Am I Born Again?

[MyLordYeshuaTheMessiah]

I've accepted Jesus as my Savior and Lord, that only by faith through grace I'm saved.
I've confessed my faith in Christianity, to 1 or 2 people (in person), many more online.
I've repented from all sins.
I read the scriptures daily and pray without ceasing.

I have not been baptized by water.

Am I born again?

 

[Chris V++]

Hallelujah! Angels are rejoicing! Another light in the world! And you will find yourself compelled to be baptized in water probably sooner than later.

 

[Light of the East]

I've accepted Jesus as my Savior, that only by faith through grace I'm saved.
I've confessed my faith in Christianity, to 1 or 2 people (in person), many more online.
I've repented from all sins.
I read the scriptures daily and pray without ceasing.

I have not been baptized by water.

Am I born again?

Sorry. Nope.

Our thoughts, our feelings, our philosophies, have nothing to do with whether or not we are in the Kingdom.

Since you identify as a "Messianic," I will pose this question to you:

If a man was born into a Jewish family in the Old Covenant and first his parents didn't circumcise him, then he himself, upon reaching the "age of accountability" also refused to submit to circumcision, was he then a part of Israel? Was the uncircumcised man in any relationship at all with God?

Hence, if you have not be entered into the New Covenant by the means which replaces circumcision, you are disobedient to the instructions of the Church and the Apostles and are not "born again."

Now whether or not God will have mercy on you is not for me to judge. I am simply saying that the Bible manner of "cutting covenant" in the New Covenant is baptism, which has replaced circumcision (Col. 2: 11-3)

 

[Emli]

I've accepted Jesus as my Savior, that only by faith through grace I'm saved.
I've confessed my faith in Christianity, to 1 or 2 people (in person), many more online.
I've repented from all sins.
I read the scriptures daily and pray without ceasing.

I have not been baptized by water.

Am I born again?

Have you also accepted Jesus as your Lord, and not only as your Savior?

 

[MyLordYeshuaTheMessiah]

Have you also accepted Jesus as your Lord, and not only as your Savior?

Yes

 

[bcbsr]

I've accepted Jesus as my Savior, that only by faith through grace I'm saved.
I've confessed my faith in Christianity, to 1 or 2 people (in person), many more online.
I've repented from all sins.
I read the scriptures daily and pray without ceasing.

I have not been baptized by water.

Am I born again?

If you actually trust in Jesus. You mention accepting Jesus as Savior. Do you also accept him as Lord?

If justification is by faith apart from works, then it is apart from religious ceremony. Those who have been saved get baptized. It's not those get baptized to be saved. Faith is not in a ceremony which you do. Faith is in Christ to save.

 

[Emli]

Sorry. Nope.

Our thoughts, our feelings, our philosophies, have nothing to do with whether or not we are in the Kingdom.

Since you identify as a "Messianic," I will pose this question to you:

If a man was born into a Jewish family in the Old Covenant and first his parents didn't circumcise him, then he himself, upon reaching the "age of accountability" also refused to submit to circumcision, was he then a part of Israel? Was the uncircumcised man in any relationship at all with God?

Hence, if you have not be entered into the New Covenant by the means which replaces circumcision, you are disobedient to the instructions of the Church and the Apostles and are not "born again."

Now whether or not God will have mercy on you is not for me to judge. I am simply saying that the Bible manner of "cutting covenant" in the New Covenant is baptism, which has replaced circumcision (Col. 2: 11-3)

That isn't Biblical. Nowhere in Scripture does it say that water baptism replaces circumcision. We are born-again by the Spirit, by the will of God, not by the will of man.

Water baptism represents dying to self and becoming alive in Christ. It is an outward expression of our faith, but in itself, it is not an act that saves.

 

[Light of the East]

That isn't Biblical. Nowhere in Scripture does it say that water baptism replaces circumcision. We are born-again by the Spirit, by the will of God, not by the will of man.

Water baptism represents dying to self and becoming alive in Christ. It is an outward expression of our faith, but in itself, it is not an act that saves.

Then tell me what has replaced circumcision. Whenever a covenant is "cut," there must be an outward ceremony which has within it symbols of the covenant and is witnessed by others.

What in the New Covenant qualifies?

