The Watchtower teaches, “Jesus was the first one to be ‘born again’. This was in harmony with God’s rule concerning his Son: ‘that he might become the one who is first in all things.’ When was Jesus ‘born again’? At the time of his human birth? No, but rather thirty years later, at the time of his baptism A.D. 29.” (The Watchtower, “Who Are Born Again?”, 11/15/54, p. 682)

I discuss the new birth extensively in Chapter 10 of my book, Getting Through to Jehovah’s Witnesses.

There, I offer recommendations as to how to engage Jehovah’s Witnesses on this crucial topic.

In this post, I want to give you a brief overview of the Watchtower’s misconception about Jesus being born again, and to explain what I believe is at stake.

The first time a Jehovah’s Witness told me that Jesus had been born again at his baptism, I was shocked.

I thought, “What??? Jesus had to be born again? Jesus wasn’t a sinner. Why would Jesus need to be born again?”

It took me quite a while to realize that our discussion was going around in circles.

Why? Because we had completely different definitions of the term “born again.”

The same Watchtower article I referenced above explained its terminology:

After Jesus’ immersion, an act that symbolized Jesus’ dedication to Jehovah, God’s spirit came upon him, and a voice from the heavens said: “This is my son, the beloved, whom I have approved.” Jesus was now a spirit-begotten son of God; he was “born again.” This, of course, was not a begettal in the womb of any human virgin. That was already past and had served its purpose. But now Jehovah begot Jesus by the spirit to become a spiritual son of God with a heavenly glory in view. This was the first time such a thing had ever occurred on earth.

So what does it mean to be “born again”? It means receiving from God a birthlike entitling to prospects and hopes for spirit life by resurrection to heaven. How is this brought about? Jesus enlightens us: “Most truly I say to you, unless anyone is born from water and spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”—John 3:5

Notice that the Watchtower believes all Jesus had were “prospects and hopes for spirit life by resurrection to heaven”—not even assurance of resurrection or of a return to heaven.

In contrast to this uncertainty, John 13:3-5 tells us, “Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he came from God and was going to God, got up from the evening meal and laid aside his outer garments. And taking a towel, he wrapped it around his waist. After that he put water into a basin and started to wash the feet of the disciples and to dry them off with the towel that was wrapped around him.” (Watchtower translation, emphasis added)

Biblically, the new birth is an inner transformation of a repentant sinner by the Holy Spirit which is essential for salvation.

This is shown by the following passages:

  • Ezekiel 36:26-27: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit inside you. I will remove the heart of stone from your body and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my spirit inside you, and I will cause you to walk in my regulations, and you will observe and carry out my judicial decisions.Then you will dwell in the land that I gave to your forefathers, and you will be my people and I will be your God.’”
  • Ephesians 2:4-5: “But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, made us alive together with the Christ, even when we were dead in trespasses—by undeserved kindness you have been saved.”
  • Colossians 2:13: “Furthermore, though you were dead in your trespasses and in the uncircumcised state of your flesh, God made you alive together with him. He kindly forgave us all our trespasses.”

Jesus neither sinned nor inherited a sinful nature from Adam, so he had no need to be born again.