Born Again – What It Really Means

The universe is run by Intelligence, and the trouble is, we have separated ourselves from this Intelligence. We need a way to reconnect if we are to find our way through life. But how shall we reconnect? As you read in the first few pages of this book, you discovered that I needed some answers to some of life’s perplexing questions, and I turned to the Bible because it is an authority for me. Even though the Bible has been misquoted and misused, most people still trust the Bible to be a great inspirational source. Biblically, examples of our Creator connecting with humanity can be seen in a very distinct way in what is theologically referred to as God’s Old and New Covenants. The prophets of the Old Testament and the apostles of the New Testament are those who testify to what God has done and what God’s purpose is for human life. To understand this covenant relationship, we must go back to the original Hebrew word for covenant (berith) found in the Old Testament.
The heritage of the biblical “covenant” is a unique kind of personal relationship whereby two parties bind themselves to each other for their mutual wellbeing. A covenant is fundamentally different from a contract. A covenant is a much deeper, much more binding kind of personal relationship. Covenants are not contracts.
A contract is a bargain between two parties involving things. A person contracts to build you a house and you pay them a fee. A covenant is an agreement between two persons regarding their relationship. A contract is usually put in legal terms that if one person fails to fulfill the bargain, the other person is released from the contract. A covenant is for “better or worse”, e.g., a marriage covenant, a living dialogue between two people. If the marriage covenant deteriorates into a mere contract, the people involved get a divorce. But despite all our shortcomings, the marriage covenant relationships and family life offer the best human possibility for a healthy covenant community.
The Divine-human covenant includes God. The Divine-human covenant is the silken thread which runs through the whole fabric of the Bible. The strength of the covenant is found in God who never allows the covenant with mankind to deteriorate. While mankind may fail to keep his end of the covenant, God is faithful. Mankind can always come home and reconnect with his Creator, thereby reestablishing the original covenant and securing his place in God’s kingdom. This reconnection with the Divine (God) is the beginning of being born again. Every time we reconnect, we are born again. The question is: how do we reconnect? Wouldn’t you agree that many are not at home in the universe? Let me share my personal experience with you. I started to feel at home in the universe when I began to see God in everything and in everyone. Just look around you—all of life reveals the warmth, color, beauty, and responsiveness of the God in whom we live and move and have our being.
I am a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ, but as I read and study other religions, I know they, too, have seen what we Christians have seen. In Buddhism, the followers have seen a vision of what Buddha saw as he searched and found enlightenment. In Islam, the vision is seen in Muhammad as he became a disciple of Allah. For those who are not connected to one of the world’s great religions, you have seen the vision of which I speak. Just watch the farmer at work in his or her field planting seeds that grow to maturity. If you are nowhere near a farm, just try imagining a giant oak tree in that tiny acorn. You know there is a living force inside that small flower seed or you would not bother to plant it in your planter. Plant the seed and watch it daily as it grows to maturity. You are watching the Intelligence of the universe at work.
Life, joy, peace, and goodness belong to all. God is one God, and God is in covenant with all humankind. You and I are part of one tremendous whole. Remember what Jesus said—“I have other sheep that are not of this flock” (John 10:16).
Listen carefully—in this inevitable union, we walk and talk with the Infinite until the Infinite becomes real to us and God expresses life through us. The life given to us is expressed through the physical plane (body), the intellectual plane (mind), and the spiritual plane (spirit). To live only on the physical plane is to become a brute. To live only on the intellectual plane may produce a learned being, but one that is only a mental machine. To live only on the spiritual plane might cause one to become a dreamer without any practical side to his nature.
When you live only on the physical plane, most of the emphasis of life is placed on the material. This is a major problem for many. It can be seen rising to the forefront of life historically, just after the Flood, and continuing down to the present day. In order to correct this inversion of life, one must recognize the power of life within—a power that can manifest itself in increasing peace, joy, and happiness and results in a more balanced life. When you exercise this power, the intellect connects with the Intelligence of the universe (God) to put life into its proper perspective as the spiritual side of your nature is brought into play. As the spiritual comes into play, you will find the strength and guidance to love and accept yourself and others as happy, strong, and successful persons in the here and now.