A brief meditation designed to snap you back into the restoring power of God’s love.
2026-04-19
New Birth, New Life.
The phrase “born again” is one that many Christians use loosely. Many say they are born again because they accepted Jesus, were baptized, or somehow became believers. For many born-again Christians, life continues just the same, without significant change and, sadly, without tangible fruit.
However, being born again has both immediate and eternal implications that mark the believer’s life and set it apart from what we commonly see in the world. The apostle Peter wrote:
You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.
For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. (1 Peter 1:22-23 NLT).
A few verses down, he added:
So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech. Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness. (1 Peter 2:1-3 NLT).
Peter highlights some radical changes expected in those who are born again. First, our lives are cleansed of sin. That means not only forgiveness of our disobedience to God, but also a desire to continue obeying the truth. The opposite of sin is love for God and neighbour; therefore, the ability to love God and our neighbour with a clean heart is one of the first signs of that spiritual new birth. That doesn’t happen in a single day; there is a process of growth we must intentionally foster. We refuse evil and anything that is not true and pure, even if it is just unkind words that may hurt others.
Along with that, Peter says that, like a baby, the new believer must intentionally desire spiritual nourishment rather than be starved or merely filled. It is well known that a mother’s milk is the perfect nourishment for her baby. The Church is like our mother, and the Word of God is the spiritual nourishment we all need. Our growth takes place in communion with other brothers and sisters in Christ as we learn to love, forgive, support, serve, and care for one another. Being born again is never an empty phrase; it is the right description of each spiritually healthy child of God. May we all embrace our new life in Christ daily.
In Christ’s new life,
Alvaro Palacio
gcitorontoeast.org 