What does it mean to be” born again”?  The phrase comes from a conversation Jesus had one windy night on a roof-top with Nicodemus,:

“I am telling you the truth,” replied Jesus, “that no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. . . .  Do not be surprised because I tell you that you must all be born again.”  (from John 3:5 and 6.  All biblical quotations are from the Good News Bible.)

That word, “again,” comes from a word which also means “from above.”  It is like our word, “over.”  It means both.  So what does it mean to be “born over”?

Perhaps we may get a clue from the words of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 18, verse 3:

“I assure you that unless you change and become like children you will never enter the Kingdom of heaven.”

In the next verse he says we must become humble and be willing to be children -- we must give up all our “grown-up” ideas of self importance and just trust God.  We are to “change” our directions and let God do an “extreme makeover” on us.

I don’t think I can pin down these workings of the Spirit..  Jesus told Nicodemus:

“The wind blows wherever it wishes; you hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. It is like that with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”  (John 3:8)

God works this change in us in many ways, some all at once and some slowly.  I like the words of the poet, G.M. Hopkins, about this:

            Whether at once, as once at a crash Paul,

            Or as Austin [Augustine] a lingering-out sweet skill,

            Make mercy in all of us, out of us all

            Mastery, but be adored, but be adored King.

Rev. Dr. David Beebe

Evangelical United Church of Christ , Highland

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