Is Being Born Again Necessary For Salvation?

In this episode of Gospel First, join Joe Cirillo as we delve into the profound concept of being "born again". While some associate this term solely with mainstream Christianity, discover its significance within the beliefs of Latter-day Saints. Drawing from scriptures like Mosiah 27:25-26 and John 3:3, explore the spiritual transformation required to align with the divine Plan Of Salvation. From understanding the metaphorical rebirth to the lifelong process of conversion, journey through the layers of spiritual growth and becoming more Christlike. Gain insights into the essential role of the Holy Ghost, the power of covenants, and the gradual nature of spiritual rebirth. Join us as we unpack the true essence of being "born again" and its transformative impact on our journey towards eternal life.

Transcription:

Being "born again" is a key part of our belief in the plan of salvation and is central to our purpose on earth.

In Mosiah 27:25-26 in the Book of Mormon, Jesus taught that everyone, regardless of their gender, race, or nationality, needs to be "born again" in order to become righteous and be accepted into the kingdom of God. This means that we must go through a spiritual transformation, made possible through the Atonement of Christ, in which we become new creatures that resemble Jesus Christ and God the Father. In other words, being born again means changing our nature to become more like God.

To understand what it means to be born again, we can refer to a passage in the New Testament (John 3:3) where Jesus teaches a man named Nicodemus. Jesus tells Nicodemus that unless a person is born again, they cannot see the kingdom of God. This initially confuses Nicodemus, who thinks Jesus is talking about a literal rebirth. However, Jesus clarifies that being born again is a metaphor that involves being born of water and the Spirit. This metaphor is connected to our first birth, where we enter the world as newborns surrounded by blood, water (amniotic fluid), and a new spirit. Essentially, being born again refers to a spiritual rebirth that enables us to enter the kingdom of God.

Our spiritual birth, or being born again, requires the same elements as our physical birth: blood, water, and spirit. In the book of Moses 6:59, in the Pearl of Great Price, the Lord taught Adam that just as we were born into the world through water, blood, and spirit, we must also be born again into the kingdom of heaven through water, spirit, and the cleansing power of the blood of Christ. This process is symbolic but represents a genuine change in our nature.

Elder David A. Bednar said that being born again is “a spiritual rebirth and fundamental change of what we feel and desire, what we think and do, and what we are.” Being born again requires the Spirit of God to change our very natures.

The scriptures sometimes use the term "conversion" to refer to being born again. However, this is different from when people say they were converted to the Church by the missionaries and baptized. True conversion is not an event but a process that occurs over time and requires deep change. For instance, even though the Apostle Peter was already a member of the Church and one of Christ's apostles, he was still undergoing a process of conversion. Despite having a strong testimony of Jesus and being chosen to lead the Church after Christ's resurrection, Jesus told Peter in Luke 22:32 to "strengthen thy brethren" when he was converted. This suggests that Peter was still in the process of changing and becoming the person he needed to be.

Therefore, being converted (or born again) is a lifelong process that involves overcoming the desires of the natural man and transforming into the spiritual person that God wants us to be.

As God's spirit children, we are deeply loved by Him, and each of our souls holds immense value in His eyes. This is because we are His offspring, as stated in Romans 8:16. However, in order to fulfill our divine potential, we must overcome the natural tendencies that come with our mortal bodies.

The natural man represents the parts of our character that are not aligned with the teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ and His divine attributes. These aspects may include selfishness, laziness, meanness, stubbornness, pride, and immorality. The natural man may also be inclined towards behaviors such as cheating, lying, stealing, hurting others, and causing destruction. However, every one of us also possesses a spiritual side that seeks to overcome the natural man, change our negative attributes, and become more like Christ.

Every day, we face a battle between our spiritual and natural natures. This struggle is highlighted in Mosiah 3:19, which describes the natural man as an enemy of God that has been so since the fall of Adam and will continue to be so unless we yield to the Holy Spirit's influence. We must strive to put off the natural man and become a saint through Christ's atonement, cultivating qualities such as submission, meekness, humility, patience, and love, even as a child submits to their father.

We can choose to either be led by our carnal or “evil nature”, or we can become as 2 Peter 1:4 teaches, “be partakers of the divine nature” by using the Atonement of Jesus Christ to change the things in us that aren’t like God and becoming born again.

