I Just Became a Christian, Now What? – Born From Above
You recently became a Christian. Perhaps you prayed to receive Jesus. Maybe you confessed your sin. No matter the details, you realized you needed Jesus. So, as discussed in the first article in this series, you repented or turned to him. What happened next is captured in this Bible passage:
But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12-13, NRSV)
When you believed in Jesus and received him, God did something miraculous in you – you were born from above. This may be a new concept, so let’s look at a story to help explain what this birth means.
The apostle[1] John wrote about Jesus’ interaction with Nicodemus, a religious leader of the Jewish people.[2] Nicodemus came to Jesus and acknowledged that nobody could perform the miracles Jesus was doing unless he were from God. Most of the religious leaders did not believe Jesus was from God. Jesus had a peculiar response. He said no one could see the kingdom of God unless they were born from above. The words Jesus used could mean either born again or born from above. But why does Jesus mention the kingdom of God when responding to Nicodemus’ comment? Jesus often stated the kingdom was nearby, and he implied it was near because he was here.[3]
While Nicodemus seemed to acknowledge that God was with Jesus, Jesus challenged him by saying he couldn’t comprehend Jesus’ identity unless God performed a change in him. Nicodemus’ lack of understanding confirmed Jesus’ statement. He viewed the concept from the perspective of physical rebirth. When Nicodemus questioned Jesus’ words, Jesus explained how this birth is a spiritual event, not a physical one. Nicodemus still had trouble understanding this idea.
Jesus pointed out that because Nicodemus was a teacher of Israel, he should know what Jesus was saying. While Jesus doesn't specify why Nicodemus should understand this concept, Bible scholars indicate that the prophets foretold this change in the Scriptures. Ezekiel and Jeremiah, two of the prophets, told how God would give new hearts to his people and put his Spirit within them.[4] Nicodemus would have been very familiar with these references. What Jesus was saying is when we turn to him, God performs a supernatural change in us.
So, as a new saint, it is crucial to understand a fundamental spiritual change took place in you. I cannot overstate the importance of comprehending your new birth. God did many things for you, but we will focus on what happened to you. God changed your identity in several ways. You are different relationally, by becoming a child of God and a brother or sister to all other saints. However, you are also different at your core, and this is what we will explore further.
You were joined to God in spirit.[5] Peter, one of Jesus’ apostles and one of his closest friends, put it this way, you have become a “partaker of the divine nature.”[6] This doesn’t mean that you became God; it means you are connected to him. One of the most beautiful and meaningful Scripture passages in the Gospels is Jesus’ prayer prior to his crucifixion.[7] He asked God the Father that the saints would be one with God and with each other. You are forever connected to God and to other saints through what Jesus did and the presence of the Holy Spirit. Being joined to God in spirit also reflects what we discussed earlier about the prophets' predictions that you would receive a new heart and a new mind.
The Bible states that now you have the mind of Christ[8] and that you are obedient to God from the heart.[9] With a new heart and mind, you will begin to understand the world and God differently.[10] Before you were born from above, like Nicodemus you could not understand the things of God. You may have been aware of God and even believed in him because of the evidence that reveals him, but you could not fully comprehend him or his word. And you definitely could not please him.[11] Now that you are a saint, you know God. Jesus equated this knowledge of God with life.
Just like when you were physically born, your birth from above gave you life. You were dead because of sin.[12] Yes, you had physical life, but you were spiritually dead by being estranged from God.[13] Physical death is a reality for everyone as a consequence of sin. However, you will not experience spiritual death after being born from above. You may have heard that the saints have eternal life. This life is more than the continuation of existence beyond physical death. Jesus defined it this way:
Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. (John 17:3, NIV)
You know God from the moment you are born from above. And he knows you.[14] This knowledge is more than intellectual; it is intimate. The Bible sometimes uses the marriage relationship as a metaphor for the intimacy that the saints share with God.[15] So, your eternal life starts the moment you were born from above.
Jesus also said the life he gives us is abundant.[16] You will begin to understand that your new life is not abundant in how the world defines the word. It is not promised to be plentiful in possessions or ease or anything else by earthly standards. You are reconciled to God and the life he desired for you from the beginning of time. You are no longer under the power of sin and death. You are no longer obligated to the god of this world, Satan.[17] This doesn’t mean your life will be easy. In some ways, it will be more difficult. You likely will be hated by the world because it hated Jesus.[18] But you will know that no matter what happens, God is with you, and he will never leave you.[19] You will see that much of what the world thinks about living is a distortion of what God has for you.
The change in you and your new life is because of your connection to God through Christ. You may not hear a lot about the change in church gatherings. I am writing about it because in my experience, what happened to you is not discussed much at all. Typically, there is a focus on what happened for you, like forgiveness, being reconciled to God, and having a place with Jesus in eternity. These things are true and wonderful, but there is not much mention of what happened to you. Often you will be told what you should and shouldn’t do now that you are a Christian. You are advised that because Jesus died for you and you believe in him, you should be obedient to him out of gratitude. Or, you are told that you should now follow his example. Often, something is missing in these pleas.
You are not told how you are empowered to do what you should do. You are not just acting out of gratitude or following an example. You are changed in such a way that you desire what God desires. You begin to differentiate between the truth of God and the error of the world. However, you have more than a shift in perspective now that you believe in Jesus; there is a shift in who you are. You are a new person. Everything has changed.[20] The change is immediate, but living out the change requires growth.
As you read the Bible references in the footnotes, you will notice that Jesus used different words than the prophets of the Old Testament regarding what happened in you. But I believe he used them for a reason. When you were born again, you became a child of God. And just as a child is fully human at birth, a saint is a new creation after being born of the Spirit. Like a child, the newly born saint must mature and learn. People who experience spiritual rebirth as adults may have human maturity, but they are spiritual infants. Some people experience a noticeable change when they become saints. They have an immediate sense of what is good and right. Others may not perceive a lot of difference right away. Obviously, you look the same, have the same personality, and have the same physical and emotional maturity level as you did before. You may have some level of spiritual insight that you didn't have previously because God's Holy Spirit is now within you. Still, you will need to grow in this regard.
Your spiritual birth may not be completely clear from these few words, but it is imperative that you know a change occurred in you. Without God’s change, you are unable to live the life he wants for you. Subsequent articles in this series will discuss further how you are different and hopefully help you grow. I hope and pray you will continue to read, and I invite you to contact me with your questions.
[1] The term apostle means “sent one.” Jesus designated twelve of his disciples with this title (Luke 6:12-16). Not all disciples (learners) are apostles, and it is evident that there are specific criteria that confer the title of apostle. Out of the twelve, John was one of Jesus’ closest friends.
[2] John 3
[3] Matthew 12
[4] Ezekiel 36:22-32, Jeremiah 31:31-34
[5] 1 Corinthians 6
[6] 1 Peter 2
[7] John 17
[8] 1 Corinthians 2
[9] Romans 6. Jesus and Christ are often used interchangeably in the Bible. Christ is sometimes thought of as Jesus’ last name, but it is actually his title. Christ means “anointed one.” It is the Greek version of the Hebrew term Messiah. The Jewish people were waiting for the Messiah, whom God would send into the world to restore Israel and reconcile people to God.
[10] 1 John 5:18-20
[11] Romans 8
[12] Ephesians 2, Colossians 2
[13] Ephesians 4
[14] 1 Corinthians 8, 13, Galatians 4
[15] Ephesians 5, Revelation 19, 21
[16] John 10, Ephesians 3
[17] 1 John 5
[18] Luke 6, 1 John 3
[19] Hebrews 13
[20] 2 Corinthians 5