Transformed Part 1: Born Again to See the Kingdom
There are moments in life that define us—encounters so profound they alter the course of our journey. For me, one such moment came in a small basement apartment during my college years. It was an ordinary night, yet in an instant, everything changed. I saw, in my mind’s eye, a vision of Jesus—His face twisted in anguish, crowned with thorns. But what struck me most was His eyes, burning with unfathomable love. As I stared, a question filled my soul, unmistakable yet gentle: “If there were another way to reach Me, why would I have caused My Son to suffer in this manner?” The weight of that moment shattered my assumptions.
I had grown up believing that all religions led to the same truth, that faith was merely about seeking meaning. But this vision revealed something deeper: Jesus was not just another teacher. He was the only way to God. His suffering was not symbolic—it was necessary. If we could find life through any other means, the cross would have been unnecessary. But we cannot. Humanity is not in need of self-improvement; we are in need of rebirth.
1. Nicodemus and the Mystery of New Birth
Centuries before my encounter, another man wrestled with this very truth. Nicodemus was a Pharisee, a respected teacher of the law, yet something about Jesus unsettled him. He had seen the miracles, heard the authority in His voice, and knew this man was from God. But what he did not understand was what Jesus came to do.
Under the cover of night, Nicodemus sought Jesus out, full of questions. And Jesus, as He always did, cut straight to the heart:
"Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again." (John 3:3)
The words hit like a thunderclap. Born again? Nicodemus struggled to grasp the concept. Was Jesus speaking literally? How could a grown man be reborn? But Jesus was not speaking of physical birth—He was revealing a spiritual reality:
"Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit." (John 3:6)
Nicodemus had spent his life trying to follow the law, believing righteousness was something earned through knowledge, discipline, and religious observance. But Jesus declared that seeing the Kingdom of God was not about effort—it was about transformation. No one can enter unless they are born of water and the Spirit.
The idea of being born again is not just a theological concept—it is the fundamental reality of the Gospel. Without new birth, we remain disconnected from God, spiritually dead, striving to draw life from empty wells. Jesus illustrated this truth in another conversation, this time with a woman at a well in Samaria.
This woman had spent years searching for fulfillment—through relationships, approval, and temporary pleasures—but always ended up thirsty. Jesus saw her need and offered something greater:
"Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life." (John 4:13-14)
The human life is a well—limited, requiring constant effort to draw from, and easily running dry. But the Spirit-filled life is a spring, an unceasing overflow of living water that comes from God Himself. Jesus was telling Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman the same thing: true life does not come from external efforts but from the Spirit’s transforming power within.
2. A New Creation: The Miracle of Rebirth
This transformation—this rebirth—is not a slow progression of self-improvement. It is an instantaneous regeneration that happens when the Spirit of God breathes life into us. Paul describes it this way:
"If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" (2 Corinthians 5:17)
This is the heart of the Gospel: God does not just fix us—He makes us new. Where sin left us dead, Jesus brings resurrection. Where shame bound us, Jesus brings freedom. The Spirit restores what was lost in Eden, reconnecting us to the Father and empowering us to live in His presence.
Jesus repeatedly emphasizes the necessity of being born of the Spirit . During the Feast of Tabernacles—a celebration of God’s provision—He made an earth-shaking declaration:
"Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” (John 7:37-38)
The Jews understood the significance of water during this festival. Every year, the priests poured out water at the altar, symbolizing God’s provision in the wilderness and their hope for spiritual renewal. But Jesus was saying, I am the fulfillment of this ritual. I am the source of life. Come to Me, and you will never thirst again.
John explains the meaning:
"By this He meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive." (John 7:39)
3. Spirit, Soul, and Body: Restored by the New Birth
To fully grasp the miracle of new birth, we must understand how God designed us. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 describes us as spirit, soul, and body—a divine order that was disrupted by sin.
The body is how we experience the physical world.
The soul (mind, will, and emotions) is where we process thoughts and feelings.
The spirit is the deepest part of us, designed for communion with God.
Before the Fall, the spirit was alive, the soul was in harmony with God’s will, and the body was untouched by decay. But sin reversed this order: the spirit died, the soul became corrupted, and the body became subject to death.
This is why Jesus said, “You must be born again.” Without spiritual rebirth, we remain disconnected from God, no matter how much knowledge we acquire or how many good works we do. But when we are born again, the Spirit revives our spirit, renews our soul, and empowers our body to walk in the Kingdom of God.
4. The Kingdom is Here—Are You Born Again?
The question Jesus asked Nicodemus is the question we all must answer: Have you been born again? This is not about religious activity or moral effort. This is about transformation—a work that only the Spirit of God can do.
The good news is that this invitation is open to everyone. The moment we place our faith in Jesus, the Spirit breathes life into us, making us new. The wells of human effort dry up, and rivers of living water begin to flow.
I will never forget that night in my apartment when I saw Jesus and realized there was no other way but Him. It was the moment I understood the words He spoke to Nicodemus:
"Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again."
The Kingdom is here. The Spirit is moving. Will you be born again?
