What does it mean to be born again?

[Michiah-Imla]

You are a spin doctor and a deceiver.

This is insane!

You spin every Bible passage I quote!!

But I’m the “spin doctor” and “deceiver”?



You see, I have to resort to using emojis and not take you guys seriously or I would lose my mind…

Time to chase butterflies I suppose…



And no, I’m not an expert butterfly catcher lest someone thinks I’m bragging about catching butterflies! LOL!!!

 

[rockytopva]

Keeping things simple...

8 The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. - Romans 10: 8-10

From there the challenge is to have the spiritual formed on the inside...

My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you... - Galatians 4:19

 

[mailmandan]

This is insane!

You spin every Bible passage I quote!!

But I’m the “spin doctor” and “deceiver”?



You see, I have to resort to using emojis and not take you guys seriously or I would lose my mind…

Time to chase butterflies I suppose…



And no, I’m not an expert butterfly catcher lest someone thinks I’m bragging about catching butterflies! LOL!!!

Not sure who you think you're fooling but I see right through your childish nonsense.

 

[Michiah-Imla]

I see right through your childish nonsense.

“And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.” (1 Kings 18:27)

Was Elijah using “childish nonsense”?

 

[marks]

Because of your post here:

What does it mean to be born again?

So I’m guessing zero (0) minutes… And yet you choose to battle with a seasoned veteran… Get to reading. I need a worthy challenger… Beware my friend that you become not haughty or highminded . Let us continue to read often and daily the bible . But the only reason we know as we know is...

www.christianityboard.com

How so? Please make this clear for me.

Much love!

 

[marks]

But you continue reading the Bible to be perfect and thoroughly versed in it and swiftly prepared to answer false teachings.

Exactly!

Much love!

 

[mailmandan]

“And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.” (1 Kings 18:27)

Was Elijah using “childish nonsense”?

Elijah had good reason to mock the prophets of Baal. Don't misuse this passage of scripture to justify your childish nonsense.

 

[Michiah-Imla]

Elijah had good reason to mock them. Don't misuse this passage of scripture to justify your childish nonsense.

You can’t win with these guys…

 

[1stCenturyLady]

As Self DEFINED by your Video and subsequent comments...

Another Legalist demands that the Cross obey your works.
Another Legalist stands up and demands to be counted, refusing to believe that CHRIST'S blood and Death Isn't God's final answer regarding HIS Salvation.
Another Legalist shows us exactly what Galatians 1:8 looks like in a Video.


2 Corinthians 11:15 is up and running, once again.

I know that Christ is the Author and Finisher of our Faith, but I agree with E, that we do hold some responsibility. What does keeps mean in this verse.

1 John 5:18
18 We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.

And does this show we have responsibility?
1 John 3:3
3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

 

[marks]

I know that Christ is the Author and Finisher of our Faith, but I agree with E, that we do hold some responsibility. What does keeps mean in this verse.

1 John 5:18
18 We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.

And does this show we have responsibility?
1 John 3:3
3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

It says what we do.

IF you say, Every rock I drop, falls to the ground. Does this mean a rock is responsible to fall to the ground? He who has "this hope" purifies himself.

Much love!

 

[1stCenturyLady]

It says what we do.

IF you say, Every rock I drop, falls to the ground. Does this mean a rock is responsible to fall to the ground? He who has "this hope" purifies himself.

Much love!

without our will? Are you saying it is automatic?

 

[marks]

without our will? Are you saying it is automatic?

No, I'm not saying anything particular. Look at the passage though, what does it say?

"He who has this hope purifies himself, even as he is pure".

The hope that is referenced is that when we see Him we will be like Him. If we believe this is real, if this is our expectation, then according to this passage we purify ourselves, just as Jesus is pure.

Is that what the passage says?

Much love!

 

[ScottA]

I know that Christ is the Author and Finisher of our Faith, but I agree with E, that we do hold some responsibility. What does keeps mean in this verse.

1 John 5:18
18 We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.

And does this show we have responsibility?
1 John 3:3
3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

These things are true only because "it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me." For it is just as Jesus said, "without Me you can do nothing."

 

[Enoch111]

Salvation is a Gift. "the gift of Salvation".

Of course salvation is a gift, which includes the gift of eternal life and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Following that the Holy Spirit regenerates the believer and makes that person a child of God. This is what it means to be born again, born of the Spirit, born from above, and born of God. But the children of God have privileges as well as responsibilities. And that is what this thread is about. Christians have serious responsibilities and will also give account for everything they have done or left undone.

 

[1stCenturyLady]

No, I'm not saying anything particular. Look at the passage though, what does it say?

"He who has this hope purifies himself, even as he is pure".

The hope that is referenced is that when we see Him we will be like Him. If we believe this is real, if this is our expectation, then according to this passage we purify ourselves, just as Jesus is pure.

Is that what the passage says?

Much love!

The question is who is responsible for the purifying? To sin would be to muddy ourselves, right? Jesus does the purifying, but we obey; that is our responsibility, right? Behold would say to obey is works. Do you? I don't.

 

[marks]

Are you saying it is automatic?

Maybe axiomatic. If we have the one, we will do the other.

Much love!

 

[1stCenturyLady]

These things are true only because "it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me." For it is just as Jesus said, "without Me you can do nothing."

There is one thing we can do to NOT "keep" ourselves, and that is to quench the Spirit.

So how do we keep ourselves? 1 John 5:18
How do we purify ourselves? 1 John 3:3

 

[marks]

The question is who is responsible for the purifying? To sin would be to muddy ourselves, right? Jesus does the purifying, but we obey; that is our responsibility, right? Behold would say to obey is works. Do you? I don't.

I'm going to stick to what the verse says . . . that if we are expecting, believing, that when we see Jesus, that we will be just like Him, we will purify ourselves, just like Jesus is Himself pure.

That is my simple understanding of this passage. I believe it to be fully true.

Much love!

 

[1stCenturyLady]

Maybe axiomatic. If we have the one, we will do the other.

Much love!

Doing the opposite is not axiomatic. LOL You were right with just axiomatic, but not doing the other

I think purifying yourself once you're already cleansed of all unrighteousness would be doing what would then be natural. And same for keeping ourselves. It would be automatic as part of our own desires.

 

[ScottA]

There is one thing we can do to NOT "keep" ourselves, and that is to quench the Spirit.

So how do we keep ourselves? 1 John 5:18
How do we purify ourselves? 1 John 3:3

Habakkuk 2:4
“Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith.