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Why we were Born

The great writer and humorist Mark Twain once quipped, "The two most important days in your life are the day you were born, and the day you find out why." Of course by finding out why he meant finding out what we were born to do--why God put us on this planet. 

I agree with Twain, so long as we agree that the "why" is found in Christ. Specifically, we were born to be in a relationship with the God who made us. The problem is, because we are sinners by nature, we are disconnected from the God we are supposed to be in a relationship with. A holy God cannot associate with sinful people. That is where Jesus comes in.

He satisfied the law's demands, paying the penalty our sin deserved. The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross allowed the Father to punish sin while allowing the sinner to go free. God can be just and the justifier. God can deal severely with sin while allowing the sinner to go free. God can be full of fury and full of mercy. God can hate sin and love the sinner. God can be the law's enforcer and the loving Father. 

This does not mean that every single person has their sins forgiven. This only counts for those who recognize their sinfulness and that they cannot do anything about it on their own, and then repent and put their trust in Christ. 

Jesus famously told Nicodemus in John 3:3, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” He went on to explain that everyone is born once physically, but we each need a rebirth, a spiritual birth. 

So if that is what Mark Twain meant, he is absolutely right. Our first birth is important, but when we find out why we were born--to be in a relationship with Christ--we are born again to a life we never dreamed was possible. We die to the old self and the worst kind of life, and are born into one far better.

When we are born again we are a new creation through Christ, we have a new commitment to Christ, we have a new communion with Christ, and we have a new companion in Christ. 

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