Born Again Muslims

​The title of this blog post may lead the reader to think that this article will be about Muslims that convert to Christianity. Let me assure the reader: That is not the subject of this article.  Instead, the article will make the case that the principle of being born again is compatible with Islam as well as Christianity.

Jesus, peace be upon him, discusses the new birth with Nicodemus in the Gospel of John chapter 3.

Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”

“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.

(John 3:1-6 NIV)

In his conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus clearly distinguishes between physical birth and spiritual birth.

Other New Testament verses that tell us similar things are:  2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new;” and Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Jesus, peace be upon him, explains that being born again is a spiritual birth, not a physical birth. We could call it a transformation.

When we, by faith, submit ourselves to God, He changes us. He, re-creates us to serve Him.  We become, “God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do,” as stated in Ephesians 2:10.

Both Muslims and Christians observe this spiritual new birth whenever a non-believer sincerely commits to be a Muslim or a Christian. Their decision initiates an immediate change in their lives that we can easily see.  And, as new-born babies, they begin the process of spiritual growth that leads them to become mature believers.

This new birth, or  transformation, occurs in Islam when an individual professes the Shahada. That is, “There is no god but God, and Muhammad is His Messenger.”

This new birth, or  transformation, occurs in Christianity, when an individual trusts in Jesus as the Messiah, which essentially means that we believe Jesus when He tells us, “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.” (John 5:24)

My Muslim friends who read this blog post may object to the words in John 5:24 and affirm that we have no assurance of eternal life in Heaven, unless we do adequate good works.  In response, I repeat Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” And I emphasize that, as a result of our spiritual birth, God re-creates us in a way that compels us to do adequate good works. So, yes.  Adequate good works are required in order for us to have eternal life in Heaven. But our good works are an inevitable manifestation of our spiritual new birth.

I invite you to view a previous blog that provides additional insight into the issue of faith versus works:  Why do you do good works?

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