[7thson]

First off, you hijacked this thread, talking about AC. Second off, you did not get my point. Or more exactly, you made my point. What is being born again? Does a person, raised as a child with belief and faith in Christ, and carries this belief into his adult life, need to be 'born again?' No, since that person always believed in Jesus. Yet, here you go daring to lecture me and point out scripture. I have read the Bible - multiple times - and yet I dare not presume to know the thoughts of Jesus and God. You seem to thus making my point concerning 'born again Christians.' And that point is you people come off as holier than thou, sanctimonous jerks who believe no one can ever match the religious fervor you possess. You feel everyone needs saving - and most do. Yet you fail to remember what Jesus said concerning spreading the good news.

If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. I tell you the truth, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town. Matthew 10:13-15

It does not mean you continually beat people over the head with Jesus. You plant the seed and if it is not accepted, you move on. God will than handle it from there. You - and others like you - tend to believe that God is too busy or maybe He appointed you to handle it for Him. News Flash - He has not!

[seanmerc]

How would you reconcile that with Mark 16:15, which says, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature"?

As for hijacking an AC thread, if you read her book you will discover that her faith is central to her life. I think the discussion is perfectly relevant.

I am not lecturing you, nor do I harbor a holier-than-thou attitude. If you read my earlier posts, you will see that I readily admit that I have sinned and fall short of God's mark--on my own. However, like every other born-again Christian, I am now robed in the righteousness of Christ. When the Father looks at those who have been born again, He doesn't see our sins. He sees the righteousness of His Son.

My salvation has nothing to do with the "religious fervor" that I possess. Just between us, I hate religion. I think Jesus did, too. I think that religion pushes people away from God. It's all about relationship with Him. That's what being born again gives us. It's literally a life or death issue. The command in Mark 16:15 and the urgency of our need are what drives me. It's not anything I would classify as religious fervor.

If you have read the Bible several times and don't know the thoughts of Jesus and God, then you might want to ask yourself why that is. James 1:5 says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him."

When you say that I feel that "everyone needs saving - and most do," you're partly correct. Everyone DOES need saving, not "most." See Romans 3:23--"all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

I'll say it again--if you have a problem with what God's word says, your problem is with Him, not me.