Fiosh Posted September 13, 2005 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 73 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 3,663 Content Per Day: 0.52 Reputation: 5 Days Won: 0 Joined: 03/20/2005 Status: Offline Share Posted September 13, 2005 In another thread, the subject of being "born again" was raised. It was evident that people have various thoughts on what constitutes being born again. I wonder if anyone could provide a clear explanation of: What does it mean to be born again? What must one do to be born again? How does one know if one is born again? What changes (visible or interior), if any, occur when one is born again? I'd appreciate any input. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerioke Posted September 13, 2005 Group: Royal Member Followers: 3 Topic Count: 97 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 5,850 Content Per Day: 0.84 Reputation: 128 Days Won: 0 Joined: 03/19/2005 Status: Offline Birthday: 08/11/1911 Share Posted September 13, 2005 I always thought that being born again meant repenting of your sins and allowing the Holy Spirit to produce in you a clean heart and starting from scratch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trust & Obey Posted September 13, 2005 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 16 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 1,091 Content Per Day: 0.16 Reputation: 14 Days Won: 0 Joined: 05/23/2005 Status: Offline Share Posted September 13, 2005 Man is born into this world spiritually dead. This is due to sin that entered through Adam. Rom 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: Thus, the need for the spirit to be quickened (or, made alive). Jesus said that we must be born again. Joh 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. God makes our spirits alive when we come to Him in faith through Jesus Christ. Eph 2:1 And He has made you alive, who were once dead in trespasses and sins, Eph 2:2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience; Eph 2:3 among whom we also had our way of life in times past, in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the thoughts, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. Eph 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love with which He loved us Eph 2:5 (even when we were dead in sins) has made us alive together with Christ (by grace you are saved), Eph 2:6 and has raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus, Eph 2:7 so that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. Eph 2:8 For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, Eph 2:9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. Eph 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them. Coming to God through Jesus Christ means that you must surrender yourself to the Lordship of Christ. Luk 6:46 And why do you call Me Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say? Joh 14:21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me. And he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will reveal Myself to him. Joh 14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, If a man loves Me, he will keep My Word. And My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. Joh 14:24 He who does not love Me does not keep My Words, and the Word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me. Mat 10:37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. Mat 10:38 And he who does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me. Mat 10:39 He who finds his life shall lose it. And he who loses his life for My sake shall find it. Following Christ means you have come to the end of your own life: Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. So, it is by recognizing your sinfulness, confessing it to God, repenting of it, and submitting yourself to God that one is born-again. It is a spiritual event that happens in a moment. There must come a time when your heart is receptive to the conviction of the Holy Spirit upon one's life and thus you become willing and obedient to do what God tells you to do. Mat 8:19 And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. Mat 8:20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. Mat 8:21 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Mat 8:22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead. I would recommend the book The Gospel According to Jesus for a wonderful examination of what it means to follow Jesus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiosh Posted September 13, 2005 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 73 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 3,663 Content Per Day: 0.52 Reputation: 5 Days Won: 0 Joined: 03/20/2005 Status: Offline Author Share Posted September 13, 2005 I always thought that being born again meant repenting of your sins and allowing the Holy Spirit to produce in you a clean heart and starting from scratch. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Thanks, Gerioke. If it wouldn't be getting too personal, could you (or anyone) share a bit more detail about exactly how you do that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerioke Posted September 13, 2005 Group: Royal Member Followers: 3 Topic Count: 97 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 5,850 Content Per Day: 0.84 Reputation: 128 Days Won: 0 Joined: 03/19/2005 Status: Offline Birthday: 08/11/1911 Share Posted September 13, 2005 Well, I wish I could practice what I preach but here goes. Once you have repented of your sins, Jesus has forgiven you, right. Then you have to forgive yourself and put all those sins behind you. Once you do this , the shame that you experience from all those sins will disappear. Jesus doesn't want us to live in shame. With all that sin and shame nothing more than a distant memory, you are allowed to start over again. You become a babe in christ. This is the way I see it. I could be wrong. I've been wrong about many other things in life and on these boards. Come to think of it, my life is so screwy right now, I shouldn't be giving any advise at all. I think I will go to bed now. G'night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yomotalking Posted September 13, 2005 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 154 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 2,838 Content Per Day: 0.40 Reputation: 19 Days Won: 0 Joined: 10/18/2004 Status: Offline Birthday: 05/29/1991 Share Posted September 13, 2005 I always thought that being born again meant repenting of your sins and allowing the Holy Spirit to produce in you a clean heart and starting from scratch. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Amen. That is it. That is the simple Plan Of Salvation. What else is there>? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serotta Posted September 13, 2005 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 5 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 496 Content Per Day: 0.07 Reputation: 7 Days Won: 0 Joined: 02/18/2004 Status: Offline Birthday: 01/20/1959 Share Posted September 13, 2005 T&O said: God makes our spirits alive when we come to Him in faith through Jesus Christ. I would word it a little differently, in that it is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit which makes us born again. Acts 22:16 is an account of Paul being born again, and Titus 3:5-7 explains what being born again is: "He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy SPirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our savior." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trust & Obey Posted September 13, 2005 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 16 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 1,091 Content Per Day: 0.16 Reputation: 14 Days Won: 0 Joined: 05/23/2005 Status: Offline Share Posted September 13, 2005 I always thought that being born again meant repenting of your sins and allowing the Holy Spirit to produce in you a clean heart and starting from scratch. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Amen. That is it. That is the simple Plan Of Salvation. What else is there>? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> What else is there? Heb 6:1 Therefore, having left the discourse of the beginning of Christ, let us go on to full growth, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Heb 6:2 of the baptisms, of doctrine, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. We must go on into maturity in Christ. Being born-again is the beginning of life in Christ, not the end of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest shiloh357 Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 I always thought that being born again meant repenting of your sins and allowing the Holy Spirit to produce in you a clean heart and starting from scratch. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Amen. That is it. That is the simple Plan Of Salvation. What else is there>? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Praise the Lord, there is soooo much more!! Being gorn again is not behavoral modification or reformation. It is be be born of the Spirit of God. In the book of John, it uses terms like born again, born from above, born of the Spirit, etc. at least 15 times! 2Cor. 5:21 tells that we are new creations. Literally from the Greek, " a new species of being that has not existed before." When we are born again, the old things pass away and all things are made new. We have a new family, a new Kingdom, new desires and a new heart. We were dead in sin, but are made alive in Christ. We were once in darkness but now, according to Ephesians, are "light in the Lord." We are members of a new race, in that we are taken out of Adam and placed into Christ. We are no longer members of Adam's race, but are now the children of our heavenly Father. Being born again is just the first step in the final, and full redemption of mankind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kabowd Posted September 13, 2005 Group: Royal Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 112 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 3,489 Content Per Day: 0.48 Reputation: 13 Days Won: 0 Joined: 07/28/2004 Status: Offline Share Posted September 13, 2005 It means your spiritual identity has been changed. Once a slave to darkness, now a child of the risen King. When you are born again, you show "evidence" of this by maturing and growing in the Lord (also known as fruits of the Spirit). Just like an earthly infant grows and takes on attributes of it's earthly father, as a spiritual newborn you grow and take on attributes of your Heavenly Father. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts