The term " Born Again Christian " is unbiblical

[robin hood]

Why do we argue amongst ourselves when the scriptures clearly guide us as to what we call ourselves.

 

 1 Corinthians 1:10   Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

  1 Corinthians 1:11   For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

  1 Corinthians 1:12   Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.

  1 Corinthians 1:13   Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?

 

 1 Corinthians 1:30   But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

 Acts 11:26   And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

They were called Christians, not born again Christians.  For us to say we are "born again Christians" is simply advertising our church (pentecostal), and doing exactly what Paul instructed not to do, causing divisions.

 

Pentecostal is a term used within Christianity to denote those Christians who place a primary emphasis on the "gifts of the Holy Spirit". According to Pentecostals, "gifts" such as faith healing, prophecy, and speaking in tongues occupy a primary place in the life of the church. Pentecostal - RationalWiki

 

A Christian is a follower of Christ.  If a fellow Christian is not following the guidelines set out for us, then we must reprove him with what the Word of the Lord says, and not what our church tells us to say.  Nothing should be added, but everything spoken from sound doctrine, and not contrary to it.

Thanks , Sister , for indicating how the term "Born Again Christian" is divisive......divisive in a wrong sort of way .

[Omegaman 3.0]

As I recall, I never heard the term Born Again Christian before Jimmy Carter used it. Still, that does not mean it is not a fair description. To make a petty observation that the term is not in the Bible, is similar to saying the term "saved Christian", is also not in the Bible, so what?

[Deborah_]

The unbiblical term "Born Again Christian" in the way it is used leads to a truncated , incomplete and thus erroneous theology . There are millions who have recited a formula .....and WOW !.....they straightaway become "Born Again Christians" .....it aint so simple .

It's a bit like what people do to become a Muslim .....simply saying " Ash hadu alla ilaha illa Allah, wa ash hadu anna Mohammadan abduhu wa rasuluhu."......and hocus pocus .....they are suddenly Muslims .

It's been said on this thread , and I quote , " The point of the term 'born again Christian' was to make a distinction between genuine Christians and nominal Christians." ......now that is playing God......a thing to be avoided at all costs .

This is a separate problem: the idea that you can equate 'being born again' (or any other way of describing how to become a Christian) to reciting a formulaic prayer.

There must be millions of 'born-again' Christians (like myself) who never entered the Kingdom by that route. And probably thousands who 'went through the motions' without any real understanding or commitment.

"..now that is playing God......a thing to be avoided at all costs ."

No more so than distinguishing between Christians and non-Christians. There was a particular set of social circumstances when it was necessary. Now that the circumstances have changed, the term is dying out.

[thereselittleflower]

Robin hood  what do you become when you are born again?   

Do you become a christian?

When I was born again by water and the Spirit I became a son by adoption of the Father , was incorporated in the the Body of Christ , his Church , and became a temple of the Holy Spirit.......and lots of other glorious things .

 

Do you not call yourself a christian?

Yes.....amongst other things . As St Paul wrote , " I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. "  But I don't go around saying that I am a crucified Christian .

 

So I want to make sure I am not misunderstanding you

You call yourself a christian?     If you could just say yes or no that would make it very clear for me.  

 

 

A few posts back , about a couple of hours ago , I answered "Yes" to your question .

That doesn't mean that I am going to go around saying I am a "Born Again Christian" .

St Paul wrote : " But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit."

So I have been baptized , but I am not going to go around referring to myself as " A Baptized Christian" .

If you look through the thread you will see some of the reasons given for the use of the term "Born Again Christian" . I will leave you to make your own judgement on the reasons given why some Christians have latched on to this phrase from a few verses in John's Gospel to describe their Christian identity . 

 

 

I'm just confused -  why the redundancy in the expression   born again christian is of such great concern for you?

 

The unbiblical term "Born Again Christian" in the way it is used leads to a truncated , incomplete and thus erroneous theology . There are millions who have recited a formula .....and WOW !.....they straightaway become "Born Again Christians" .....it aint so simple .

It's a bit like what people do to become a Muslim .....simply saying " Ash hadu alla ilaha illa Allah, wa ash hadu anna Mohammadan abduhu wa rasuluhu."......and hocus pocus .....they are suddenly Muslims .

It's been said on this thread , and I quote , " The point of the term 'born again Christian' was to make a distinction between genuine Christians and nominal Christians." ......now that is playing God......a thing to be avoided at all costs .

 

 

So you are against the way the term is being  used by some.

And I agree with you on that.

And since no one can even see another's heart, no one can judge another's heart.

There will be many in that day who will have done great things for God, and certainly would not have been termed nominal christians, to whom Jesus will say,   "Depart from me, I never knew you."

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 26, 2015 by thereselittleflower

[robin hood]

Robin hood  what do you become when you are born again?   

Do you become a christian?

