It is recorded in the Gospel of John, in the New Testament, that Nicodemus, a ruler among the jews of during the meridian of time, came to Jesus by night and asked Him a series of questions, one of which was, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mohter's womb?"
How can a person be "born again"?
Jesus tells Nicodemus that he would need to put-off the old man, old habits, old way of living, and become a new man (President Nelson even added, from the Greek: breath differently; a new breath). The idea brings to mind the principle of repentance--turning back or turning. In other words, Jesus' teachings to Nicodemus might have been summarized by telling him that he would need to repent of his old ways and become a new man through living Jesus Christ's teachings!
I'm not so sure that those who think that they are now "born again" believe that it has anything to do with repenting of their old life and old thoughts, their old beliefs or their old way of living, yet that seems to be exactly what Christ was teaching those who woud listen to Him about becoming a saint and even how to put-off the natural man. Centuries earlier, in the Americas, the prophet King Benjamin, son of Mosiah and father of Mosiah, taught:
For the natural man is an enemy to God and has been from the fall of Adam and will be forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a little child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things that the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.
So, Nico, although it is physically impossible to re-enter your mother's womb and become a child--a reverse birth?--it is very much possible to become as a little child, without becoming childlike, and taking on yourself the name of Jesus Christ. Become a new man! Even, become a disciple of Jesus Christ! Enter the waters of baptism and be prepared to take upon yourself the name of Christ in His holy temple!
JPS
