How does one get "born-again"?

Fat · Mar 20, 2005

To support my vote: "Being born again is something God does, without any help from you." I'll refer to the following.

Rom 9:10-21 said:
10*And not only this, but there was Rebekah also, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac; 11* for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God's purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls, 12*it was said to her, "THE OLDER WILL SERVE THE YOUNGER." 13*Just as it is written, "JACOB I LOVED, BUT ESAU I HATED."

14*What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be! 15*For He says to Moses, "I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION." 16* So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy. 17*For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE I RAISED YOU UP, TO DEMONSTRATE MY POWER IN YOU, AND THAT MY NAME MIGHT BE PROCLAIMED THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE EARTH." 18*So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires. 19*You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?" 20*On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, "Why did you make me like this," will it? 21*Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use?

Melbelle · Mar 21, 2005

I don't know what to put, because I believe being born again is accepting him into your heart and being washed by his blood.

Lockheed · Mar 21, 2005

sethsmommy said:
I don't know what to put, because I believe being born again is accepting him into your heart and being washed by his blood.

Then you might choose "We are born again by God in response to our faith." This means that you believe that God, sees our faith, and then 'borns' us again.

I however am convinced that I was no more part of my being born-again than I was of my first birth. Scripture notes the similarities by stating that those who are born again are: "who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God..."

Like Ephesians 2 says, "even when we were dead in our trespasses... God made us alive". It is God who graciously makes us alive, from the death of our sinfulness, and we believe in response.

Often people will say something to the effect, after coming to Christ, of "God was chasing me!" God is the one who "seeks and saves the lost."

W Jay Schroeder · Mar 22, 2005

Lockheed said:
Then you might choose "We are born again by God in response to our faith." This means that you believe that God, sees our faith, and then 'borns' us again.

I however am convinced that I was no more part of my being born-again than I was of my first birth. Scripture notes the similarities by stating that those who are born again are: "who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God..."

Like Ephesians 2 says, "even when we were dead in our trespasses... God made us alive". It is God who graciously makes us alive, from the death of our sinfulness, and we believe in response.

Often people will say something to the effect, after coming to Christ, of "God was chasing me!" God is the one who "seeks and saves the lost."

i agree but saying God sees our Faith is not correct. We have no Faith in him when we are in sin. it is more that we have faith in what is taught us abut
Christ sacrifice for us. And when we believe this in our heart we are given the Holy spirit and are born again titus 3:5. Rom 10:8, 14. 2 Cor 1:9

ksen · Mar 22, 2005

Matthan said:
The verses above are righteous. Those from John tell us what we must do, i.e., be born again. But why stop after John 3:8? Jesus goes on to instruct us in how we are born again (the only way, I might add). He tells us:

Nicodemus had heard Jesus speak, and witnessed, or at least heard about, the miracles that He did, but still did not believe. So Jesus gives him an important lesson"

Jesus uses metaphoric speech in the third person to explain what God has done, sending His Son (Son of man) down from Heaven. Then, in verse 15, Jesus explains why the Son has been sent, which I will paraphrase: Anyone who believes in Jesus (as that Son of God after He has been crucified {lifted up in humiliation for all to see} and God has resurrected Him from the dead) should not perish, but (instead) have eternal life.

Then Jesus restates that exact same premise in what I and many others consider to be the most beautiful verse in all of Scripture:

There is it! That is how any person can be born again in the Spirit to enjoy eternal life with God our Father. Any person who believes in Jesus as the Son of God, resurrected from the dead by Almighty God in total victory over the grave, is born again in the Holy Spirit, and that person will receive God's grace to eternal life.

Belief is the key to salvation. The simple belief as a child that Jesus is the resurrected Son of God is all that is required by God.

Man, in his infinite stupidy and arrogance, as decided that simple belief cannot possibly be all that is required for something as wonderful as eternal salvation. Surely God requires more than just simple belief in His Son, and Jesus simply did not state all of the truth in John 3:16. So man has added all sorts of additional requirements for finding salvation. Some men have even gone so far as to claim that no one can possibly know if he or she really has salvation until after they die. Jesus assures us we are saved if we believe, and man says no way.

Personally, I will believe Jesus, and I will believe in Jesus as well.

