What it means to be born again

“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
The term ‘born again’ can be taken to mean many things, but let’s look at its usage as found in the Bible. In fact, it only occurs here and in John 3, where Jesus spoke to Nicodemus.
Being born again refers to a spiritual birth, a work that God does inside us. We have already been born once – physically. To be born again is to undergo a second birth, a spiritual one. Of this Jesus said, “Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at My saying, ‘You must be born again’. The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit” (John 3:6-7). You can’t tell by looking at someone if they have been born again – but you will be able to see the effects of it in their life.
A new birth results in new life. Someone who has been born again has a spiritual dynamic to their life that wasn’t there before. Peter tells us in today’s verse that this is not something that will die (is perishable), but something that can never die. This is how Jesus could say, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die” (John 11:25). Our physical body may die, but if we have been born again, our spirit will never die. We will never lose contact with God.