The birth of a child is a huge life change. When my daughter Megan was born and the hospital released us, I thought, “What are we supposed to do with her now?” Megan was born wide-eyed into the world looking at everything. She has always been curious and observant.

            The biblical teaching of being born again is exciting. The meaning is a new life. Believers are born again by baptism through the resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Pet 1:3; 3:21; cf. John 3:5; Titus 3:5). The Bible teaches that Christians are children of God by faith as they have been baptized into Christ (Gal 3:26–27).

            Like some babies, many of us come crying for food into the new life like my son Wyatt. Others may come forth relaxed and grunt when they need something like my son Emmett or they may whimper like my daughter Hailey did. Babes in Christ have needs. They cannot survive on their own. Peter taught, “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation” (1 Pet 2:2).

            How does the new Christian need spiritual milk? Peter revealed that the believer purifies the soul by obedience to the truth and are born again of imperishable seed — the Word of God (1 Pet 1:22–23). The Word of God is the pure milk that new Christians need to purify themselves.

            Christians are born again to be holy. Christians are sons and daughters born of the holy God. John revealed that anyone who hopes in Jesus Christ would purify oneself as God is pure (1 John 3:3). Those who continue to sin practice lawlessness so they are not pure (1 John 3:4). God came to take away sin and no sin is in God (1 John 3:5). Those who continue in sin have not seen or known God (1 John 3:6). They are not pure for holiness is godliness.

            The Word of God is essential to living a holy life (John 17:17). However, many Christians today revert to an infantile state that Paul described as carnal (1 Cor 3:1–2). As previously noted, Peter revealed that newborns need pure milk (1 Pet 2:2). The writer of Hebrews noted, “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child" (Heb 5:12–13). Every Christian needs the support of others to continue to study the Word of God unto maturity. Christians should follow the evangelists, shepherds, and teachers who have the responsibility of equipping them for ministry (Eph 4:11–16).

            Thank God for He has provided Christians a pure and holy way to live. Thank God for the church family that can support you in pursuing holy living by God’s Word.