Born Again

B-A-C · Jan 26, 2015

There are as many definitions of being "born again" as there are of being a Christian.
Yet, just about everyone agrees, we need to be born again.
No one seems to agree with what it takes to be born again, or when it happens, but it seems it has a lot to do
with dying to the old "self".

Self if often called the flesh in the Bible. Self is the root word in "selfishness". Maybe being born again has
a lot to do with selfishness (or in this case, the opposite of selfishness).

Perhaps the most well known passage about being born again is in John 3.

John 3:3; Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."
John 3:4; Nicodemus *said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born, can he?"
John 3:5; Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
John 3:6; "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
John 3:7; "Do not be amazed that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'
John 3:8; "The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit."

There is quite a bit of debate about what being born of water means. Some say it means natural birth, others say it means water baptism. But almost everyone agrees we must be born of the Spirit.

Peter also talks about being born again, this passage is just as controversial as the first.

1 Pet 1:2; according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.
1 Pet 1:3; Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
1 Pet 1:4; to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
1 Pet 1:5; who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
1 Pet 1:6; In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,
1 Pet 1:7; so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
1 Pet 1:8; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,
1 Pet 1:9; obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.

There is quite a bit of debate about being sanctified, some say it happens immediately, but most believe it is a process we go through. A lot of this comes from verses 6, 7, and 9 above. The thought is that to born again, you must be tested by "various trials" so that "the proof of your faith" will result in "the outcome of YOUR faith the salvation of your souls".

This is continued all the way through the chapter and towards the end it says...

1 Pet 1:22; Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart,
1 Pet 1:23; for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.

We are back to where we started, loving one another, (which would be the opposite of selfishness).

1 John also talks about being "born of God" (is this different from being born again?)

1 Jn 2:28; Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming.
1 Jn 2:29; If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him.

is practicing righteousness required to be born of God?

1 Jn 3:9; No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
1 Jn 3:10; By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.
1 Jn 3:11; For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another;

Again, is loving one another required to be born of God? Does "not" practicing righteousness keep us from being
born of God?

1 Jn 4:6; We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
1 Jn 4:7; Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
1 Jn 4:8; The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

I'm starting to see a theme here.

1 Jn 4:11; Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
1 Jn 4:12; No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.
1 Jn 4:13; By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.

1 Jn 5:18; We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him.

.. coming up next, schizophrenic Christianity

B-A-C · Jan 26, 2015

I am reminded of a silly movie I watched a while back, where two people inhabited the same body at the same time. I wonder if this is really possible?

We see in the OP we should be born again, and maybe some ways to tell if we are. But the Bible also talks about dying to the old self (flesh). It seems this so the new (Godly) man
can inhabit us.

Rom 8:11; But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
Rom 8:12; So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh--
Rom 8:13; for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
Rom 8:14; For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

Does it require dying to self (flesh) in order to be "born again" in the newness of the Spirit?
Some believe this is a one time thing, others believe this is a daily challenge, we must die to "self" and the flesh every day.

1 Cor 15:31; I affirm, brethren, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

Maybe what really matters, maybe the way to be born again, is to be a new man, a new creation.

Gal 6:15 For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.

2 Cor 5:17; Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

Maybe we shouldn't be schizophrenic Christians, maybe the old man "flesh" need to be crucified to be born again.

Rom 6:6; knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;

Maybe we have to take off "the old self" and "put on" the new self".

Eph 4:22; that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit,
Eph 4:23; and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
Eph 4:24; and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

Col 3:3; For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
Col 3:5; Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.
Col 3:6; For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience,
Col 3:7; and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them.
Col 3:8; But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.
Col 3:9; Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices,
Col 3:10; and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him--

Maybe dying to the old "self" (selfishness) is really part of being a new creation, a new creature, a new self.

Gal 2:20; "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

Maybe it's not all about us. Maybe if we're all caught up in self and holding on to our old life and old ways we really aren't born again? Maybe we really aren't a new creation?

Matt 10:38; "And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.
Matt 10:39; "He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.

Matt 16:24; Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.
Matt 16:25; "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
Matt 16:26; "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

Luke 9:23; And He was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.
Luke 14:27; "Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

Maybe denying our self (flesh) and loving one another is what being born again is really all about.

B orn
A gain
C hristian

RJ · Jan 26, 2015

B-A-C said:
There are as many definitions of being "born again" as there are of being a Christian.
Yet, just about everyone agrees, we need to be born again.
No one seems to agree with what it takes to be born again, or when it happens, but it seems it has a lot to do
with dying to the old "self".

Self if often called the flesh in the Bible. Self is the root word in "selfishness". Maybe being born again has
a lot to do with selfishness (or in this case, the opposite of selfishness).

Perhaps the most well known passage about being born again is in John 3.

John 3:3; Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."
John 3:4; Nicodemus *said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born, can he?"
John 3:5; Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
John 3:6; "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
John 3:7; "Do not be amazed that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'
John 3:8; "The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit."

There is quite a bit of debate about what being born of water means. Some say it means natural birth, others say it means water baptism. But almost everyone agrees we must be born of the Spirit.

Peter also talks about being born again, this passage is just as controversial as the first.

1 Pet 1:2; according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.
1 Pet 1:3; Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
1 Pet 1:4; to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
1 Pet 1:5; who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
1 Pet 1:6; In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,
1 Pet 1:7; so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
1 Pet 1:8; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,
1 Pet 1:9; obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.

There is quite a bit of debate about being sanctified, some say it happens immediately, but most believe it is a process we go through. A lot of this comes from verses 6, 7, and 9 above. The thought is that to born again, you must be tested by "various trials" so that "the proof of your faith" will result in "the outcome of YOUR faith the salvation of your souls".

This is continued all the way through the chapter and towards the end it says...

1 Pet 1:22; Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart,
1 Pet 1:23; for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.

We are back to where we started, loving one another, (which would be the opposite of selfishness).

1 John also talks about being "born of God" (is this different from being born again?)

1 Jn 2:28; Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming.
1 Jn 2:29; If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him.

is practicing righteousness required to be born of God?

1 Jn 3:9; No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
1 Jn 3:10; By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.
1 Jn 3:11; For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another;

Again, is loving one another required to be born of God? Does "not" practicing righteousness keep us from being
born of God?

1 Jn 4:6; We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
1 Jn 4:7; Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
1 Jn 4:8; The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

I'm starting to see a theme here.

1 Jn 4:11; Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
1 Jn 4:12; No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.
1 Jn 4:13; By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.

1 Jn 5:18; We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him.

.. coming up next, schizophrenic Christianity

How Jesus explained it to Nicodemus is good enough for me. When you are born of the spirit you are born again, not physically but spiritually reborn or born anew!

norapture · Jan 26, 2015

How do we know we love God, and each other?
1 John 5:2-3 By this we know that we love the children of God, WHEN we love God, AND KEEP HIS
COMMANDMENTS.
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous .

I always thought being born again, is like a woman when she receives
the seed of a man.
The baby isn't born right then but must grow and be formed in her, then is born.
So when we receive the Spirit it also grows in us. So let's feed it with the word of God
Till Christ be formed in us.

RJ · Jan 27, 2015

norapture said:
I always thought being born again, is like a woman when she receives
the seed of a man

Of course as a Christian, you have had two births one of you mother's womb and one of the Holy Spirit. One is created by man and meant for the physical world. The other is created by the Holy Spirit and prepares you for the spiritual realm.

Boanerges · Jan 28, 2015

B-A-C, there is quite a lot of debate about most things biblical- lol.
The following are just my views on this subject matter:
In truth when Adam was warned not to eat that which was forbidden to him he was told " the day you eat of it you shall surely die". He ate, his body did not die that day, his souls (mind, intellect, emotions, etc.) did not die that day; that was the day he suffered spiritual death (separation from God).
God of course had a plan all along and Ezekiel prophesied of the day when man's spiritual life would be resorted:

Eze_11:19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:

Eze_36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

Stickz · Jan 28, 2015

Yes, debates about the Bible are apparently here to stay.

I will say this: If you said a prayer in hopes that you would keep yourself out of Hell when you die and you did not mention anything about being sorry for your sinful life and wanting a chance to start anew, and you still sin pretty much as often as you did before you said the prayer then you were not born again. No matter how being "born again" is viewed, technically, hermeneutically, theologically, doctrinally etc by anyone it obviously has something to do with starting over and with words like 'repent' and 'forgiveness' all over the New Testament my bet is that it involves turning away from your sinful ways for a righteous way of life.

Isn't salvation really only necessary because of sin?

RJ · Jan 28, 2015

Boanerges said:
In truth when Adam was warned not to eat that which was forbidden to him he was told " the day you eat of it you shall surely die". He ate, his body did not die that day, his souls (mind, intellect, emotions, etc.) did not die that day; that was the day he suffered spiritual death (separation from God).

I am not arguing, you may very well be a 100% right, but I am not so sure about that.
I think it is very possible Adam and Eve where in paradise while in the garden. I see no indication that after their creation, there was any indication that their bodies were decaying in a process of aging physically. They were in a perfect place and there was no dying physically; they were to live physically for ever, and possibly spiritually.

Being thrown out of the Eden, was certainly in a sense a spiritual death from what they enjoyed prior to eating the forbidden fruit. But look at Genesis 3:19 : By the sweat of your brow
you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.” God cursed the ground that Adam came from, that he would have to work for his food but eventually would die and return to the dust where he came from. Returning to dust can only mean a physical death.
Here is something else: 1 Corinthians 15: 21-21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. I am not going to separate the two, I think it is very possible that Adam's sin caused the physical and spiritual death of future man. Thank God for jesus who gives us spiritual life!

Travis · Jan 28, 2015

Boanerges said:
God of course had a plan all along and Ezekiel prophesied of the day when man's spiritual life would be resorted:

Eze_11:19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:
Eze_36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

Amen,

Romans 1
9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you.

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