What Does "Born Again" Mean?

The Christian Post ^ | September 19, 2013 | James R. Aist

[James R. Aist]

Many in the Christian church today have, at best, a rudimentary understanding of what Jesus was talking about when he said "You must be born again." False teachers are often quick to invent their own concept of "born again" apart from sound biblical information, so be careful to compare what they teach to the Word of God. A good grasp of the biblical teaching on this subject is important to the understanding of how God saves people and transforms their lives – the very essence of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

[Elsie]

We are to tell others. ... “GO and tell Thy brethren”

Some folks are very outgoing and will slap a stranger on the back and ask....

"Are you Born Again?"

[Elsie]

Golly!

I thought Easter was 3 days AFTER Passover.

[WVKayaker]

John 3:3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.- NIV

John 3:3 απεκριθη ο ιησους και ειπεν αυτω αμην αμην λεγω σοι εαν μη τις γεννηθη ανωθεν ου δυναται ιδειν την βασιλειαν του θεου -1550 Stephanus New Testament

*****

Whomever translated the words born again was either ignorant or a deceiver.

I guess I missed a few things in Theology 101–302 and Greek 101–203 classes when I attended Bible college. Maybe I've just forgotten such things since I first went there in 1976 and now I'm older and getting stupid. But I can't help thinking that you have a strange understanding that is much different from what I learned. My professors and instructors were all spirit filled men, who imparted a clear understanding when they taught their subjects.

Nicodemus responded to Jesus. Jesus told him “you must be born again”. The word "again” can also be translated “by the Spirit”, but in the context of what is presented, it is commonly used to say “born again”. Not only does the NIV translate it that way, but the KJV, the 1599 Geneva Bible and the others on my shelf find that same translation, I do see in the complete Jewish Bible that they say it more fully as “born again from above”.

I think it's important to note everything in context. It was Nicodemus next words that clarify what Jesus was really saying. Nicodemus asked “"How can an old man go back into his mother's womb a second time,…”. That makes it pretty clear to me and my simple understanding. Jesus had indeed used terminology saying “born again”. Jesus was explaining the concept of being born from above by his Spirit, and yes, Though we could not receive the Holy Spirit until after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, the Holy Spirit is eternal. The Holy Spirit is God's motive force.

So, ignorance and deception seem to be coming from a different source than everything that I have learned. Your posts seemed to be more along those lines. I cannot understand what you are trying to say with your descriptions of what you're thinking. It just doesn't translate…

[Elsie]

Because only Protestants condemn others to Hell, as if that was their job, responsibility and a Christian thing to do!

Damn PROTESTants!

Where'd they learn such a thing???

[Elsie]

However, if one dies before reaching the point of accountability - for example, a young child who dies before reaching accountability, or a person who never reaches accountability due to mental deficiency - then that individually is saved automatically.

And all along I've been against abortion!

In reality, those 'doctors' are sending souls to Heaven!!!

[Elsie]

Some folks are very outgoing and will ask a stranger,

“Do you understand what you’re reading?”

Acts 8:30

[Revolting cat!]

Damn PROTESTants!

You (and they) can call them[selves] something else, we'll understand.

[onthelookout777]

You wrote:
“Back to my example of the Great Commission. If Jesus commands us to baptize,...”

My reply:
Actually I was the one who pointed out that water baptism is part of the Great Commission. (See my post #21.) Obviously the ritual of water baptism should be carried out. As you know, there are many commands in Scripture about things that the Christian should and should not do. That doesn’t mean that all of those things are the way to receive the free gift of eternal salvation.

You wrote:
“... and we clearly see salvation is acheived in various commands to repent or believe or confess or BAPTIZE or whatever -...”

My reply:
No. The way to receive eternal salvation isn’t just “whatever.” Repent - the Greek word metanoeo - means to change your mind, to turn. The unbeliever must change his mind from unbelief to belief in Christ as his only Savior.

The Bible is clear that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God who died on the cross as our substitute.

He paid the penalty for our sins.

He took the punishment that we deserve.

God’s provision of eternal salvation is a free gift (Ephesians 2:8,9).

God, through Jesus Christ, did everything.

All you do is accept that free gift.

Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.

The Bible explains how to be saved (how to receive the free gift of eternal salvation).

