Once. It's the beginning of the process. The process is different for every soul. Every one of us is given the same Seed, but we are different soil.
The word that jo kus used and you said was brilliant was “recreated” and now you are changing it to restored. Why?
His billiant answer was not in the word "recreated" but in the concept of being coached by a higher power we didn't have at birth.
The use of "recreated" is a western concept; the idea of restoriation is more in line with Orthodox doctrine what Christ came for: He did not come to save us from God, but to restore us to our original state, purpose, and likeness to God.
“How many times can one be baptized?”
“Once. It’s the beginning of the process. The process is different for every soul. Every one of us is given the same Seed, but we are different soil.”
But if you can lose the “seed” by sinning don’t you have to start the process over again?
“The use of “recreated” is a western concept; the idea of restoriation is more in line with Orthodox doctrine what Christ came for:”
No, what Christ said was “Ye must be born again” not restored. Paul says “If any man is in Christ he is a new creation, old things have passed away, all things are become new”, not restored.
Yes, I saw blue-duncan's question and I saw that Kosta answered correctly. The West believes that original sin is a state that man is born in. This state is a state without God, without grace. Man is only natural at birth. The East does not separate man into "natural" and "supernatural" charecteristics, but consider man one composite. Thus, in the East (from what I have read), that "divine spark" is there, but because of Adam, we don't have "access" to it. In the West, we don't receive it grace until Baptism - or, when the Spirit blows where He wills (God is not bound by the sacraments).
Thus, the West use "recreate" while the East use "restore". Kosta, does this touch on the Eastern view of man?
Regards