RJ
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- Jun 1, 2009
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As a Christian, you should have two birth dates, your physical birth date and your spiritual birth date. We refer to the first as our birthday; I like to call the second your "Born On Date". Do you know your born on date?
5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit[b] gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You[c] must be born again.’ 8 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: 5-8
"You should not be surprised at my saying, you must be born again"
John 3:7
Since my own Spiritual Birth, God has given me encounters with other Christians who are not secure in their belief or understanding of being "Born Again".
Before I go any further, let me say that in the following discussion, I am in no way judging anyone. I trust that mine is an observation or a discernment from the Holy Spirit. Only God knows what is in the heart of a person.
At my church, I have had opportunities in the past several years of getting to know my brothers and sisters better. To my shock and concern, I see many who haven't a clue about their own Spiritual Birth. I am very blessed to know my actual date. For many of the older Saints I have talked to, I have come to the conclusion that they don't personally remember a born on date, they have just always been.
My opportunities of discernment have come mainly in the form of bible study groups, where the atmosphere is more personal and people tend to open up more. The cause of my aroused attention has been born out of statements like: "I don't feel forgiven", "I am too sinful", "I ask for forgiveness every day", and unbelievably, "I don't know if I am saved". Also, there are those who do not know a specific date, they just "have always been".
I have engaged in conversations with these individuals and all end up about the same as with the following:
I sit down with them, if they are willing and recall the situation and what they said about their own spirituality.
As the discussion moves on, the conversation goes like this as I ask this question:
When did you have your defining monent with Christ? What do you mean ? When was your Spiritual Birth, when were you Born Again? Well , I have been going to this church for 70 years, since I was a little girl, I have always believed in God. Thats not what I asked!
I am convinced that many are saved but just don't have a specific date. That is a shame, I think that knowing your Spiritual Birth Date is a wonderful thing.
So, whether they are actually saved, at this point, or not, is not my responsibility, that belongs to God to determine but, their own understanding and belief in this is so very important.
My own experience is that I know when I had my defining moment with Christ. From that moment, I understood that He had been knocking on my door for a long time but, it was my responsibilty to open that door and invite Him in. I realized after that time in my life, that I had been in my current church for 30 years and was not saved and, then, I personally repented and asked God to come into my heart; everything changed!
I am not saying that it is crucial to know your born on date, that belongs to God. But, if someone is feeling empty in their Christian life or, someone seeking for the first time, I think it is absolute critical that they come to grips with their own spiritual birth and the sooner the better.
If someone is interested; if they have never done it or don't know for sure that they have, then now is the time. I tell them lets: "Let's do it now or, Do it Again For The First Time". From that point, we read Romans 10:8-13 and I led them in a prayer of invitation to Christ.
After this, we read 2 Cor 5:17, that they are a new creature and that the old is gone. From this day forward, when anyone asks, When were you saved or, born again? You tell them that today was your Spiritual Birth date.
Praise be to God
5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit[b] gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You[c] must be born again.’ 8 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: 5-8
"You should not be surprised at my saying, you must be born again"
John 3:7
Since my own Spiritual Birth, God has given me encounters with other Christians who are not secure in their belief or understanding of being "Born Again".
Before I go any further, let me say that in the following discussion, I am in no way judging anyone. I trust that mine is an observation or a discernment from the Holy Spirit. Only God knows what is in the heart of a person.
At my church, I have had opportunities in the past several years of getting to know my brothers and sisters better. To my shock and concern, I see many who haven't a clue about their own Spiritual Birth. I am very blessed to know my actual date. For many of the older Saints I have talked to, I have come to the conclusion that they don't personally remember a born on date, they have just always been.
My opportunities of discernment have come mainly in the form of bible study groups, where the atmosphere is more personal and people tend to open up more. The cause of my aroused attention has been born out of statements like: "I don't feel forgiven", "I am too sinful", "I ask for forgiveness every day", and unbelievably, "I don't know if I am saved". Also, there are those who do not know a specific date, they just "have always been".
I have engaged in conversations with these individuals and all end up about the same as with the following:
I sit down with them, if they are willing and recall the situation and what they said about their own spirituality.
As the discussion moves on, the conversation goes like this as I ask this question:
When did you have your defining monent with Christ? What do you mean ? When was your Spiritual Birth, when were you Born Again? Well , I have been going to this church for 70 years, since I was a little girl, I have always believed in God. Thats not what I asked!
I am convinced that many are saved but just don't have a specific date. That is a shame, I think that knowing your Spiritual Birth Date is a wonderful thing.
So, whether they are actually saved, at this point, or not, is not my responsibility, that belongs to God to determine but, their own understanding and belief in this is so very important.
My own experience is that I know when I had my defining moment with Christ. From that moment, I understood that He had been knocking on my door for a long time but, it was my responsibilty to open that door and invite Him in. I realized after that time in my life, that I had been in my current church for 30 years and was not saved and, then, I personally repented and asked God to come into my heart; everything changed!
I am not saying that it is crucial to know your born on date, that belongs to God. But, if someone is feeling empty in their Christian life or, someone seeking for the first time, I think it is absolute critical that they come to grips with their own spiritual birth and the sooner the better.
If someone is interested; if they have never done it or don't know for sure that they have, then now is the time. I tell them lets: "Let's do it now or, Do it Again For The First Time". From that point, we read Romans 10:8-13 and I led them in a prayer of invitation to Christ.
After this, we read 2 Cor 5:17, that they are a new creature and that the old is gone. From this day forward, when anyone asks, When were you saved or, born again? You tell them that today was your Spiritual Birth date.
Praise be to God
