Today our power walk took us out on the pier where there were fishermen to meet. We watched one guy haul in a baby sting ray! Another pulled up his crab basket with a small catch.
We enjoyed our chat with three young people: the two guys fishing said the fish were stealing their bait! The young woman with them was putting her well-worn Bible into her purse, so I asked about her faith background. She said she was a Christian and all three of them attended the same Korean Church. We told them we were both Christians as well. She asked if we had been born Christians.
I said, “Nobody is born a Christian. I grew up going to church, but didn’t begin studying the Bible until I was 27. That’s when I surrendered my life to Jesus Christ. That’s when I was born again.”
She said, “I too grew up in a Christian home, but Christ didn’t become my Lord until a few years ago.”
The guys both reeled in their lines and joined the conversation. One said he was an engineer with NASA and grew up in a Christian home, but didn’t make Jesus the Lord of his life until five years ago. He said it was after he saw a friend change from being a quiet church-goer to an on-fire evangelist for Christ. He investigated and soon he too was born again. The second guy, a university student, had a similar story: grew up in a Christian home, but two years ago Jesus became real to him and changed his life.
Nobody is born a Christian. Becoming a Christian only occurs after one is born again.
- Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again John 3:3
- [Jesus speaking:] Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ John 3:6-7
- SONG: ONLY ONE LIFE: Lyrics by C.T. Studd circa 1900, Music by Kathleen