 

[Chris V++]

Then tell me what has replaced circumcision

Our hearts are what are circumcised.

'But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.' Romans 2:29

 

[Emli]

Yes

Then honestly, time will tell. If you have been born-again, you are a new creation in Christ, dead to sin and alive in Him. That doesn't mean that you are perfect yet, but it means that you are changed. And God is going to transform you daily, renewing your mind and heart, sanctifying spirit, soul and body. You will be conformed to the image of Christ, learning how to surrender to His Lordship, and live by His will, step by step, led by the Spirit. That is the grace that saves us through faith, the work of the Holy Spirit within us. Some Christians know from the time they are born-again that they are saved, but for some it takes longer to know for sure. We all have to keep working out our salvation with trembling and fear either way, and what I'm saying is that it's not just about having faith.

How long ago was it since you gave your life to Christ?

 

[MyLordYeshuaTheMessiah]

Then honestly, time will tell. If you have been born-again, you are a new creation in Christ, dead to sin and alive in Him. That doesn't mean that you are perfect yet, but it means that you are changed. And God is going to transform you daily, renewing your mind and heart, sanctifying spirit, soul and body. You will be conformed to the image of Christ, learning how to surrender to His Lordship, and live by His will, step by step, led by the Spirit. That is the grace that saves us through faith, the work of the Holy Spirit within us. Some Christians know from the time they are born-again that they are saved, but for some it takes longer to know for sure. We all have to keep working out our salvation with trembling and fear either way, and what I'm saying is that it's not just about having faith.

How long ago was it since you gave your life to Christ?

About a year ago exactly, but then I fell away for half a year, and now I've rededicated my life.

 

[Light of the East]

Our hearts are what are circumcised.

'But a Jew is one uinwardly, and vcircumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. wHis praise is not from man but from God.'

Does not meet the requirements of a covenant nor follow covenant principles.

When a Jew was circumcised in the Old Covenant, the symbolism was that he was being "cut off" from the pagan world around him in the same way his foreskin was cut off. In making covenant, the Jew was placed under oaths which he had to keep in order to be covenantally faithful. Those who observed the circumcision were the witnesses so that if a violation of his oath was made, the witnesses could testify against him. His circumcised male organ was one visible witness or testimony to his being in covenant.

Furthermore, circumcision pointed to the coming Messiah, who would be male, would be "cut off" from His people, and would shed His Blood.

There is none of this in your invisible "circumcision of the heart." No witnesses, no symbolism of identification with Christ by immersion into His death, burial, and resurrection. There are no public oaths taken so the witnesses can hear them.

And, of course, the testimony of the first Christians is that "one goes into the water dead and comes out alive in Christ." Your Evangelical ideas were unknown in the first centuries of the Church, which fact in itself should give you pause.

 

[Light of the East]

How long ago was it since you gave your life to Christ?

Interesting. Where do you find such language as "give your life to Christ" in the Bible?

 

[Emli]

About a year ago exactly, but then I fell away for half a year, and now I've rededicated my life.

That seems to happen a lot to new Christians these days, because both the world and the Church is so confusing. Has God changed you a lot?

 

[Dave G.]

Sorry. Nope.

Our thoughts, our feelings, our philosophies, have nothing to do with whether or not we are in the Kingdom.

Since you identify as a "Messianic," I will pose this question to you:

If a man was born into a Jewish family in the Old Covenant and first his parents didn't circumcise him, then he himself, upon reaching the "age of accountability" also refused to submit to circumcision, was he then a part of Israel? Was the uncircumcised man in any relationship at all with God?

Hence, if you have not be entered into the New Covenant by the means which replaces circumcision, you are disobedient to the instructions of the Church and the Apostles and are not "born again."

Now whether or not God will have mercy on you is not for me to judge. I am simply saying that the Bible manner of "cutting covenant" in the New Covenant is baptism, which has replaced circumcision (Col. 2: 11-3)

You should explain all that to the thief on the cross who was saved without water baptism. That is not to say he did not receive the Holy Spirit by fire ( another baptism, one of of the Holy Spirit, by the one who indwells us). However water baptism is a public profession of faith. We do it by full immersion and are officially asked at that time if we have come to where we believe in our heart that Jesus Christ is our personal Lord and Savior..

