Born again…

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theefaith

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What does it mean to be born again? Jn 3:5

where is “faith alone” found in John 3?
 

mailmandan

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To be born again is to be born from above, born of God.

In regards to "faith alone" in John 3.

John 3:15 - that whoever believes in Him "apart from additions or modifications" should not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him "apart from additions or modifications" 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 "apart from additions or modifications" 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.. 36 The one who believes in the Son "apart from additions or modifications" has eternal life, but the one who refuses to believe in the Son will not see life; instead, the wrath of God remains on him.
 

dhh712

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It should definitely produce a change in your life; I feel the older you are when you're converted, the more you'll notice that change. For those blessed by the Lord to have been raised in Christian families and have an understanding that there was never a day that they did not know the Lord Jesus (Praise God for such an amazingly rich blessing!), I think they will not feel that much like they have been born again.

Of course, I can only give my perspective. I was an atheist with conscious scorn of God from when I was about 18 or so until my early 30s. When God gives life to a spirit which has been dead, they will see him in a way which they never had before. Their entire perspective of a great many things will change. Things that were once comfortable to them will seem negative or not right. At least that's how it was for me. God gave me a new life that loved his law and commandments and found things that outright protested against his word to be foul and unpleasing. That is my understanding of what it means to be born again.
 

Episkopos

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What does it mean to be born again? Jn 3:5

where is “faith alone” found in John 3?


Born again is to be born from above...into eternal reality. It is a spiritual birth into the Kingdom realm. Most people experience this as a quickening in their spirit...something happening from a place they didn't know existed before.

Experiences vary.

All who are born from above experience a new love for God and sense a new motivation towards the things of God.

"Faith alone"???? Luther added in the word "alone". The truth is that we can't attain to a spiritual place (Zion) through human works, only by faith. However, we are justified by both faith and works. Having access to holiness by grace does not negate the need for righteousness.

What so few understand is the difference between righteousness and holiness.
 

mailmandan

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When we are born again, the Holy Spirit begets new life, so that we become "partakers of the divine nature." (2 Peter 1:4) The new birth is brought to pass through "incorruptible seed, by the word of God, which lives and abides forever" (I Peter 1:23), and the Holy Spirit accomplishes the miracle of regeneration.
 

theefaith

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To be born again is to be born from above, born of God.

In regards to "faith alone" in John 3.

John 3:15 - that whoever believes in Him "apart from additions or modifications" should not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him "apart from additions or modifications" 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 "apart from additions or modifications" 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.. 36 The one who believes in the Son "apart from additions or modifications" has eternal life, but the one who refuses to believe in the Son will not see life; instead, the wrath of God remains on him.

then you must be baptized to be born again!
 

theefaith

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Born again is to be born from above...into eternal reality. It is a spiritual birth into the Kingdom realm. Most people experience this as a quickening in their spirit...something happening from a place they didn't know existed before.

Experiences vary.

All who are born from above experience a new love for God and sense a new motivation towards the things of God.

"Faith alone"???? Luther added in the word "alone". The truth is that we can't attain to a spiritual place (Zion) through human works, only by faith. However, we are justified by both faith and works. Having access to holiness by grace does not negate the need for righteousness.

What so few understand is the difference between righteousness and holiness.

do being born again is baptismal regeneration?
 

Episkopos

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do being born again is baptismal regeneration?


No such thing. The one baptism is a baptism into Christ...by the Spirit. We could see the water baptism as a precursor OR as a witness to what has already taken place. The baptism in water is an outward sign. Making a public rite to be equivalent to a spiritual awakening is through a faulty religious understanding of the depth of God's work in a person.

The RCC deals with the "unconverted" masses and has no real power over whom God accepts or rejects.

Being born again is by the will of the Father, not men. And religious men have a hard time taking a back seat to God.

But if God is not in control of events...then it is not His Church....but rather something we think we are doing for Him. That is the essence of a temporal religion...NOT Christianity.

Christianity is an anti-religion.

Through the Spirit and grace we have no need of the artifices of religious institutions.
 

