How can i be born again

[keryakos]

I am asking an honest question from those who will answer from a lutheran perspective

How can i be born again ..what must i do

 

[Tangible]

Disclaimer: New Lutheran here, others will have better answers. I'll go for the low hanging fruit.

I'll defer on the first part - "How can I be born again"

The second part is much easier from a Lutheran perspective.

Q. What must I do [to be born again]?
A. Absolutely nothing. God does everything.

From Luther's Small Catechism / The Creed / The Third Article

"I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Ghost has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith; just as He calls, gathers, enlightens and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian Church He daily and richly forgives me and all believers all our sins; and at the last day He will raise up me and all the dead, and will grant me and all believers in Christ eternal life. This is most certainly true."

 

[Studeclunker]

In the Lutheran perspective, we are born again, as it were, through water (baptisim), and the Word (proclimation and study of the scriptures), through the works of the Holy Spirit.

If you are looking for something like the Reformed perspective of regeneration through rebirth, this isn't the place for it. What we believe here sounds the same and is considerably different. Hence, you don't hear the term 'Born Again' in Lutheran circles very much.

By the by, Cantate, very well said!

 

[filosofer]

I am asking an honest question from those who will answer from a lutheran perspective

How can i be born again ..what must i do

Howdy and welcome. Good question. As you look at John 3 (the basis of the question), notice that Jesus indicates that it is the work of the Spirit (notice that water and the Spirit are one entity, not two). Just a like you as a human, how could you be born? It has nothing to do with you, but your parents. So spiritually, it has nothing to do with you (in the active sense) but you receive that which God does. God creates faith in you which clings to what God has promised in Jesus Christ.

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

Welcome Keryakos

Disclaimer: New Lutheran here, others will have better answers. I'll go for the low hanging fruit.

I'll defer on the first part - "How can I be born again"

The second part is much easier from a Lutheran perspective.

Q. What must I do [to be born again]?
A. Absolutely nothing. God does everything.

From Luther's Small Catechism / The Creed / The Third Article

"I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Ghost has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith; just as He calls, gathers, enlightens and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian Church He daily and richly forgives me and all believers all our sins; and at the last day He will raise up me and all the dead, and will grant me and all believers in Christ eternal life. This is most certainly true."

The "low hanging fruit" I have found is often the sweetest!

It is indeed "most certainly true".

Howdy and welcome. Good question. As you look at John 3 (the basis of the question), notice that Jesus indicates that it is the work of the Spirit (notice that water and the Spirit are one entity, not two). Just a like you as a human, how could you be born? It has nothing to do with you, but your parents. So spiritually, it has nothing to do with you (in the active sense) but you receive that which God does. God creates faith in you which clings to what God has promised in Jesus Christ.

Filo, I love your analogy. With Cantate, and you, I have nothing to add!

 

[keryakos]

Seeing that i cant do anything myself am i to assume that if i never have faith then God wanted to be damned in the first place ?

 

[filosofer]

Howdy, and welcome back. Again, good question.

There are really two issues:

1. Sin condemns under the Law: Because of sin (nature and actions) all people have sinned and that will result in death and eternal death/hell/separation from God.

Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 6:23a For the wages of sin is death

2. God desires that all people be saved

1 Timothy 2:4 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

But God has also established the way that salvation comes

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me."

Acts 4:12 Peter said: "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name [Jesus] under heaven that has been given among humans by which we must be saved."

So, given these circumstances, we as Christians proclaim Jesus Christ as the only way of salvation, and extend to you the same that Paul did to the jailer in Philippi.

Acts 16:31 They said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household."

 

[BigNorsk]

Seeing that i cant do anything myself am i to assume that if i never have faith then God wanted to be damned in the first place ?

Of course not. That would be a rational, but not a biblical idea, a philosophy of man position, turning the gospel of God's predestination into a law of condemnation.

1Ti 2:3-4
(3) This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior,
(4) who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

Seeing that i cant do anything myself am i to assume that if i never have faith then God wanted to be damned in the first place ?

Not at all.

We are predestined for salvation.

God created us, he is our Father, we are his children. God wants us to be saved. Our sinful free will allows us to reject God, just like when a child defies his parents, we can defy God's will.

The parable of the Prodigal Son shows us that God wants all to enjoy the fruit of Salvation, even when we have turned from Him and squandered His Gifts.

Praise God!

 

[DaRev]

Seeing that i cant do anything myself am i to assume that if i never have faith then God wanted to be damned in the first place ?

The very fact that you are asking about it shows a kernel of faith which comes as a gift from God. Thus He certainly does not want you to be damned. And as the Scripture says "if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move."

 

[okteach5]

I'd just like to say that there are a lot of great comments in regard to this question! Lots of strong Lutheran answers! Because I currently live in what I would consider the "Bible Belt" it is hard to find strong answers like this.