Born Again?

Once a woman said to her believer friend "I am christian since a child as I was born and brought up in a christian family. I believe in Jesus, go to church, pray and read the Bible. I have been a christian all through...But in your case since you come from a different religious background, the Christian faith is new and I guess that is why you find this whole life new and interesting...."

How wrong the woman was about whole concept of Christian faith and perhaps many out there are of the same view?

The truth is very clear in the Bible (God's Word)
Romans 3:10 (NIV)
As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one".

Whether one is born and brought up in a Christian family or has been a good Christian all through it doesn't matter. As the Bible says in Rom 3:9 (NIV), "...that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin." And again in Romans 3:23 (NIV) -"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

For all have sinned and we come short of God's standards (His holiness). Therefore we need to come to that point of realization and confess that to God. That is why Jesus said in Mark 1:15 (NIV)- "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"

We need to repent of our sins. When we sit down and look deeply in our hearts and honestly ask God to show our inner self, then we will know our true color. We all have so much sins hidden deep within us which only we and God knows. There are many sins in man which only he/ she can know such as greed, manipulation, jealously, self righteousness, pride, lust, selfishness, covetousness, idolatry, hypocrisy and the like.

So if we truly desire to have a personal relationship with Jesus and enter His kingdom then we need to be born again.

John 3:3 (NIV)
In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
2 Tim 2:19 (NIV)
"...Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness."

We really need to repent of our sins, thank the Lord for He took our place on the Cross as a penalty for our sins, ask the Lord to give us a new heart and spirit so that we will be truly be born again...and live a new ongoing life in Him with an openness and cleanliness of the heart.