Mantis

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Mine felt gradual. I met Jesus but it took me along time to come to him because I thought I had to clean myself up. When I realized I couldn’t he started helping me. Pruning things from me that were bad. It feels like a work in progress. I still worry from time to time about my salvation then I will see a word in the Bible or from people on here that remind me that I am his and it comforts me. All I know is that my mind thinks completely different than before I accepted him. Lusts have been starved and peace has washed over me. Thank you Lord Jesus!!
 

theefaith

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No such thing. The one baptism is a baptism into Christ...by the Spirit. We could see the water baptism as a precursor OR as a witness to what has already taken place. The baptism in water is an outward sign. Making a public rite to be equivalent to a spiritual awakening is through a faulty religious understanding of the depth of God's work in a person.

The RCC deals with the "unconverted" masses and has no real power over whom God accepts or rejects.

Being born again is by the will of the Father, not men. And religious men have a hard time taking a back seat to God.

But if God is not in control of events...then it is not His Church....but rather something we think we are doing for Him. That is the essence of a temporal religion...NOT Christianity.

Christianity is an anti-religion.

Through the Spirit and grace we have no need of the artifices of religious institutions.

you said we must believe?
 

theefaith

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Baptized by ONE SPIRIT into ONE BODY.. (1 Corinthians 12:13) Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Not baptismal regeneration, which is a false Roman Catholic doctrine.

regeneration is a new creation a new creature in Christ

Titus 3:5
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; (baptism)

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

mailmandan

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regeneration is a new creation a new creature in Christ

Titus 3:5
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; (baptism)

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
You "added" the word baptism to Titus 3:5. Roman Catholic eisegesis.
 

theefaith

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Acts 22:16 wash away sin

A sacrament is an oath! A sacred promise from God! Ez 36:25-27

Jesus says: I remind you you’re still under oath!


A sacrament is an outward sign for all men including infants And a gift from God to help us see what he does inwardly and invisibly by his grace!

As grace Washes our souls in the merits of Jesus blood from original and personal sin, so the outward action of washing is visible!

without the outward action the inward action cannot take place!

Jn 3:5 Titus 3:5 water and washing
acts 22:16 wash away your sin!

Jn 3:5 Born again BY water and the spirit! Not by “faith alone”!

They did not go to Jerusalem and preach “accept Christ as you’re personal Lord and savior “

They went to the river (water) and they baptized! Jn 3:22

A covenant requires an outward sign of the inward action of grace!

Ez 36:25 I will sprinkle you with clean water and you shall be made white as snow.

Acts 22:16 washing away your sins.

Eph 4:5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism.

1 pet 3:21 baptism saves you.


Baptism!

God breathed life into Adam, gen 2:7 and we received this life from our fathers!

Christ breathed on the apostles our spiritual fathers, we receive the new covenant life of God’s grace from them thru faith & baptism! Jn 20:21-23 Mk 16:16 acts 8:36-38 eph 2

Born again! Born from above!

'The Father has set his seal' on Christ (John 6:27) and also seals us in him (cf. 2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:23, 4:30). Because this seal indicates the indelible effect of the anointing with the Holy Spirit in the sacrament of Baptism,

Baptism indeed is the seal of eternal life." 87 The faithful Christian who I has "kept the seal" until the end, remaining faithful to the demands of his Baptism, will be able to depart this life "marked with the sign of faith," 88 with his baptismal faith, in expectation of the blessed vision of God - the consummation of faith - and in the hope of resurrection.

St. Paul tells the faithful at Ephesus that they have been “sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.” This is in terms of an indelible character imprinted on the soul in the sacraments of baptism and confirmation. It is not as if this invisible mark is simply decorative. Rather, through it, we are enabled to participate in Christ’s mission and in his offices of priest, prophet, and king. Eph 1:13

Sealed by God eph 1:13 sealed by God (ez 36:25-27) in the ark of salvation by baptism just as Noah was sealed by God in the ark of the flood gen 7:16

1 Pet 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us!
(Ark of Noah a type of the church, member of Christ and his church and salvation by baptism!)
(Outside the ark of Noah none were saved, outside the church (the ark of salvation) none are saved!)

