HOW TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE BEEN BORN-AGAIN

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Being born-again is a truly central and foundational theme in all of genuine Christianity. It represents a profound and supernatural spiritual transformation of our spirit, which is once dead, is brought to Life. It marks the divine beginning of our new life in Christ Jesus. This is when Christ quickened our spirit and brought to it Eternal Life through the indwelling of His Spirit in our spirit. It is where the Spirit of Christ combined with our spirit, giving it Eternal Life.

But the key to truly understand the eternal significance of what it really means to be born-again, is first to understand the distinct components of a human being — the spirit, soul, and body.

1 Thes. 5:23 “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

In 1 Thessalonians 5:23, the Apostle Paul, by divine inspiration, emphasizes that man is composed of three distinct parts: spirit, soul, and body. Similarly, Hebrews 4:12 speaks of the Word of God discerning and dividing these components, highlighting the unique importance of each in our relationship with God:

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

Let us consider these three parts then:

1. The Spirit – This is the innermost part of a person, the very core of our being, the part that is designed to be connected to God. It is our spiritual nature, the God-conscious part of us. It functions to access the spiritual things.

2. The Soul – This is the seat of our personality, encompassing our emotions, will, and intellect. It is our Psychology. It reflects who we are as individuals and is constantly influenced by both the spirit and the body. The soul is the sum total of who we are.

3. The Body – This is the physical and outward part of man, the earthly vessel through which we interact with the material world and express ourselves. Opposite of our spirit, the body functions to access the physical things.

The spirit is that part of man that is directly created and designed for fellowship with God and to access spiritual things. When Adam was created, his spirit was made from the very Spirit of God; in essence, our spirits originate from the Tree of Life which is God Himself. Our Lord Jesus Christ described Himself as the true vine, and we, His believers, as the branches that must abide in Him to bear fruit (John 15:5). God’s earnest desire from the very beginning of creation was to indwell man, to live with and in him (Isaiah 66:1-2; John 14:16-18; Revelation 21:3).

However, through Adam’s sin, man’s spirit died—it was tragically separated from God and the spiritual things. It cannot access spiritual things anymore. Consequently, no one is born in this world with a living spirit, except for our Lord Jesus Christ Who was uniquely conceived by the Holy Spirit. Therefore, every human being in this world needs to be born-again to revive their dead spirit and restore that vital, life-giving fellowship with God.

When someone is born-again, their human spirit is quickened and made alive by the Holy Spirit. It is when the Spirit of Christ indwells our spirit. This divine impartation brings about significant, observable changes. How can one know if this divine transformation has truly taken place? Here are some scriptural signed and functions:

1. You Receive God: A born-again spirit receives the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-18). The Word of God is no longer just letters on a page but becomes alive, powerful, and personal in the believer’s spirit (Hebrews 4:12; Ephesians 2:1). You received Eternal Life.

2. Access the Spiritual Things: After our spirit was indwelt by the Spirit of Christ, we can now access the spiritual things. Unlike before, you can now access and receive the spiritual things of our Lord.

3. Your Conscience is Awakened: Your Spiritual conscience, which is the voice of the spirit allowing us to perceive right from wrong according to God’s standard, becomes acutely sensitive to the leading and conviction of the Holy Spirit (Romans 9:1; Romans 8:16). Before when you do bad things, no one convicts you, but after being born-again, the Spirit of Christ dwelling in you will also tap your spiritual conscience when you are doing contrary to His will.

4. Internal Conflict: A genuinely born-again believer will invariably experience an internal battle between the desires of their fallen flesh (the old nature) and the desires of their quickened spirit (the new nature). The Apostle Paul describes this intense struggle in Romans 7:15-20, portraying it as two opposing natures warring within the believer (Galatians 5:17).

5. Conviction of Sin: A born-again spirit is deeply convicted and grieved when it sins (compare with the early church’s experience after Pentecost, which led to godly sorrow and repentance, e.g., Acts 2:37, though the reference Acts 2:46-47 is more about their fellowship). The believer is no longer comfortable in sin but desires to walk in holiness and righteousness (John 16:8-9). You will have new perspective on life. Your focus gradually shifts from the temporal pleasures and ambitions of this world to eternal things. Your priorities are reordered towards God’s kingdom and His righteousness (Colossians 3:1-2).

6. Fellowship with God: As our Lord Jesus declared in John 4:24, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” A born-again believer now has the capacity for true fellowship with God, which includes heartfelt prayer and worship originating from their spirit (Eph. 6:18, Psalm 42:1-2). This is when you can pray and worship God in spirit and in truth.

7. Cannot be Demon Possessed: A genuinely born-again spirit cannot be possessed by demons because it is now indwelt and sealed by the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God Himself. The stronger One has come in (Matthew 12:43-45 illustrates the danger of an empty, swept house, but a Spirit-filled believer is occupied by God).

8. Receiving Revelation: The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, now reveals the deep truths of God’s Word directly to the believer’s quickened spirit (1 Corinthians 2:10-12; John 16:13).

9. You Exhibit the Fruit of the Spirit: As the Holy Spirit works within you, you will begin to see the supernatural fruit of the Spirit manifesting in your life—love, joy, peace, longsuffering (patience), gentleness (kindness), goodness, faith (faithfulness), meekness (gentleness), and temperance (self-control) (Galatians 5:22-23).

10. Spiritual Gifts: Each born-again believer is given spiritual gifts by the Holy Spirit once they are born-again (1 Cor. 12:4). This is not for personal glory, but to serve others in the Body of Christ and to glorify God (1 Corinthians 12:7-11).

To be born-again is to experience the most profound and life-altering transformation a human being can possibly undergo. It begins with the supernatural quickening of the human spirit by the Holy Spirit, which in turn begins the process of influencing and sanctifying the soul and bringing the body into submission to God. Through this divine process, a believer is progressively sanctified, becoming more and more like our Lord Jesus Christ.

The undeniable evidence of this glorious transformation is seen in a radically changed life, a new heavenly perspective, and a deep, abiding, personal relationship with God. Ultimately, being born-again means you are no longer dead in sin but gloriously alive in Christ, filled with His Holy Spirit, and empowered to walk in newness of life, all for His eternal glory. Amen.