Tuesday, July 09, 2024
Peter explains being born again
It is a popular phrase among Christians: born again. Sometimes you will even hear Christians debating what that means. Agreeing that everyone needs to be born again, but having trouble explaining it.
In the book of 1 Peter, the apostle uses the term born again twice in the first chapter. In verse 3 talking about being born again into a living hope. And verse 23 when he says we were born again by the word of God.
Of course Peter would talk about being born again because he spent so much time with Jesus and Jesus talked about being born again. John 3 has the famous story of Nicodemus and Jesus. Jesus clearly tells Nicodemus he must be born again to enter the Kingdom of heaven. Then a second time tells him he must by born again of water and of the Spirit. There is the explanation of being born again. Of water and of the Spirit.
Here is Peter's thinking on water and the Spirit.
At the end of I Peter chapter 3, Peter talks about Noah and his family being brought safely through the water. He then relates that to baptism saving us. Not by getting dirt off of our bodies but as a way to obtain a clear conscience. Clearly a literal water baptism to save us from our sins. Being born again of water.
But what about the Holy Spirit? It was Peter that preached the famous sermon recorded in Acts 2. Explaining the Jesus that the people had crucified was in fact Lord and Christ. When asked about what they could do after such a horrible sin, Peter told them to be baptized for the forgiveness of their sins (clear conscience from our sins) and they would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Born of the Spirit.
The Bible is always the best explanation of itself.
Peter believed in being born again of water and the Spirit to enter the Kingdom just as Jesus taught.
He clearly links baptism to water and to the Holy Spirit.
Born again/baptized to enter the Kingdom.
That's what Peter taught.
So I do too.
