition. It was a requirement for a leader of Israel to enter their prophesied earthly kingdom. It was not a universal formula for salvation for all time, but a requirement for that nation, in that time, for that kingdom.

The 'First Birth' Nicodemus Knew

The idea of a "birth" for the nation of Israel would not have been a strange concept to Nicodemus. As a master teacher in Israel, he would have known the Old Testament scriptures intimately. He would have known that Israel already had a "first birth" in God's eyes.

This national birth is declared in the book of Exodus. When God sent Moses to Pharaoh, He gave him a specific message to deliver about the nation's identity.

"And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn."
Exodus 4:22

This verse established Israel's "first birth." God chose them out of Egypt and called them His "firstborn son." This identity was foundational to their relationship with God. So, when Jesus spoke of being born again, He was building on a concept Nicodemus should have understood. If Israel already had a first birth as a nation, they would need a second, spiritual birth to finally receive their promised kingdom. This is likely why Jesus was surprised by his confusion, asking, "Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?" (John 3:10).

Israel's Prophesied "Rebirth"

The concept of being "born of water and of the Spirit" was rooted in Old Testament prophecies about Israel's future. Prophets like Ezekiel spoke of a time when God would cleanse Israel and give them a new spirit. This would enable them to finally fulfill their covenant obligations.

This promise of a national "rebirth" is powerfully stated in the book of Ezekiel:

"And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God."
Ezekiel 36:27-28

For Israel, being "born again" was the fulfillment of this prophetic promise. It was not just a spiritual tune-up. It was the prophesied divine intervention necessary to give Israel a new heart and spirit. This was required for them to finally be faithful to their covenant and serve as a holy nation of priests.

A Secret Unveiled: The Mystery and the Church

After Israel's ultimate rejection of their Messiah, God paused that prophetic program. He then started something entirely new. Through the Apostle Paul, God revealed a secret plan. Paul refers to it as "the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began" (Romans 16:25).

The key difference is in their timeline and disclosure. God’s prophetic program for Israel was known. It was spoken by all His holy prophets since the world began. In contrast, the mystery program for the Church was unknown. It was kept secret and untold since the world began.

The Church, the Body of Christ, is the result of this revealed mystery. Before this revelation, Gentiles were "strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world" (Ephesians 2:12). But now, a new, unprophesied group has been formed of both Jew and Gentile through Christ's blood. As Paul explains:

"But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ."

Believers today are not part of Israel's covenants or their earthly kingdom program. We have a distinct identity and purpose.

Not "Born Again," but a "New Creature"

If a believer's identity today is not tied to Israel's "born again" promise, what is it? It is highly significant that the Apostle Paul, the apostle for the Church in this age, never once uses the phrase "born again." This absence is intentional. The term "born again" was part of Israel's prophetic program. Because Paul was given a new revelation for a new group of people—the Church, the Body of Christ—he uses a new term to describe our spiritual identity. The Apostle Paul provides the definitive term: we are a "new creature" in Christ.

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."
2 Corinthians 5:17

This "new creature" is not a renovation of the old self or a rebirth into an existing program. It is a brand-new spiritual creation. In this new creation, old identities that once defined a person's relationship to God, such as Jew or Gentile, are now obsolete. It is an entirely new spiritual organism operating under a new principle, which is grace. Our hope and purpose are heavenly and completely distinct from Israel's earthly destiny. We receive this new identity only by faith in the gospel of grace revealed to Paul: that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

Embracing Your True Identity

Understanding the Bible dispensationally clarifies God's beautiful and distinct purposes. "Born again" was the term for Israel's prophesied national regeneration, which was required to enter their earthly kingdom. "New creature" is the identity for every believer today in the Body of Christ. This identity is part of a previously hidden mystery revealed by God.

This distinction does not diminish the work of Christ. Instead, it magnifies the multifaceted wisdom of God. It shows He is working out distinct, glorious purposes in both heaven and earth. Understanding your true identity as a "new creature" is foundational. It helps you grasp the unique purpose, hope, and incredible spiritual blessings you possess in Christ today.

How does knowing you are a "new creature," part of a secret heavenly purpose revealed by God, change the way you see your life and ministry today?