Below are just a few of the many verses that explain how we, undeserving sinners, can be reconciled to a just and holy God and receive the free gift of eternal salvation:

Acts 16:31
BELIEVE in the Lord Jesus
[Note: It doesn’t say “believe in the Lord Jesus AND receive water baptism”]
and you will be saved

Acts 10:43
Every one who BELIEVES in him
[Note: It doesn’t say “who believes in him AND receives water baptism”]
receives forgiveness of sins through his name.

Ephesians 1:13
In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation — having also BELIEVED
[Note: It doesn’t say “believed AND received water baptism”],
you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise.

Ephesians 2:8
For by grace you have been saved through FAITH
[Note: It doesn’t say “through faith AND water baptism”];
and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.

Romans 5:1
Therefore being justified by FAITH
[Note: It doesn’t say “by faith AND water baptism”],
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ

Romans 5:2
Through him we have also obtained access by FAITH
[Note: It doesn’t say “by faith AND water baptism”]
into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Romans 4:5
But to him who does not work, but BELIEVES on him who justifies the ungodly
[Note: It doesn’t say “believes AND receives water baptism”],
his FAITH
[Note: It doesn’t say “his faith AND water baptism”]
is counted for righteousness.

You wrote:
“... then I ask HOW DARE YOU delete the word of God to suit your beliefs?”

My reply:
As I’ve already said, I believe that water baptism is commanded in the Great Commission and should be practiced.

But time and time again Scripture tells us that the way of salvation is to BELIEVE in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved (Acts 16:31).

So, according to your view, it’s the writers of inerrant, infallible Scripture who “dare” to omit the water baptism that you think should be included as necessary for eternal salvation.

(P.S. Thanks for explaining about your name.)

[smvoice]

"There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling. One Lord, one faith, ONE BAPTISM, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all."(Eph. 4:4-6).

"I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius...and I baptized also the household of Stephanas besides I know not whither I baptized any other. For Christ sent me NOT TO BAPTIZE, but to PREACH THE GOSPEL..."(1 Cor. 1:14,16,17).

Would either of you like to explain which baptism Paul was referring to? And why it is so vitally important to understand in this dispensation of grace? Thank you.

[Responsibility2nd]

Great passages. Thanks for posting. 

1st. ONE BAPTISM. What a shame it is to see the many different factions, faiths, denominations and even baptisms in the church today. What Paul meant here was not only immersion and not sprinkling or pouring, but also a baptism for the forgiveness of sins which is necessary unto salvation. John the Baptist preached a baptism of repentence. But now baptism saves us. (1 Peter 3:21)

2. Paul does not want to take credit for saving/baptizing anyone. Even though Paul was instrumental in bringing these souls to Christ through their hearing, repenting and being baptized, he knows all the glory belongs to Christ.  These passage are yet more examples of salvation being acheived through baptism. Thanks for sharing them.

[MHGinTN]

I am reminded of Nicodemus when I read your comment. When Nic came to Jesus by night, asking about His mission and what is salvation, Jesus told Nic that he must be born again to see (be partaker) in the Kingdom of God. Nic's natural response sounded something like your protest: 'How can a man enter again into his Mother's womb and be born again?'

The reply Jesus gave has been interpreted in a very vague way, to support the notion of water baptism. But what Jesus did do was go to where Nic's brain was focused and bring him along to a greater meaning. If you would like to read the exchange it can be found in John Chapter three, before the much quoted John 3:16. I believe the water Jesus refers to in John 3 is the placental water from which we are born into the air world ... but there is no mistaking when Jesus says you must be born of the Spirit, too. And He made it as simple as saying 'Thank you, Lord, and accepting the Grace of God in Christ as His gift to you if you will believe on Him..'

[Just mythoughts]

Golly! I thought Easter was 3 days AFTER Passover.

Easter was never placed on God's calendar. Christ became our Passover, not our quick like a bunny egg hunt performance art of the pagans.

[Revolting cat!]

OK, thank you much.

[1010RD]

OK, I’ll only use Scripture, but you too, OK?

Why did John baptize Jesus? Why would Jesus seek out John to be baptized? I mean why not just have anybody do it?

Furthermore, by what right did John call people to repentance and how could they repent prior to Christ’s death and resurrection?

Why would John baptize? Are you familiar with the water rituals of the Hebrews? If not, take a look. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tvilah#Full-body_immersion

Why is John in the wilderness? Why do the people come to him and confess their sins? Why do they submit to baptism? Why does John call the Pharisees and Sadducees a “brood of vipers”?