In previous lessons, we learned that the Holy Ghost has the role of sanctifying us, making us pure and holy. He is the one who washes away all our sins, and each time we receive the Holy Ghost, his influence purifies and changes us gradually. That's why it is important to be baptized and receive the Holy Ghost.

Receiving the Holy Ghost is a continuous process that requires us to participate in gospel covenants and ordinances, such as baptism, the sacrament, and the temple. By making these covenants, we become spiritually begotten children of Christ, and as we receive the Holy Ghost, it changes us and helps us to be born again.

The righteous cycle of faith, repentance, making covenants, and receiving the Holy Ghost is crucial in our journey to become more like Christ. Through this process, our natural man is converted into a spiritual man, and we become more connected to Christ through covenants and the infinite Atonement. Therefore, receiving the Holy Ghost and being sanctified by its power is an essential step in becoming born again and achieving our divine potential.

Elder Dallin H Oaks said, “The gospel of Jesus Christ is the plan by which we can become what children of God are supposed to become. This spotless and perfected state will result from a steady succession of covenants, ordinances, and actions.”

Elder David A. Bednar likened our spiritual conversion to the process that turns a cucumber into a pickle. He said, “A cucumber becomes a pickle as it is prepared and cleaned, immersed in and saturated with salt brine, and sealed in a sterilized container. This procedure requires time and cannot be hurried, and none of the essential steps can be ignored or avoided.” Similarly, “total immersion in and saturated with the Savior’s gospel are essential steps in the process of being born again.”

We can’t just dip ourselves once or twice—going to church here and there, reading the scriptures now and then, praying off and on—and expect to become spiritual pickles! It takes total and steady immersion to change our very natures!

It's crucial to understand that spiritual rebirth isn't just about completing a list of outward ordinances. Rather, it's about what's happening inside us - the transformation of our hearts and natures. It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that the gospel is just a checklist of things to do, such as attending church, reading scriptures, praying, and serving others. However, what's more important is the effect those actions have on our inner selves.

When we do gospel actions with the right intent and purpose, they can help us receive the Holy Ghost and transform us from the inside out. But if our focus is solely on completing the checklist, we miss the true purpose of these actions, and the Spirit cannot enter our hearts to help us be reborn.

Furthermore, while our parents, teachers, and friends can assist us in coming unto Christ, true conversion is a personal journey. It's up to each of us to exercise our agency and make and keep sacred covenants that lead to spiritual rebirth.

Although having a testimony is important, it should not be our end goal. Even Satan believes that the Book of Mormon is true, as seen in his attempts to prevent people from reading it and going to church. The Apostle James in James 2:19 pointed out that even the devils believe in God and tremble.

Dallin H Oaks taught: “It is not even enough for us to be convinced of the gospel; we must act and think so that we are converted by it. In contrast to the institutions of the world, which teach us to know something, the gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to become something.” Let’s not only believe . . . let’s have our beliefs change us to become Christlike people.

To some, the transformation that comes with being born again may seem slow or not happening at all. Elder D. Todd Christofferson reminds us that the examples of those in the scriptures who experienced a quick and remarkable change are not typical. For most of us, the change happens gradually over time.

The process of being born again is ongoing and requires daily effort. As we live by faith, repent, make and keep covenants, and obey the commandments, we receive the Holy Ghost and gradually overcome our natural tendencies. As Alma teaches in the Book of Mormon, in Alma 5:14, we must be spiritually born of God, receiving His image in our countenances and experiencing a mighty change of heart. This is the process of conversion and being born again.

At the Judgment, the Lord will not only evaluate our actions, but also the kind of person we have become. He will determine whether we are still driven by our natural tendencies or have been transformed into spiritual beings through the process of spiritual rebirth.

Contrary to the world's belief that our natural desires control us, God has granted us the power of agency, enabling us to control our actions and shape our character. Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can receive strength to overcome temptation and convert our very natures, thereby becoming more like Him. This is what is meant by Being Born Again.

This concludes our lesson 5 in this section of ACT 2. The next lesson, which is in ACT 2, will focus on “The Family: It’s all about … Eternity. So, if you have any questions about the gospel, please feel free to leave a message in the comments section below, and don’t forget to subscribe and share so that we can spread the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ together.