Being born again means you receive the Holy Spirit
By Peter Kaye |
Chapter 6 Page 102
It's what Jesus said to Nicodemus, one of the local religious high-ups. Unlike most of his colleagues, this guy realised Jesus was someone special. Jesus told him that the only way we can get to heaven is by having our lives transformed... That's what born-again means. It's a spiritual change.
Peter looked puzzled but, to Janet's delight, interested. ‘So how do you do this, born-again thing?’ he asked.
‘Simple. You just ask Jesus into your heart.’
‘How do you get someone into your heart?’
‘By putting them above everyone and everything else. Maybe it's not the best example, but if there's a girl, you're in love with, she'll be in your heart, won't she? I mean, you'll be thinking a lot about her, what she likes, how to make her happy. That's how it is when Jesus becomes the most important person in your life. He influences everything you think and say. And there's more. Being born again means you receive the Holy Spirit, which changes how you behave. But not because you tell yourself you've now got to be a better person. Instead, the spirit inside you makes you want to be.’
‘Then, you never do anything wrong again? Like stealing or swearing.’
Janet smiled. ‘No, God gives us free will. So, if you want to steal or swear or do other things that God disapproves of, you can. However, for a Christian, someone who has received the Holy Spirit, the feeling you get after you have done something wrong is much more painful than it ever was before. The spirit is like your conscience, someone on your shoulder, saying, 'You know you shouldn't.' But it's a warning coming from inside you. Quite different to a person threatening, you'll be in trouble.’
‘What if you do it anyway?’
‘You say sorry to God and try to put it right. Give back the money you've stolen and apologise for swearing.’
‘And that's it?’
‘Yes. God will forgive and forget completely what you did wrong.’
Peter shook his head. ‘Sounds too easy. I mean, you just do wrong things, pray some prayer, and then everything's right again.’
‘Not quite. You must mean it when you say sorry. The word in the Bible is repent, which includes promising to try and do better next time. The try bit is crucial because God knows that often we will fail again. He wants us to admit we have done wrong and then listen and follow what the Holy Spirit tells us... But if we mess up again and repeat the process, saying sorry, etc., then God's forgiveness is always what follows. And unlike us humans, there's no limit on how many times God will forgive.’