That will be days of fruitful study for you in the Bible. Try here: http://biblehub.com/ or your preferred site. Do take a look at the Greek, the word choices, origins and actual meanings.

Enjoy.

[1010RD]

a deviant perception of what is commonly known

That's really funny, in an ironic way.

[onthelookout777]

Does 1 Peter 3:21 really teach baptismal regeneration, salvation by works?

It’s important to look at verses in context.

Here’s more good commentary from Dr. Robert Dean of http://www.deanbible.org

Hebrews series - Lesson 59 - transcript excerpt:

1 Peter 3:20 (NKJV)
“who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.”

The “who” here refers to the spirits in prison. These are the fallen angels who committed the sin with the daughters of men in Genesis 6. That is the previous verse. The context talks about how Jesus went down to preach to the spirits in prison.

Then it tells us when this occurred.

They went through the water. They were not in the water. The ones who got wet died. The ones who stayed dry are the ones who go through the baptism. That is why it is a dry baptism.

1 Peter 3:21(NKJV)
“There is also an antitype which now saves us — baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,”

This is the Greek word apothesis which means to remove. It’s used to remove clothing that is dirty. It is a physical term. It is not a spiritual term. It is not the washing away of dirt through water baptism. But it is an appeal to God for a good conscience. The word there for appeal is the Greek word epirotema which is the word for a pledge. It is the pledge that baptism is a pledge of a good conscience toward God which comes because we have been cleansed spiritually by God the Holy Spirit at the instant of our faith alone in Christ alone. There is a washing, a cleansing. It is a positional cleansing.

Now we have to remember that there are two types of cleansing in the Christian life. There is positional cleansing that takes place at the instant of salvation which cleanses us from all sin. Then there is experiential cleansing that takes place as we confess our sins as we go through the Christian life. Even if you die with unconfessed sin you still go to heaven because you are positionally cleansed in Christ.

I remember when I was a kid that was a question everybody got concerned with. What if you die with unconfessed sin? What happens? Do you go to hell? Do you have to go to hell for a while? Do you go to purgatory? No. You are positionally cleansed of all sins at the cross but experientially cleansed through I John 1:9. So this baptism is a focus on positional truth.

Now one other thing I want to note here. Why does he say through the resurrection of Jesus Christ and not the crucifixion of Jesus Christ? That is because the resurrection is the conclusion of this whole process. This is a typical figure of speech where you are talking about the entire work of Christ on the cross from start to finish. The payment of sins was between 12 noon and 3 p.m. but the whole process of His work isn’t over with until the resurrection occurs. The reason he refers to the resurrection here and not the crucifixion is that he is talking about the entire process of the crucifixion – the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. That is what is included in the process. So he looks at the final element in the work of Christ in saving us.

[1010RD]

My professors and instructors were all spirit filled men, who imparted a clear understanding when they taught their subjects.

How many lost souls said exactly that?

[WVKayaker]

My professors and instructors were all spirit filled men, who imparted a clear understanding when they taught their subjects.- WVK

How many lost souls said exactly that?-101

I've heard some stupid questions before, but that one ranks near the top. I was in a Bible school full of saved Christians, filled with the Holy Spirit. So I cannot answer for people outside that equation.

But, the subject of this thread is about being born again. And, it naturally would not apply to lost souls, nor to the average Roman Catholic depending on Rome is the author and arbiter of their salvation. The thread has been filled with posts trying to hijack or relocate the theme, but I will continue to answer regardless of how stupid the question.

Sorry, you are also not a winner! But, feel free to try again later. We all like entertainment!!!

[jodyel]

Why do you wish to make it more difficult than it is? I have never understood the need for all this ritual and picking apart of the Word. Except to make one feel superior to others with their intellect and knowledge.

Repent ye, and believe the gospel. Mark 1:15

All that is required is this, but not all who say they believe have truly believed. Water baptism is a ritual that lets other believers know that one has repented, believed, and been indwelt with the Holy Spirit. It is an outward sign of salvation to others in the faith. I have not personally been baptized with water, but I have been baptized by the Spirit.

I have no need of Greek or anything else you’ve cobbled together here. What Jesus said about being born again is all that is necessary for salvation and is not taught in the RCC.

[jodyel]

Thoughts,

What are you going on about?

The Spirit of God, also called the Holy Spirit, indwells a believer at the moment of repentance and belief.

What part of that do you not get?

jodyel