"Jeff, what does it mean to be born again?"twelve-year-old Sally asked her brother who has just turned fourteen. "We talked about the new birth in Bible class today, and I just don't understand it. I know I was born once, because here I am. But how and when am I supposed to be born again?"

"Well, Sally, it means that God does something deep inside your heart, where you become a new person inside. You start thinking and living the way God wants you to. You're still yourself, but what is new is your character, your way of feeling and thinking and acting, because Jesus is now in your life. You love what He loves, and you no longer want to do the things that are bad for you and others. This change is also sometimes called conversion."

"That's a big change for anyone,"said Sally, thoughtfully. "If that's what happens, then I would like to be born again or -- be converted."

"If you want to really get the right picture of what it all means,"Jeff replied, "then you need to study it out from the Bible, because that's where the real information is."

"Will you help me?"Sally asked, hopefully.

"Sounds like a good idea,"said Jeff, "I'd like to understand this subject better myself."

Let's see what Jeff and Sally found out.

Jesus made it clear, we cannot be saved unless we are converted. "Assuredly I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven"(Matthew 18:3).

We cannot change ourselves spiritually. "Can the Ethiopian change his skin or a leopard his spots? Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil"(Jeremiah 13:23). "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible"(Matthew 19:26).

We must be born from above. "Except a man be born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God"(John 3:3, KJV, margin).

We must be born of water and of the Spirit. "Most assuredly I say to you, unless one is born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."(John 3:5,6).

We are born again by the word of God. "Having been born again not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God, which lives and abides forever"(1 Peter 1:23) compare with Romans 10:17.

First step in conversion: God convicts us of sin. "Now when they heard this [the preaching of Christ crucified], they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, 'Men and brethren, what shall we do?' Then Peter said to them, 'Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."(Acts 2:37,38).

God's goodness leads us to repentance. "The goodness of God leads you to repentance."Romans 2:4, see also Acts 3:26 and 5:31 to discover that repentance is a gift of God.

True repentance is sincere sorrow for sin and change in our lives. "Godly sorrow produces repentance to salvation, not to be regretted, but the sorrow of the world produces death. For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter."(2 Corinthians 7:10,11).

If we repent we shall be converted. "Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that the times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord."(Acts 3:19).

God wants us all to repent, because we are all sinners. "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.""God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.""The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."Romans 3:23; 2 Peter 3:9; Romans 6:23

If we confess our sins, God will forgive them, and cleanse us from sin. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.""He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy."(1 John 1:9; Proverbs 28:13).As far as possible, we make restitution for our past wrongs. See Ezekiel 33:14-16; Luke 19:8.

God gives us a new heart, that is capable of obeying Him. "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them."Ezekiel 36:26,27

God enables us in our born again state to keep His law. "'This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,' then He adds, 'Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.'"(Hebrews 10:16,17).

We are a new creation in Christ. "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."(2 Corinthians 5:17).

The fruits of God's Spirit now appear in our lives. "Now we have been set free from sin, and having become servants of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life." "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law."(Romans 6:22; Galatians 5:22,23).

The truly converted person keeps growing in grace and godliness. "You have put on the new nature, which by constant renewal in the likeness of its Creator, leads to a fuller knowledge of God."(Colossians 3:9,10, Phillips).

(All references from the NKJV translation, unless otherwise indicated.)