Reborn
I don’t know about you, but my baby fever has been high lately. I swear, I have cried over Bluey episodes- like the one when Bluey takes her first steps? *eyes swell up with tears*. It seems like so many people (close friends and accounts I follow online) are either pregnant or have a baby right now and I love seeing the baby shower and newborn posts. Wherever your feelings may lie when it comes to babies right now, I hope this message offers a new perspective on what it means to be be “reborn” as a new Christian.
As I pray about my future family, I know that God has given me the peace I need about His timeline. So for the time being, I want to be educated on what to expect when it’s my turn to post a baby announcement, so I have been listening to podcasts, watching videos, and reading informative topics about pregnancy. There is so much to learn! Talking to other women in my life who have already gone through pregnancy has taught me that each pregnancy is unique.
God has designed the female body to handle incredible miracles, giving birth is just one of them. There are phases of pregnancy of course: trimesters (each with their own side effects), actually giving birth, and then postpartum and beyond. As the baby develops in the womb, it depends entirely on the mother. An organ called the placenta delivers oxygen and nutrients from the mother’s body to the baby’s. Hormones are helping the baby grow and develop. Antibodies from the mother can be transferred to the baby from the bloodstream. Everything is taken care of and hopefully the baby is growing healthy and strong. When those nine months of gestation are up, it’s time for the baby to exit the womb. According to “The World Counts” there are approximately 385,000 babies born daily around the world! And God cares about every single one of them.
While giving birth two people are mainly involved directly: the woman and the baby. The woman’s body has to go through some honestly incredible stages AND the baby has to completely switch from getting oxygen through the placenta to breathing with lungs! You have probably seen movies and TV shows where the woman is lying on a hospital bed screaming while the doctors deliver the baby and gently place the newborn in the mother’s arms. Great relief, tears, and exhaustion flood over the room as the emotion of what just happened collides with reality. So what does this miraculous event that happens every day have to do with you and what Scripture says?
In John 3:3 Jesus is preaching about being born again: “Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Then, because that phrase sounded strange to him, Nicodemus asks Jesus “how can that be?” How can someone enter their mother’s womb a second time? Obviously, Nicodemus is thinking physically (ouch!) and Jesus is of course speaking spiritually. But WHY would Jesus use this analogy when talking about the kingdom of God?
In today’s context we use the phrase “born again” to refer to a spiritual renewal or first time commitment of faith. Charles Hodge has an interesting quote about this phrase. He says, “The subjective change wrought in the soul by the grace of God, is variously designated in Scripture”. We see this mentioned in 1 Peter 1:23, “Since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God.” Traditional Jewish beliefs follow the doctrine that you have to be rooted in the seed of Abraham, as in a direct descendant of his. But later, Jesus is saying that you must be born twice: a physical birth AND a birth of the spirit in order to be a part of the kingdom of God. Thinking of the tiny little embryo planted in the women’s womb relying completely on the mother reminded me of how new Christians completely rely on God. Maybe you remember the first time you said YES to inviting Jesus to be your Savior. Or you maybe remember when a friend or family member told you about their own decision to follow Jesus. I have a friend who’s boyfriend is a new Christian. He wanted to know everything- what church to go to, what translation to read, how to pray, and why people lift their hands to worship. A newborn is also learning a ton of new things all at once! The baby has been used to a dark, warm, squished, muffled, compact, fluid-filled space as it develops for nine months. That is the only life the baby knows. Then suddenly, the baby has to exit the womb and is introduced to the world where the environment has switched almost completely: it’s really bright, cold, loud, airy, and overwhelming. I remember at a summer youth camp, having a “U-Turn” chapel service, when students would have a complete 180° moment — turning from their old habits and yearning for that newness in Christ. A fresh start.
A new Christian may have a similar startling experience as a newborn. After accepting Jesus as your Savior and that He died for your sins and rose from the grave, you might be left with a “what is next?” feeling. When your eyes are open to sin, evil, bad habits, and corruption of the world it can be overwhelming at first. 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” Becoming a Christian and continuing to follow Jesus can be uncomfortable- but just like a newborn baby, we get to rest in our Father’s arms. In 1 Corinthians 3:1-3, Paul writes to the church: “Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly– mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans?” Paul is kind of known for these types of brutally honest letters if you haven’t read into that yet.
I haven’t had a baby yet, so my research and thoughts are mostly just that: research and thoughts. But knowing that God as a Father loves each one of His children, is enough to fill me with hope for new believers looking for the comforting arms of their Father.
If you are a new Christian, know someone who is, or is reflecting on your testimony, here are a few questions!
What led you to believe in Jesus?
What are you most excited about in your new life as a Christian?
What are some things you are struggling to trust God with?
What are some of the key teachings of the Bible that have resonated with you so far?
Who is a spiritual hero or role model that you can go to with questions?
