Reason #1 You Must Be Born Again

Okay, so technically, you must be born again because Jesus commanded it.  That's probably reason #1.  But here's the scriptural rationale for His command.

We're in a heap of trouble on our own.  Consider this Scripture:

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience - among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.  ~Ephesians 2.1-3

Look at what it says!  It's bad news for us all the way around.  The reason Jesus commanded us to be born again is because we need a new life.  We are spiritually dead (v.1).  We are dead in our sin.  Bad news.

And it gets worse.  Our allegiances are to the wrong team since we follow the course of this world and the prince of the power of the air, who is the Enemy, Satan, the spirit at work in those who disobey (v.2).  But that's not all, folks.  Nope, there's more.

We also carry out or indulge the passions of our flesh, living to satisfy the body and mind.  In other words, our affections are toward ourselves.  We lavish love and concern and passion on ourselves.  The only person's good we desire is our own.  Our affections run deep - they just run inwardly.  It's the exact opposite of Love God and Love Neighbor (Mark 12.30-31).

And so we need a new life.  We get it through confidence in Christ.  And He's glad to give it so we can fulfill His command to be born again.

But that's just me thinking thoughts...