What is spiritual rebirth?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Spiritual rebirth, often called being “born again,” occurs when a person places faith in Jesus Christ as Lord, receiving salvation and eternal life (John 3:3; John 1:12). Because of Adam and Eve’s disobedience, all people are born with a sinful nature and are spiritually dead in sin (Genesis 3:6; Psalm 51:5; Romans 3:23). Jesus Christ lived a perfect life, was crucified for our sins, and was resurrected, conquering death (Isaiah 53:5-6; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4). When we believe in Him, we are reborn and filled with the Holy Spirit, who empowers us to live out the transformation of spiritual rebirth (Acts 2:38; Galatians 5:16). We walk by the power of the Spirit and in the Spirit, who enables us to resist sin and “walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4) (. Through spiritual rebirth, we become new creations, leaving the old sinful nature behind and living in obedience and freedom through Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 5:24). Walking in the Spirit allows us to grow in Christlikeness, experience true life and peace, and live according to God’s will rather than our fleshly desires (Romans 8:5–6).

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• By Adam and Eve’s initial disobedience to God (Genesis 3:6), the fall of mankind entered the world, and as a result, all people’s default condition at birth is that of a sinner (Psalm 51:5).

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• In John 3:3, Jesus tells Nicodemus, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." He emphasizes that this spiritual rebirth is what brings salvation and eternal life with God.
• Because of Adam and Eve’s disobedience, all people are enslaved by sin and spiritually dead within their sins before spiritual rebirth (John 8:34; Colossians 2:13).
• Everyone has a sin nature that causes them to want to live in opposition to God's will. Romans 3:23 says: "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," and Romans 6:23 says that "the wages of sin is death." We are all born under the curse of sin; we need to be spiritually reborn as children of God (John 1:12; 3:3–15).
• Jesus Christ is the way to our spiritual rebirth (John 14:6; Acts 4:12; 16:31).
• God sent Jesus, His one and only Son, to earth so that He could make a way for our salvation (John 3:16).
• After living a perfect life (Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 2:22), Jesus was crucified, bearing the punishment for our sins upon Himself (Isaiah 53:5-6; 1 Peter 3:18). He was resurrected from the dead three days later, conquering death (1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Acts 2:24).
• When we place our faith in Jesus and His sacrifice, we are saved (Romans 10:9-10; Ephesians 2:8-9) and filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38; Romans 8:9).
• The Holy Spirit within us enables us to live out the spiritual rebirth that has taken place: "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh" (Galatians 5:16).
• The Holy Spirit is our direct connection to God and enables us to remain free from the power of sin. When we are spiritually reborn, we walk anew with the Holy Spirit as our guide and companion (John 6:63; Romans 8:14).
• The Spirit's presence in our life is the seal of our salvation (Ephesians 1:13–14), meaning He confirms and preserves our salvation.
• Through Christ's sacrifice and the continual presence of the Holy Spirit within us, we are able to walk with God in the freedom that comes from spiritual rebirth. Second Corinthians 5:17 says: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

As believers who have been reborn, we now walk by and in the Spirit. This means living each day under the guidance, power, and influence of the Holy Spirit, who dwells within every believer from the moment of spiritual rebirth. It means living for the things of God and allowing Him to continually transform us into Christlikeness. When we are born again through faith in Jesus Christ (John 3:3; Ephesians 2:8–9), we are no longer spiritually dead but made alive in Him (Colossians 2:13). The Holy Spirit becomes our helper, teacher, and guide, enabling us to resist the desires of the flesh and live in a way that pleases God. As Galatians 5:16 says, “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” The Christian life is not lived by our own strength but by the Spirit’s power, who transforms our hearts and renews our minds to desire what is holy and good.

Walking in the Spirit also means turning away from the flesh—that is, our old sinful nature that rebels against God. Romans 8:5–6 explains, “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” The flesh leads us toward selfishness, impurity, and spiritual death, but the Spirit leads us into righteousness, peace, and true freedom. As new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), we are no longer bound to live as we once did. Instead, we are called to crucify the flesh with its passions and desires (Galatians 5:24) and to walk in step with the Spirit, who empowers us to live in obedience and grow in Christlikeness. Walking in the Spirit is how we live out being new creations, no longer enslaved to sin but free to follow Christ in obedience, hope, and joy.

UNDERSTAND

• Spiritual rebirth happens when we place our faith in Jesus, receiving salvation and the Holy Spirit.
• All people are born sinful and spiritually dead, making rebirth through Christ necessary.
• Believers are reborn, becoming new creations, empowered by the Holy Spirit to resist sin and grow in Christlikeness.

REFLECT

• How has your life been transformed since experiencing spiritual rebirth through faith in Jesus?
• In what areas of your life do you still need the Holy Spirit’s guidance to walk in freedom from sin?
• How do you remind yourself that you are a new creation in Christ and live accordingly?

ENGAGE

• How does understanding that all people are born with a sinful nature that makes us spiritually dead change the way we share the gospel with others?
• What does it mean to walk by the Spirit and grow in Christlikeness?
• How does the reality of being spiritually reborn affect our perspective on obedience and our life choices?