Sealed in the ark, sealed in the church the ark of salvation by God thru baptism!



Effects of faith & baptism!

Ez 36:25-27 washed in baptism, with a new heart and the Spirit
Jn 3:5 born again in baptism
Mk 16:16 faith & baptist
Acts 2:38 repentance & baptism
Acts 8:36-38 faith & baptism
Acts 22:16 baptism washes away sin
Rom 6:3 died with Christ
Col 2:12 risen with Christ
1 cor 12:13 baptized into the church
Gal 3:27 by baptism put on Christ
2 Tim 1:10 brought to life
2 cor 5:17 new creation
Eph 1:13 sealed by the Holy Spirit
Eph 2:1&5 brought to life in baptism
Eph 4:5 one baptism
Eph 5:26 faith and baptism
Titus 3:5 baptismal regeneration
1 pet 1:2 washed in Christ’s blood
1 pet 2:9 and not the kingdom of light
1 pet 3:20-21 baptism saves us!

“Faith alone” accomplishes nothing!
1 cor 13:2 even all faith (alone) without charity avails NOTHING!!!

Faith and baptism!

Scripture says none of the things about “Faith alone”!






“Faith alone”

Questions

where does scripture says we have died with Christ by “faith alone”?

Rom 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

where does scripture say we are members of Christ and his church by “faith alone”?

1 Corinthians 12:13
For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

where does scripture says we put on Christ by “faith alone”?

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

Where does scripture say our sins are washed away by “faith alone”?

Acts 22:16
And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

where does scripture say we are saved or justified by “faith alone”?

1 pet 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us!

The only reference in scripture to “faith alone” is James 2:24 NOT BY “FAITH ALONE”?

2 pet 1: 11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

How can you enter by your own if it must be ministered to you? Baptism is done unto you, “not do it yourself by faith alone”

Jn 3:5 born again by faith alone?

Where is “Accept Christ as your personal lord & savior” is not found in scripture?

They did not go preaching this line but went immediately to the river and baptized Jn 3:22

Acts 22:16
And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

1 Corinthians 12:13
For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

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

Eph 4:5 one baptism

Why don’t it say one teeny tiny little act of “faith alone”???

When we first believed we are saved?

Romans 13:11
And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

How can salvation be nearer than when we first believed if you’re saved by believing?

If salvation is by “faith alone” then faith would be the greatest!
1 cor 13:13 charity is the greatest!

Even all faith much less “faith alone” without charity avails nothing!
1 cor 13:2
 

theefaith

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Your 'surface' reading of scripture and Roman Catholic eisegesis remains your Achilles heel.

so it’s not baptism?
It’s not baptismal regeneration?

then what is it!

remember it’s a covenant not a Bible study!

there must be some initiation into the new covenant church not unlike circumcision in the mosaic covenant.
 

Eternally Grateful

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Born again is to be born from above...into eternal reality. It is a spiritual birth into the Kingdom realm. Most people experience this as a quickening in their spirit...something happening from a place they didn't know existed before.

Experiences vary.

All who are born from above experience a new love for God and sense a new motivation towards the things of God.

"Faith alone"???? Luther added in the word "alone". The truth is that we can't attain to a spiritual place (Zion) through human works, only by faith. However, we are justified by both faith and works. Having access to holiness by grace does not negate the need for righteousness.

What so few understand is the difference between righteousness and holiness.
Jesus told us how to be born again in John 3

No work involved. As paul said. Lest anyone should boast.

The only work involved in our new birth is the work of Christ on the cross
 
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mailmandan

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so it’s not baptism?
It’s not baptismal regeneration?

then what is it!

remember it’s a covenant not a Bible study!

there must be some initiation into the new covenant church not unlike circumcision in the mosaic covenant.
Already explained this to you multiple times. In regards to circumcision, read Romans 2:28-29 and Romans 4:9-11 then contrast that with Spirit baptism and justification by faith alone.
 
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