What does it mean to be born again?

[arunangelo]

To be born again is to be born spiritually in the Spirit (of Christ) (John 3:6).  In other words, to be born again, is to receive the Spirit of Christ in our heart (2 Cor. 5: 17) through baptism. We accept this life by living the life of Christ. Christ’s life is the life of unconditional love, purity, forgiveness and mercy.  Although we were unfaithful to Him and betrayed, abused and killed Him, He did not sue us, abandon us or back out from the covenant of love He made with us. On the contrary, He humbled Himself to take a human form and sacrificed His life in order to compensate for the sins we committed against Him. Therefore, those who accept His life accept holiness, purity and unconditional love into their lives.  Furthermore, they forgive their transgressors unconditionally; and do not back out from their covenant of love in the face of unfaithfulness, betrayal, abuse or hurt.   

[Pilgrim]

To be born again is to be born spiritually in the Spirit (of Christ) (John 3:6).  In other words, to be born again, is to receive the Spirit of Christ in our heart (2 Cor. 5: 17) through baptism. 

Are you saying that one receices the Holy Spirit through water baptism?

Pilgrim

[dp]

Greetings in Christ Jesus,

I sense your intentions are honest when talking about the "born again" idea our Lord mentioned in John 3. But you might want to study a little deeper about water baptism and the receiving of The Holy Spirit. Per New Testament examples, they both did not always happen together (Acts 10:34-48, noting verses 47-48; Acts 11:15-16; Acts 19).

The "born again" Message our Lord Jesus gave is indeed about our spirit becoming a "new creature" to Christ, i.e. our old self "buried with Him by baptism into death". But it also has another deeper meaning which goes along with that involving the reason for man being born through woman's womb (John 3:5-6 is also connected with Hebrews 9:27, and Messages Paul taught about our flesh and spirit makeup in 1 Corinthians 15). So truly, the water our Lord Jesus was talking about there in John 3 is the water of woman's womb. And this verse reveals that's also how Nicodemus understood Him, although Nicodemus did not understand the Spirit operation:

John 3:4
4   Nicodemus saith unto Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?"
(KJV)

Documentation for this is in 1 Corinthians 15 by Paul, but in the Greek, because with the words "corruption", "incorruption", "mortal" and "immortality", Paul is speaking of 4 different conditions. Two of them are about our flesh body of corruption putting on a Heavenly body of incorruption, and the other two are about our mortal soul putting on immortality, all in order to enter into His Kingdom. This means the 'dead', i.e. the spiritually dead who refuse The Savior Jesus Christ, will still have "mortal" souls after Christ's coming, and they can still perish later in the "lake of fire" at the end of His future thousand years reign (Rev.20). In the fullest sense, their soul condition is not "born again" in Christ Jesus. They will still be subject to the "second death" (Rev.20). But those of the "first resurrection" are definitely "born again" in Christ Jesus, their soul putting on "immortality" then, and they will never die. This means Salvation through Christ Jesus has real substance to it, and we are to realize how our Heavenly Father and His Son fully interprets death, which is not just a death of the flesh body, but literally death of the soul (Matthew 10:28; Hebrews 2:14-15). However, without being born through woman's womb, we couldn't be offered Salvation through The Savior, so that aspect is just as important.

Who murdered our Lord Jesus on the cross? Our Lord Jesus was very specific who those were. It was a certain evil element within the Jews:

Matt 23:29-35
29   Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,
30   And say, "If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets."
31   Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.
32   Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.
33   Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
34   Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:
35   That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
(KJV)

Our Lord Jesus does not intend for all peoples to take the blame for His crucifixion. He singled out a group of the "workers of iniquity" who were behind it, as the above Scripture testifies. And if they refuse to repent, they will perish in their sins. Don't allow some man to put that guilt upon you when it does not belong on you. Our Lord Jesus is not angry with His that love and believe on Him. When He returns to rule with the rod of iron mentioned in Revelation, that rod is not for those who stay in Him and love Him. I realize you were speaking in the spiritual sense of all us being as filthy rags to God, all falling short of The Glory of God, but the act of His crucifixion belongs in the hand of murderers working for the devil. If you believe on The Savior then you are not in that condemnation, because we already were born into sin without having the blood guilt of our Lord's crucifixion on our hands. It was Judas who was chosen to fulfill the Scriptures about our Lord's crucifixion, as he acted in concert with those scribes and Pharisees that Jesus singled out:

John 6:70-71
70   Jesus answered them, "Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?"
71   He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray Him, being one of the twelve.
(KJV)

John 17:12
12   While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Thy name: those that Thou gavest Me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
(KJV)

Judas was that "son of perdition" our Lord Jesus was talking about above. That title "son of perdition" is also one Satan's titles per 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4. So Judas was working for the devil in what he did, and thus Jesus said Judas was "a devil" because of that working.

In Christ,
dp

[bluelake]

Are you saying that one receices the Holy Spirit through water baptism?