When I was born again by water and the Spirit I became a son by adoption of the Father , was incorporated in the the Body of Christ , his Church , and became a temple of the Holy Spirit.......and lots of other glorious things .

 

Do you not call yourself a christian?

Yes.....amongst other things . As St Paul wrote , " I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. "  But I don't go around saying that I am a crucified Christian .

 

So I want to make sure I am not misunderstanding you

You call yourself a christian?     If you could just say yes or no that would make it very clear for me.  

 

 

A few posts back , about a couple of hours ago , I answered "Yes" to your question .

That doesn't mean that I am going to go around saying I am a "Born Again Christian" .

St Paul wrote : " But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit."

So I have been baptized , but I am not going to go around referring to myself as " A Baptized Christian" .

If you look through the thread you will see some of the reasons given for the use of the term "Born Again Christian" . I will leave you to make your own judgement on the reasons given why some Christians have latched on to this phrase from a few verses in John's Gospel to describe their Christian identity . 

 

 

I'm just confused -  why the redundancy in the expression   born again christian is of such great concern for you?

 

The unbiblical term "Born Again Christian" in the way it is used leads to a truncated , incomplete and thus erroneous theology . There are millions who have recited a formula .....and WOW !.....they straightaway become "Born Again Christians" .....it aint so simple .

It's a bit like what people do to become a Muslim .....simply saying " Ash hadu alla ilaha illa Allah, wa ash hadu anna Mohammadan abduhu wa rasuluhu."......and hocus pocus .....they are suddenly Muslims .

It's been said on this thread , and I quote , " The point of the term 'born again Christian' was to make a distinction between genuine Christians and nominal Christians." ......now that is playing God......a thing to be avoided at all costs .

 

 

So you are against the way the term is being  used by some.

And I agree with you on that.

And since no one can even see another's heart, no one can judge another's heart.

There will be many in that day who will have done great things for God, and certainly would not have been termed nominal christians, to whom Jesus will say,   "Depart from me, I never knew you."

 

 

 

 

 

You can see what I am trying to say .

You are spot on in what you say .

The term "Born Again Christian" was invented in the 1960s , and as some have said on this thread , it was invented with the purpose of judging other peoples' hearts .....by defining one's identity as a Christian by the words "Born Again" .....and all other Christians were not in reality Christians .

But perhaps more importantly , some have taken those words "Born Again" and created their whole theology around those two words . They are creating doctrine which is an abridged version of the Gospel . I don't want a downsized , curtailed version . I want the truth in all its fulness .

So , even though I have been born again by water and the Spirit , that does not define the fulness of my Christian identity . There is loads more to define who I am as a Christian .....loads more than is encompassed in those two words "born again" , and I would be doing no service to the fulness of truth if I were to restrict myself to a deficient definition of my Christian identity .

I am pleased , as I read through this thread , that an increasing number are becoming aware of just how divisive and insubstantial is the whole concept of the "Born Again Christian" idiom .

[Allan McDougall]

Indeed we must be born again of the spirit but the flesh will never be born again after death. At the resurrection we shall receive new spiritual bodies like Jesus Christ has in Heaven.

[robin hood]

Robin hood  what do you become when you are born again?   

Do you become a christian?

When I was born again by water and the Spirit I became a son by adoption of the Father , was incorporated in the the Body of Christ , his Church , and became a temple of the Holy Spirit.......and lots of other glorious things .

 

Do you not call yourself a christian?

Yes.....amongst other things . As St Paul wrote , " I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. "  But I don't go around saying that I am a crucified Christian .

 

So I want to make sure I am not misunderstanding you

You call yourself a christian?     If you could just say yes or no that would make it very clear for me.  

 

 

A few posts back , about a couple of hours ago , I answered "Yes" to your question .

That doesn't mean that I am going to go around saying I am a "Born Again Christian" .

St Paul wrote : " But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit."

So I have been baptized , but I am not going to go around referring to myself as " A Baptized Christian" .

If you look through the thread you will see some of the reasons given for the use of the term "Born Again Christian" . I will leave you to make your own judgement on the reasons given why some Christians have latched on to this phrase from a few verses in John's Gospel to describe their Christian identity . 

 

 

I'm just confused -  why the redundancy in the expression   born again christian is of such great concern for you?

 

The unbiblical term "Born Again Christian" in the way it is used leads to a truncated , incomplete and thus erroneous theology . There are millions who have recited a formula .....and WOW !.....they straightaway become "Born Again Christians" .....it aint so simple .

It's a bit like what people do to become a Muslim .....simply saying " Ash hadu alla ilaha illa Allah, wa ash hadu anna Mohammadan abduhu wa rasuluhu."......and hocus pocus .....they are suddenly Muslims .

It's been said on this thread , and I quote , " The point of the term 'born again Christian' was to make a distinction between genuine Christians and nominal Christians." ......now that is playing God......a thing to be avoided at all costs .