Matthan <J><

All I have to do is believe in order to be born-again?

Great!

Now, um, how do I believe.......according to the Scriptures?

ksen · Mar 22, 2005

Lutherrunner said:
I think God gave us several choices so we could debate on an internet forum, which he let Al Gore think he invented....

LOL!

SteveR2021 · Mar 22, 2005

The reason for it all:

". . . and [Jesus] died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again."

(And that compared to the innumerable who insist that Jesus died so that we can be born-again, keep on sinning, and still inherit eternal Life in the next age.)

Well said! The danger of what has been said by many on this thread is that it takes all responsibility out of the hands of the believer...and this is deadly. Many church-goers are walking around trusting in their salvation - and yet they've never been saved...they'll die and go to hell thinking they're ok. The Bible makes it very clear that our salvation is provided for us...we can not earn it. But the Bible also makes it clear that you and I must respond...Jesus said to his followers:

"Not all people who sound religious are really godly. They may refer to me as 'Lord,' but they still won't enter the Kingdom of Heaven. The decisive issue is whether they obey my Father in heaven."

James says in that well known passage: "So you see, it isn't enough just to have faith. Faith that doesn't show itself by good deeds is no faith at all - it is dead and useless."

Faith is always active...anyone who believes that they don't have to do anything is believing a lie. Both John the Baptist and Jesus began their ministries by urging their listeners to repent and turn to God...repentance is something you and I do (in reponse to the conviction of the Holy Spirit).

God has made it possible for our sins to be forgiven but you and i must turn from them. So often we say we have been saved...what are we saved from? Have we been saved from our sins or are still living in them?

Perhaps the most deadly thinking in the church is this idea that you and i can take Jesus as our Savior without taking Him as our Lord. Jesus is our Savior...we can't do anything to save ourselves. He's also our Lord...but you and i have a choice (it is our choice): we can either make Him Lord of our life by giving up our rights or we can hold onto our rights and stay on the throne of our lives.

Most assuredly God will help us if we are willing, but that yielding of our rights is a decision that must be made by each of us.

Let's thank God for the salvation that He alone can provide and let us respond by giving Him our lives.

ZiSunka · Mar 22, 2005

Jesus didn't specifically say how one is born again. Read John 3 and see if you see what Jesus said is the mechanism by which we are born again. It does say how we can avoid being condemned, and that is by believing:

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but F15 have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

So it would appear that we are saved not through random chance or some capriciousness of God, but by believing in Christ the same way that believing in God's ability to heal through the lifting up of a snake healed the Israelites when they were inflicted with the serpents in the desert. Only those who were willing to believe that looking at the serpent would heal them were indeed healed.

In the same way, Abraham believed in God's ability to give him as many offspring as the stars in the sky, and God accounted this to him as righteousness through faith. Abraham didn't just get blessed by God for no reason, but because he believed God would come through with His promise.

In every instance of a person getting saved, it is always through their belief, always the response of God to their faith in response to his promise. It has to be a faith in the character of God and in his ability to keep his promises, never just a mere assent to his existence or goodness.

It goes like this: God offers, we accept in faith, the deal is sealed. It is neither indepent of God or of us. It is a mutal consent.

As for being born again, I don't know how that happens, the Bible never says.

Lockheed · Mar 23, 2005

t goes like this: God offers, we accept in faith, the deal is sealed. It is neither indepent of God or of us. It is a mutal consent.

<SHUDDER>

I praise God that He saved me, even while I was His enemy and would give no consent by making me alive with Christ.

As for being born again, I don't know how that happens, the Bible never says.

Sure it does... we're "born again" by the Spirit, regenerated by the Spirit, we're made alive with Christ. How much of this can a man do?

It also tells us how we're NOT born again: "...not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God."

We're not born again cause we want to be.

Bingle · Mar 23, 2005

Ok I said I get born again when God sees my faith. I didn't think the third option was right at all till I realized 40 odd percent of people had gone for it. Then I realized, no there is nothing I do in the born again process. That is God's work. (By the way I'm about to be blasted for being Arminian again.) But what on earth, should we all sit around and say, bless God, its not my faith that'll save me. Of course not, its God's grace, but faith is the channel. Do you see what I mean. Without faith you cannot be born again so in a sense both 2 and 3 are right.