Pilgrim

Pigrim,
I agree with you. We receive the Holy Spirit at our baptism. It is not the water that saves, but the words that are spoken. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are present when we call on his name. Mt.28:19 Jn.3:34

God bless,
bluelake

[Pilgrim]

Pigrim,
I agree with you. We receive the Holy Spirit at our baptism. It is not the water that saves, but the words that are spoken. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are present when we call on his name. Mt.28:19 Jn.3:34

God bless,
bluelake

Hello Bluelake,

How would you explain Cornelius in Acts 10 if one receives the Holy Spirit at their water baptism? Cornelius and those with him received the Holy Spirit before being baptized by water.

Act 10:44 “While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. 45  And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. 46  For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, 47  Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?”

Some in the Church of Christ say this was an exception and salvation does not work like that today. Yet, when Peter spoke about this event in Acts 15, he stated that we all are save in this manner.

Act 15:7 “And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. 8  And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; 9  And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. 10  Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 11  But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.”

Also, if those who hold to the idea that Cornelius and his household were saved differently than we are today then that means there is more than one gospel. The gospel that we are saved by has always been the same in every age. Hebrew 4 speak about the gospel preached to those under Moses wandering in the wilderness being the same gospel we are save by. Therefore baptism could not have been part of the gospel because those following Moses in the wilderness existed before believers baptism was instituted. Seeing we are saved under the same gospel that was given those wandering the wilderness with Moses then baptism cannot be part of the gospel even today.

Heb 4:1  Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. 2  For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

God bless,
Pilgrim

[Sower]

Pilgrim is correct. Throughout the NT, the New Birth (being born again) is accompanied by gift of the Holy Spirit, and indeed is due to the "washing of regeneration (new birth) and renewing of the Holy Ghost" (Titus 3:5). Water baptism follows the New Birth, but is not responsbile for it.

Many have misunderstood the teaching of Christ which says "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God" (Jn. 3:5). As we study the NT Scriptures, we discover that "water" and "seed" are just two metaphors for the Gospel or the Word of God (Eph. 5:26; Jas. 1:18; 1 Pet. 1:23). So what Christ said in reality that "Except a man be born of the Gospel and the Holy Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God".

How does the Gospel become the seed of salvation? "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God" (Rom. 10:17).

Thus in order to have saving faith one must hear or read the Gospel, and as the Gospel penetrates into our innermost being --  "to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit" (Heb. 4:12,13) -- the Holy Spirit convicts us and convinces us. That is the only way that a sinner can believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved, for "The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation, to every one that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek [Gentile]" (Rom. 1:16).

Believing on the Lord Jesus Christ leads to being regenerated while receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit, since "as many as received Him, to them gave He the power [authority] to become sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (Jn.1:12,13).

As to what it "means" to be born-again, the best description in the Bible is that of becoming "a new creature" or "a new creation in Christ", where old things have passed away, and all things have become new (2 Cor. 5:17).

[bluelake]

Hello Bluelake,

How would you explain Cornelius in Acts 10 if one receives the Holy Spirit at their water baptism? Cornelius and those with him received the Holy Spirit before being baptized by water.

Act 10:44 “While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. 45  And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. 46  For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, 47  Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?”

Some in the Church of Christ say this was an exception and salvation does not work like that today. Yet, when Peter spoke about this event in Acts 15, he stated that we all are save in this manner.

Act 15:7 “And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. 8  And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; 9  And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. 10  Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 11  But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.”

Also, if those who hold to the idea that Cornelius and his household were saved differently than we are today then that means there is more than one gospel. The gospel that we are saved by has always been the same in every age. Hebrew 4 speak about the gospel preached to those under Moses wandering in the wilderness being the same gospel we are save by. Therefore baptism could not have been part of the gospel because those following Moses in the wilderness existed before believers baptism was instituted. Seeing we are saved under the same gospel that was given those wandering the wilderness with Moses then baptism cannot be part of the gospel even today.

Heb 4:1  Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. 2  For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

God bless,
Pilgrim

Hello Pilgim,
Keeping in mind that the Book of Acts is an historical chapter. We are reading about Jews and Gentiles Accepting the mesaage they heard and then they were baptized. In Acts 2. 10 and 19 some spoke in tongues.
Some Christians call this experience of speaking in tongues today, a 'second blessing.'

The Bible tells us, He that confesses Jesus is Lord and was raised from the dead will be saved. Rom.10:9, I like Eph.2:8-9 too.
1Cor.12:3 "No one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit. Verse 11 reads "All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and He gives them to each one as He determines. Verse 12 "For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free, and we are all
given the one Spirit to drink."  This is the born again experience. By faith.

God bless you,
bluelake

[Pilgrim]

Hello Pilgim,
Keeping in mind that the Book of Acts is an historical chapter. We are reading about Jews and Gentiles Accepting the mesaage they heard and then they were baptized. In Acts 2. 10 and 19 some spoke in tongues.
Some Christians call this experience of speaking in tongues today, a 'second blessing.'

