There was once a time where death had its strangle hold on you, but not now! Now you are lifted high by the very hands of God and seated in the heavenly realms as renewed, refreshed, and regenerated. New birth through Christ Jesus brings a new stunning reality—you are a child of God. You were once born dead, but now you are born alive!
Everyone is born dead. Signs of life are evident—the ability to breathe, the pulse felt on our wrists, and an ever-increasing ability to understand the things of this world. Yet signs of death are lurking in the background. Death is seen in the disobedient child, in the small lies we tell each other, and in the secret thoughts of our minds. Life is lived, but not only will death tarnish every moment, it will bring life to an end. We call this death sin! Not one person is born without sin infecting them. If mankind is to truly live, then we must be born again into a new life, one where death has no hold or power. Without rebirth, we can never experience regeneration.
Death
In Paul’s letter to the church in Rome, he explains how sin has brought death to us all. Romans 5:12 states, “Sin came into the world through one man.” It was Adam’s breaking of God’s covenant in the Garden of Eden that brought sin into the world. Adam disobeyed God’s strictest command not to eat from a certain tree (Genesis 2:17); when tempted, he disregarded the Word of God and ate (Genesis 3:6). Paul continues in his letter, “…and death [came] through sin, and so death spread to all men.” The sin of Adam meant that mankind could no longer enjoy perfect relationship with God. Punishment was due, and death was the price to be paid. Paul notes, “One trespass led to condemnation for all men” (Romans 5:18) and “By one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners” (Romans 5:19). Even to this day, we are born into the wickedness of Adam and must suffer the fate that every person has had to face—the punishment of death. Everyone is born dead! Dead in their sin.
Some deny that they are sinners before God. Just as Peter thought highly of himself (Matthew 26:33-35), we too fall into the trap of thinking of ourselves with high esteem. There are some who claim to be right before God, denying the presence of sin in their lives (1 John 1:8). Scripture makes clear that this denial is deception. Satan has blinded us to our own sin and set us on the path to death. Every man, woman, and child has sinned (Romans 3:23) and deserves the punishment of death (Romans 6:23). It is true that some may indeed be moral people, good people who have done no major wrongs toward others.