O yes, but I believe faith is a gift of God in the first place. Eph 2:8 So in the end, we need faith to be saved but 'Salvation is of the Lord.'

Simon_Templar · Mar 24, 2005

I picked the third option by default, because there wasn't really one that reflects how I understand the issue.

First of all, faith is required to be born again.. however, faith does not come from us.. it comes to us from God.. thus it is something of a misstatement to say that God acts in response to our faith. The only way we have faith is if God gives it to us.

Baptism does play a role in the born again experience, because that is *generaly* the way God has chosen to do things... This however is not a complete stricture (ie lack of baptism for someone who was not able to be baptised does not mean they are going to hell). However, Baptism, also, is not a human work.. the bible teaches that God does the work of baptism, much like God does the work of giving us faith... we simply submit, or we rebel.

Thats where the responsability of the believer comes in (in salvation) we must submit to the faith that God gives us, and we must submit, in faith, to baptism. Baptism, when combined with faith, is a real and powerful act of God, in which he grants us grace and mercy.. but he can do that apart from baptism as well if he so desires.

oworm · Mar 24, 2005

Being born again is something God does, without any help from me.

How could i have anything to do with it if i was "DEAD in trespasses and sins" (Ephesians 2:1,5. Collosians 2:13)
How could something thats dead muster saving faith?

As a result of Gods work of spiritual birth in me im given the faith to believe.

God is sovereign in salvation. For me to think of it in any other way would be to reduce Him to something less than the Sovereign Lord

Lockheed · Mar 24, 2005

Bingle said:
Ok I said I get born again when God sees my faith. I didn't think the third option was right at all till I realized 40 odd percent of people had gone for it. Then I realized, no there is nothing I do in the born again process. That is God's work. (By the way I'm about to be blasted for being Arminian again.)

Gotta love 'em.

But what on earth, should we all sit around and say, bless God, its not my faith that'll save me. Of course not, its God's grace, but faith is the channel. Do you see what I mean. Without faith you cannot be born again so in a sense both 2 and 3 are right.

Where did this faith come from?

O yes, but I believe faith is a gift of God in the first place. Eph 2:8 So in the end, we need faith to be saved but 'Salvation is of the Lord.'

Ah ha! Did you have the ability to conjure up the faith before hand?

ZiSunka · Mar 24, 2005

Lockheed said:
<SHUDDER>

I praise God that He saved me, even while I was His enemy and would give no consent by making me alive with Christ.

If you never accepted his offer of salvation, how do you know for sure you are saved?

Lockheed · Mar 24, 2005

lambslove said:
If you never accepted his offer of salvation, how do you know for sure you are saved?

Because "He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit." I didn't make myself His ally first... He reconciled me and gave me a new heart and new spirit, where before I had a spirit that was hostile toward Him.

If my salvation was based on my doing anything even "accept(ing) God's offer" I'd be lost. Instead, my salvation is based on Christ's accomplished work on the cross.

The Bible doesn't ever use the language "accept God's offer of salvation", instead it says "God commands men everywhere to repent..." but "no one seeks for God." Though God commands men to repent, they cannot do so unless He first opens their hearts and gives them His Spirit. Therefore it is evident that if I am saved it was God who saved me, while I was a hostile enemy toward Him. (Rom 5:10, Col 1:21)

ZiSunka · Mar 24, 2005

Lockheed said:
Because "He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit." I didn't make myself His ally first... He reconciled me and gave me a new heart and new spirit, where before I had a spirit that was hostile toward Him.

If my salvation was based on my doing anything even "accept(ing) God's offer" I'd be lost. Instead, my salvation is based on Christ's accomplished work on the cross.

The Bible doesn't ever use the language "accept God's offer of salvation", instead it says "God commands men everywhere to repent..." but "no one seeks for God." Though God commands men to repent, they cannot do so unless He first opens their hearts and gives them His Spirit. Therefore it is evident that if I am saved it was God who saved me, while I was a hostile enemy toward Him. (Rom 5:10, Col 1:21)

Believing is not a deed, nor is it a work. God doesn't force salvation on anyone, He lets us freely choose to be His or to turn away from Him. What kind of God would force people to be saved against their will?