 

 

So you are against the way the term is being  used by some.

And I agree with you on that.

And since no one can even see another's heart, no one can judge another's heart.

There will be many in that day who will have done great things for God, and certainly would not have been termed nominal christians, to whom Jesus will say,   "Depart from me, I never knew you."

 

 

 

 

 

You can see what I am trying to say .

You are spot on in what you say .

The term "Born Again Christian" was invented in the 1960s , and as some have said on this thread , it was invented with the purpose of judging other peoples' hearts .....by defining one's identity as a Christian by the words "Born Again" .....and all other Christians were not in reality Christians .

But perhaps more importantly , some have taken those words "Born Again" and created their whole theology around those two words . They are creating doctrine which is an abridged version of the Gospel . I don't want a downsized , curtailed version . I want the truth in all its fulness .

So , even though I have been born again by water and the Spirit , that does not define the fulness of my Christian identity . There is loads more to define who I am as a Christian .....loads more than is encompassed in those two words "born again" , and I would be doing no service to the fulness of truth if I were to restrict myself to a deficient definition of my Christian identity .

I am pleased , as I read through this thread , that an increasing number are becoming aware of just how divisive and insubstantial is the whole concept of the "Born Again Christian" idiom .

Always very revealing to note ----who is in agreement and "who is identifying with whom".  

 

It's quite easy really......just follow the thread......read what people actually say......then we arrive at revelation .

[Steve_S]

You are spot on in what you say. The term "Born Again Christian" was invented in the 1960s , and as some have said on this thread , it was invented with the purpose of judging other peoples' hearts .....by defining one's identity as a Christian by the words "Born Again" .....and all other Christians were not in reality Christians .

But perhaps more importantly , some have taken those words "Born Again" and created their whole theology around those two words . They are creating doctrine which is an abridged version of the Gospel . I don't want a downsized , curtailed version . I want the truth in all its fulness .

So , even though I have been born again by water and the Spirit , that does not define the fulness of my Christian identity . There is loads more to define who I am as a Christian .....loads more than is encompassed in those two words "born again" , and I would be doing no service to the fulness of truth if I were to restrict myself to a deficient definition of my Christian identity .

I am pleased , as I read through this thread , that an increasing number are becoming aware of just how divisive and insubstantial is the whole concept of the "Born Again Christian" idiom .

Don't you think it's just as dangerous to assume that every single person who uses the term "born again Christian" falls into this category? You say that "born again Christian" was invented 50 years ago with the purpose of "judging other peoples' hearts." The people who are going to do that are going to do that and the people who aren't going to do that aren't going to do that. Attacking a phrase such as "born again Christian" is just attacking a phrase, not assigning blame to those who do what you actually have a problem with. You're blaming the phrase? This thread is going nowhere. 

[robin hood]

You are spot on in what you say. The term "Born Again Christian" was invented in the 1960s , and as some have said on this thread , it was invented with the purpose of judging other peoples' hearts .....by defining one's identity as a Christian by the words "Born Again" .....and all other Christians were not in reality Christians .

But perhaps more importantly , some have taken those words "Born Again" and created their whole theology around those two words . They are creating doctrine which is an abridged version of the Gospel . I don't want a downsized , curtailed version . I want the truth in all its fulness .

So , even though I have been born again by water and the Spirit , that does not define the fulness of my Christian identity . There is loads more to define who I am as a Christian .....loads more than is encompassed in those two words "born again" , and I would be doing no service to the fulness of truth if I were to restrict myself to a deficient definition of my Christian identity .

I am pleased , as I read through this thread , that an increasing number are becoming aware of just how divisive and insubstantial is the whole concept of the "Born Again Christian" idiom .

Don't you think it's just as dangerous to assume that every single person who uses the term "born again Christian" falls into this category? . 

I am certain that many , maybe most , of the Christians who use the term do so without the negative connotations I have referred to .

My main criticisms are directed at those who use it to be divisive and judgemental , and those who use it as a basis for their whole theology , thus neglecting the fulness of Christian truth .

I have enjoyed reading Billy Grahams "How to be Born Again"......a sound , positive book which has an in-depth , comprehensive approach to the issue ......well worth a read .

[Sister]

Thanks , Sister , for indicating how the term "Born Again Christian" is divisive......divisive in a wrong sort of way .

Robin hood

It takes courage to stand up and speak about something that goes against the flow.  I don't like divisions, but at the same time I don't get offended.  We can have our say and people will accept or reject, but when the argument turns into a 10 page debate, you can tell it's going no-where and only causes more divisions.  The devil just has a field day, ...he loves this sort of stuff, especially when the insults come in and brotherly love goes out the door.

We are all under mercy and no matter how much we commend ourselves, the real judge sits at the door and can see right into our hearts whether we be walking in truth or not.