In the early 1970s, a large-scale, Christian revival unfolded in the U.S.; many people trusted Jesus for the first time. The term “born again”, lifted from Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus in John 3:1-21, was a succinct description of the experience. The transformation was likened to that of a caterpillar turning into a butterfly.
In 1975, Jimmy Carter, the Democratic candidate for president, revealed he was a “born-again” Christian. Seasoned politicians were indignant, as it had been a long observed, unwritten code that religious affiliation should not be used to win votes. After Carter was elected, born again began to appear as a description of anything and everything new. Of course, it has also been used to ridicule Christians.
Likewise, the idea born again had already been introduced before Jesus was born in Israel. The Pharisees of the time were adherents to Rabbinic Judaism. One of their main theological anchors was that anyone with Abraham, the Patriarch, as an ancestor, was already destined to spend eternity with the God of the Bible. Intriguingly, they applied the term born again to several rites of passage such as a gentile becoming a Jewish proselyte – still a very arduous process. After completing that process, the gentile initiate was cleansed with water (a sort of immersion baptism), and declared born again. Rabbis also used the idea born again to describe several tangible, major Jewish life events: bar mitzvahs, marriages, ordination as a rabbi, and being sanctioned as the head of a rabbinic academy – as was Nicodemus.
So when Jesus used the phrase “born again”, he raised Nicodemus’ curiosity because Nicodemus had already experienced being born again several times. Hence, his question, “How can someone be born when they are old?…” John 3:4 NIV
Jesus was deep sea fishing for a less worldly, more transcendent answer from the admired master teacher. Pharisees, especially esteemed teachers, memorized and could recall the entire Old Testament. Jesus seemingly prompted Nicodemus to summon to his mind this passage describing God’s initiative in giving His people a new heart.
I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. Ezekiel 36:25-27 NIV
Some time after his clandestine meeting with Jesus, Nicodemus would fully grasp what Jesus meant by “born from above” (translated literally from the Greek).
It’s vital to continue growing spiritually and to be faithful in making daily decisions. But it’s both humbling and renewing to remember that it’s always God’s initiative to “remove your heart of stone, give you a heart of flesh, and put [His] Spirit in you.” Ask Him to refresh memories of His gift to you of being born again.
by Kathleen Petersen