There is a change in the heart of all born again believers, old ways have fallen aside and new ways replace them. We are a new creation in Christ Jesus..

 

[Chris V++]

And, of course, the testimony of the first Christians is that "one goes into the water dead and comes out alive in Christ." Your Evangelical ideas were unknown in the first centuries of the Church, which fact in itself should give you pause.

These ideas are right there in the scriptures, so they couldn't have been all that unknown.

When I was baptized as an infant I don't remember making any public oaths. Were you baptized as an adult or an infant? I was later baptized by my own choice of my own free will after I repented, like it says in the bible. Baptism generally followed repentance.

 

[Light of the East]

You should explain all that to the thief on the cross who was saved without water baptism. That is not to say he did not receive the Holy Spirit by fire ( another baptism, one of of the Holy Spirit, by the one who indwells us). However water baptism is a public profession of faith. We do it by full immersion and are officially asked at that time if we have come to where we believe in our heart that Jesus Christ is our personal Lord and Savior..

There is a change in the heart of all born again believers, old ways have fallen aside and new ways replace them. We are a new creation in Christ Jesus..

Baptism for salvation did not start until the New Covenant began. The whole of the actions of Calvary took place in the Old Covenant. The New Covenant did not start until the Veil of the Temple was torn in half, ending YOM KIPPUR, and after Christ's Resurrection, which was proof of His victory over death.

The thief on the Cross was under the Old Covenant. He was a circumcised Jew, and as such, was already a member of the Kingdom of God, national Israel. All he was doing was repenting by his act of faith in the Messiah, and by doing so, received forgiveness of sins.

Learn the Covenant of God and you will not make such egregious errors.

 

[Emli]

Interesting. Where do you find such language as "give your life to Christ" in the Bible?

The whole New Testament speaks about how we must surrender our lives to God, die to self and become alive in Him. Also, here are some verses:

"For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it." Matthew 16:25

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God--this is your true and proper worship." Romans 12:1

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20

"For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." Galatians 3:27

John 15

Also, see all of the New Testament.

 

[Light of the East]

These ideas are right there in the scriptures, so they couldn't have been all that unknown.

When I was baptized as an infant I don't remember making any public oaths. Were you baptized as an adult or an infant? I was later baptized by my own choice of my own free will after I repented, like it says in the bible. Baptism generally followed repentance.

In the covenant principle of Hierarchy, the parent (or covenant head) over the infant makes the vows for the infant. In the principle of hierarchy, the covenant head acts on behalf of those under his authority. We see this over and over and over in Scripture.

Adam acted as the covenant head over mankind and all mankind has suffered the effects of the fall.
Dathan and Korah acted as covenant heads over their families and their families were destroyed with them because of their rebellion against Moses.
Jewish males were circumcised and their circumcision was effective for all the females in their family.
Jewish Kings committed idolatry and brought the covenant curse upon their kingdom.
The high priest of Israel condemned the Messiah and by doing so, cursed Israel so that they were removed from being the people of God.
Christ acts as our covenant head and His blessing falls upon us all by His obedience.

I recommend Ray Sutton's book on covenant THAT YOU MAY PROSPER, as a good study so that you can understand the five covenant principles.

 

[Light of the East]

The whole New Testament speaks about how we must surrender our lives to God, die to self and become alive in Him. Also, here are some verses:

"For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it." Matthew 16:25

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God--this is your true and proper worship." Romans 12:1

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20

"For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." Galatians 3:27

John 15

Also, see all of the New Testament.

I am laughing myself silly at your post. You don't even realize what you just posted, do you?

"For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." Galatians 3:27

Baptism puts you into Christ. Now how can you be put into someone if you are already in Him? How can you "put on" Christ if you are already wearing Him and your baptism is just a public profession that you have already put Him on by your "faith alone?"

Thank you for proving my point from Scripture.

And none of the other verses say "Give your life to Jesus" word for word. You are reading into them what you wish to believe and you also are ignoring what the Church taught in the first century, i.e., that baptism washes away sin and gives you new life in Christ.

Look, mere mental assent to facts does not save. The devils know the facts about Christ better than any of us. Are they saved?