Though a large proportion of the world's population identify themselves as Christians, Jesus spoke of a personal line of commitment that must be crossed in the lives of every person to determine where they would stand with God.8
As his followers later wrote about their understanding of Jesus, they explained that Jesus was in fact God, come to earth in the flesh,9 and that he lived a sinless life.10 Since he was sinless, he was able to pay the penalty for our sins in place of us.11 In so doing, he opened up for us the freedom to experience an intimate relationship with God, and a restored relationship with other human beings.12 Those who put personal faith in him will be "born again" or "born from above", where God brings alive our spiritual side in relationship with Him.13
| 8 — | In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the Kingdom of God unless he is born again." |
| — John 3:3 | |
| 9 — | In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. |
| — John 1:1,14 | |
| 10 — | For we do not have a high priest [Jesus] who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. |
| — Hebrews 4:15 | |
| 11 — | For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life. |
| — Romans 6:23 | |
| 12 — | You see, just at the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly... God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. |
| — Romans 5:6-8 | |
| 13 — | For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. |
| — 1 Peter 1:23 | |