The point of Acts 10 is that Cornelius and those with him received salvation before batism which clearly means that baptism is not part of the gospel of salvation like some believe.

pilgrim

[bluelake]

The point of Acts 10 is that Cornelius and those with him received salvation before batism which clearly means that baptism is not part of the gospel of salvation like some believe.

pilgrim

Pilgrim,
I don't understand your your last reply. Lets go over Acts 10:44. First, Cornelius was a Gentile. Peter was astonished that the Holy Spirit came on them when they heard the message. That is (verse43) everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name. They were saved when they believed. (1Cor.12:13) In the historic sense , the Jews first accepted the message, then the Gentiles, next the despised Samaritans. In Acts 19 the believers that John had baptized for the forgiveness of sins had repented earlier. They spoke in tongues when Paul placed hands on them.

The Bible tells us in the Book of Acts, not all spoke in tongues. Acts 2:41,  (3000) 4:4, (5000)accepted the message and verse 31, no tongues spoken here.
May I ask you, do you believe that tongues are required to receive the Holy Spirit? If so, Why does it say in 1Cor.12:11 that the Holy Spirit imparts his gifts as he determines. No where in scripture are we told to seek the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

God bless you,
bluelake 

[Brother Jerry]

bluelake

Actually if you take a look at Christ's walk from birth to the cross you will find that one of the first area's he went to when he started his earthly ministtry was Samaria.

After leaving the temple in Jurusalem where he cast out the moneychangers and such (John 2) he then had the encounter with Nicodemus.  And then he went out of the way and took the road less travelled by the Jews and went into Samaria where he met the woman at Jacob's Well (John 4).  And he stayed in Samaria for 2 days.  This was all before the Sermon on the Mount and His Galillee ministries.

Brother Jerry

[dandirom]

Pilgrim is correct. Throughout the NT, the New Birth (being born again) is accompanied by gift of the Holy Spirit, and indeed is due to the "washing of regeneration (new birth) and renewing of the Holy Ghost" (Titus 3:5). Water baptism follows the New Birth, but is not responsbile for it.

Many have misunderstood the teaching of Christ which says "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God" (Jn. 3:5). As we study the NT Scriptures, we discover that "water" and "seed" are just two metaphors for the Gospel or the Word of God (Eph. 5:26; Jas. 1:18; 1 Pet. 1:23). So what Christ said in reality that "Except a man be born of the Gospel and the Holy Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God".

How does the Gospel become the seed of salvation? "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God" (Rom. 10:17).

Thus in order to have saving faith one must hear or read the Gospel, and as the Gospel penetrates into our innermost being --  "to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit" (Heb. 4:12,13) -- the Holy Spirit convicts us and convinces us. That is the only way that a sinner can believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved, for "The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation, to every one that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek [Gentile]" (Rom. 1:16).

Believing on the Lord Jesus Christ leads to being regenerated while receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit, since "as many as received Him, to them gave He the power [authority] to become sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (Jn.1:12,13).

As to what it "means" to be born-again, the best description in the Bible is that of becoming "a new creature" or "a new creation in Christ", where old things have passed away, and all things have become new (2 Cor. 5:17).

Amen.
 
'If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: that ye put off concerning the former converstion the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.' 

'Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the WORD OF GOD, which liveth and bideth for ever.'

'John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose; he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire...' 

'Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life...'

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.'

[bluelake]

Hello Bluelake,

How would you explain Cornelius in Acts 10 if one receives the Holy Spirit at their water baptism? Cornelius and those with him received the Holy Spirit before being baptized by water.

Act 10:44 “While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. 45  And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. 46  For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, 47  Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?”

Some in the Church of Christ say this was an exception and salvation does not work like that today. Yet, when Peter spoke about this event in Acts 15, he stated that we all are save in this manner.

Act 15:7 “And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. 8  And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; 9  And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. 10  Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 11  But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.”

Also, if those who hold to the idea that Cornelius and his household were saved differently than we are today then that means there is more than one gospel. The gospel that we are saved by has always been the same in every age. Hebrew 4 speak about the gospel preached to those under Moses wandering in the wilderness being the same gospel we are save by. Therefore baptism could not have been part of the gospel because those following Moses in the wilderness existed before believers baptism was instituted. Seeing we are saved under the same gospel that was given those wandering the wilderness with Moses then baptism cannot be part of the gospel even today.

Heb 4:1  Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. 2  For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

God bless,
Pilgrim

Good question. 
This was Pentecost. The Jews were baptized by the Holy Spirit, then the Gentiles. Peter was surprised that the Gentiles had received the Holy Spirit just as they had, so he ordered them to be baptized as well.
Some Churches teach that baptism is a sacrament. Christ commaned baptism in Mt.28:19-29, Mk.16:15-16
Acts10:46-48
 Moses was under the Old Covenant. They circumsized the males. 
The thief on the cross wasn't baptized. 
We are saved by grace. Eph.2:8-9

God bless you,

bluelake