You Must Be Born Again

Over the last nine months in our Men's Bible Study, we walked through Galatians and Romans. Uncovering what it means to be saved by Grace alone and faith alone in Christ alone. As these doctrines unfold in Scripture, certain questions inevitably arise: Am I truly saved? How do I know if I am one of God's elect? What about my spouse, my child, my friend? Are they saved?

These are not off-the-wall theological questions. They are profoundly personal, exposing fear and false assurances and revealing where we may have misplaced our confidence in things other than God. When they arise, I return to one passage: John 3.

A Necessary Conversation

John 3 records a private conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, a Pharisee, Jewish ruler, and teacher of Israel, respected for his theological knowledge and religious devotion. If anyone had reason to feel secure before God, it was him.

Yet Nicodemus comes to Jesus under the cover of night. He has heard the reports, witnessed the signs, and something is stirring within him. Jesus does not affirm his credentials or commend his accomplishments. Instead, He addresses the heart of the matter immediately:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).

Nicodemus responds with confusion: How can a man be born again? Jesus clarifies that He is not speaking of physical birth but of spiritual regeneration, a work not achieved by human effort but accomplished by the Spirit of God.

Jesus illustrates this by pointing to the wind: it cannot be seen, controlled, or summoned, yet its effects are unmistakable. So it is with those born of the Spirit. Salvation is not a decision we manufacture or a status we earn. It is a sovereign work God performs, bringing dead hearts to life.

The Hope of Nicodemus and Ours

Nicodemus does not speak again in John 3, but he does not disappear. By the end of John's Gospel, after Christ declares, "It is finished," Nicodemus steps into the light. He openly assists in Jesus's burial. The man who once came by night now identifies publicly with the crucified Christ. This is the fruit of regeneration.

John 3 reminds us that salvation is not something we secure by lineage, preserve by performance, or sustain by effort. It is a gracious, sovereign act of God that produces humility, repentance, faith, and obedience.

New Life on the East Side

This same work of God is not merely something we read about; we are witnessing it on the East Side of Cincinnati. By God's grace, we have seen Him bring new life where there was spiritual death. Men and women like Kenny and Chelsea, whose stories differ greatly, now share the same testimony: God awakened their hearts, granted repentance and faith, and gave them new life in Christ. Their baptisms remind us that regeneration is real and that God is still saving sinners by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, all for the glory of God alone.

This is our prayer and our mission: that God would continue to awaken many more, not through manipulation or moral pressure, but through the faithful proclamation of His Word, and that people would find assurance not in feelings or performance, but in the finished work of Christ alone.

“That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:6).

We invite you to join us in January as we begin meeting as a church on Sunday nights. More details will be shared soon. Our desire is simple: to gather around God's Word, proclaim the gospel faithfully, and trust the Spirit to give life where He wills.

May God grant us eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts made alive by His grace for His glory, now and forever.