Lockheed · Mar 24, 2005

lambslove said:
Believing is not a deed, nor is it a work. God doesn't force salvation on anyone, He lets us freely choose to be His or to turn away from Him. What kind of God would force people to be saved against their will?

Do you believe that the Holy Spirit plays any role in the sinner coming to faith in Christ?

Do you believe that, apart from any supernatural work of the Holy Spirit, the sinner, by nature, desires to come to Christ?

From monergism.com:

The natural man, apart from the Holy Spirit, has no free will, because, of necessity, due to his fallen nature, he would never naturally submit to Christ. The Scripture describes men as those who love darkness (John 3:19), are in bondage to sin (Gal 4:3; 6:17, 20), and taken captive by Satan to do his will (2 Tim 2:25), until the Son sets them free (John 8:36). Why would the Son need to set them free from sin unless they were not free, i.e. slaves to sin?

God knows that if left up to us we'd all rebel just like Adam.

Scripture states:

Romans 8:7-9

because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.

Unless the Spirit of God dwells in you first you can neither obey God nor please Him.

1 Cor 2:14

But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.

Unless one has the Spirit of God, they cannot even understand the things of God. Nor "see the kingdom of God"... (John 3:3)

Thus if we are to hear God's voice and turn to the Son for salvation, a supernatural work of God in us must occur first. We must be "raised to life anew" first.

Man has a will, but it is a will that "walk(s) according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience." (Eph 1:1)

God does not "force" us "against our will" anyone, rather God changes the hearts of His enemies thus changing their wills.

"Can the Ethiopian change his skin Or the leopard his spots? Then you also can do good Who are accustomed to doing evil." (Jeremiah 13:23)

ZiSunka · Mar 24, 2005

Blah blah blah. I don't give a hoot for isms and endless arguments.

Do you believe that the Holy Spirit plays any role in the sinner coming to faith in Christ?

Of course. It is by the Spirit that we learn that we are sinners in need of a savior.

Do you believe that, apart from any supernatural work of the Holy Spirit, the sinner, by nature, desires to come to Christ?

Yes. Born into each one of us is the desire to know God and be accepted by God.

Lockheed · Mar 24, 2005

Do you believe that the Holy Spirit plays any role in the sinner coming to faith in Christ?

Click to expand...

Of course. It is by the Spirit that we learn that we are sinners in need of a savior.

So man naturally does not know he is a sinner in need of a Savior but the Holy Spirit has to tell him?

Do you believe that, apart from any supernatural work of the Holy Spirit, the sinner, by nature, desires to come to Christ?

Click to expand...

Yes. Born into each one of us is the desire to know God and be accepted by God.

How is that possible when you just admitted that the Holy Spirit plays a role in sinners coming to faith since "by the Spirit that we learn that we are sinners in need of a savior"?

Why does the Holy Spirit have to tell men that they're sinners in need of a savior if "Born into each one of us is the desire to know God and be accepted by God"?

Please explain this belief in light of the Scripture that teaches that "no one seeks for God" and "all have turned aside"?

Do you not believe Scripture when it says: "Can the Ethiopian change his skin Or the leopard his spots? Then you also can do good Who are accustomed to doing evil." (Jeremiah 13:23)

ZiSunka · Mar 24, 2005

So man naturally does not know he is a sinner in need of a Savior but the Holy Spirit has to tell him?

I've never met a person who genuinely, completely thought they were sinless, have you? Even the most devout pagan, even the animist, even the atheist knows they have sinned, if not against God, then against other people.

How is that possible when you just admitted that the Holy Spirit plays a role in sinners coming to faith since "by the Spirit that we learn that we are sinners in need of a savior"?

Why does the Holy Spirit have to tell men that they're sinners in need of a savior if "Born into each one of us is the desire to know God and be accepted by God"?

You can't see the diffence between those two?

Can't one have a desire to be accepted by someone without knowing why they aren't accepted?

How does one get "born-again"?

How is one "born again"?

Being born again is something that just happens when you have faith.

Being born again is something God does in response to your faith.

Being born again is something God does, without any help from you.

Being born again is something that occurs as a result of baptism.

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