For many Christians, to be "born again" is one of the central demands of Christianity. Christ Jesus spoke of this as requisite for entering the kingdom of God. In St. John's Gospel of the Bible, for example, we read about a Pharisee, a Jewish ruler named Nicodemus, who went to see Jesus to ask him questions.
At the beginning of their conversation, Jesus told the Pharisee that "except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." He went on to explain to Nicodemus that this is not a material rebirth but a spiritual demand. He said that a man had to be "born of water and of the Spirit" in order to "enter into the kingdom of God." In fact, the Master was very emphatic on this point. He mentioned it three times during the course of their conversation, ending by saying, "Ye must be born again." John 3:3, 5, 7.
I had often wondered about this Christly demand, and what it required, long before I became a student of Christian Science. Even as a child growing up, I thought about it. However, I was not satisfied with merely asking to be born again or expecting that some form of physical baptism would accomplish this awesome result. I felt that Christ Jesus was requiring much more than an outward step even if sincerely undertaken. Later, when I became a student of Christian Science, I began to study the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy, along with the Bible, and I realized that I could find a deeper and yet practical meaning of being born again.
