Born Again; A New Perspective

Once upon a time there was a church of thousands of people.  After the service, the Pastor got up and announced that they had a gift for some of the women in the room.  The gift was for every pregnant woman in the church.  Every pregnant woman was asked to meet in the fellowship hall after service. The church had hired an OBGYN to come in and offer FREE deliveries.  No money at all.  "Just come to the fellowship hall and we will have a bunch of private beds set up and we will deliver every baby in every womb this afternoon free of charge. Of course, with the cost of deliveries these days, this is an offer you cannot refuse, ladies."  

 

What is wrong with this picture?  A number of things, of course.  But the biggest of which is this: THEY ARE NOT READY.  They are not in labor.  The baby is not ready to be born on command. 

 

Well, the very same thing applies to salvation.  Jesus intentionally chose language about being "born again."   Look, It is just as silly, unnatrual and impossible for someone to be born of a woman on command after a Sunday service as it is for people to be born AGAIN in a forced and immediate way.  Just like life takes 10 months for life to develop in a womb before coming forth, it also takes people time to develop and grow to a place of readiness to be born spiritually.  

 

May we be patient and help bring people to life in God's perfect timing. 

 

(I wrote about similar ideas in THIS POST about discipling to convert.)