Are You Born Again?

"I AM A PASTOR" yes, but are you born again?

"I WAS RAISED IN THE CHURCH" yes, but are you born again?

"I SING IN THE CHOIR" yes, but are you born again?

"I AM INVOLVED IN MANY OF OUR CHURCHES MINISTRIES" yes, but are you born again?

"I ASKED CHRIST INTO MY HEART AT EIGHT YEARS OLD" yes, but are you born again?

"I LOVE MY CHURCH" yes, but are you born again?

"I TITHE FAITHFULLY" yes, but are you born again?

"I HAVE NOT MISSED A SERVICE IN OVER 40 YEARS" yes, but are you born again?

"I TEACH SUNDAY SCHOOL" yes, but are you born again?

"I HAVE BEEN A DEACON NOW FOR 18 YEARS" yes, but are you born again?

"I PRAY AND READ MY BIBLE EVERY MORNING" yes, but are you born again?

"I HAVE BEEN ON 10 MISSION TRIPS" yes, but are you born again?

"I'VE" MADE IT MY GOAL TO MEMORIZE OVER FIVE HUNDRED SCRIPTURES" yes, but are you born again?

"I ATTEND NOT ONLY THE SUNDAY MORNING SERVICE BUT THE WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT SERVICES AS WELL" yes, but are you born again?

"I'M A BAPTIST" yes, but are you born again?

"I LEAD THE WOMANS BIBLE STUDY" yes, but are you born again?

"I AM THE SON OF A MISSIONARY" yes, but are you born again?

"I AM AN ELDER IN OUR LOCAL CHURCH" yes, but are you born again?

"I'VE BEEN THROUGH SEMINARY" yes, but are you born again?

"I WAS BAPTISED AT SIXTEEN" yes, but are you born again?

"I AM A CHRISTIAN" are you born again?

I remember when I was growing up how often I heard these words," Are you born again"? I would never come to know their meaning until later in life, but had always thought that since I claimed to be a Christian, that I most certainly was one. For some reason those words are not asked today as frequently as they were years back. I don't believe when they were being asked back then that they were truly understood, because there was never follow up to them and I was desperately lost. They were merely just a quick identification (Church speak) for the benefit of the one who asked. How can one be so blind to what the words born again mean? I was and I do believe the many who asked probably were as well. I Did not know about the dramatic change affiliated with the new life in Christ. This was not taught or really talked about.

I came from a conservative Baptist background. I agreed to the truths of God and when the application of them was presented to me by way of some scripture and a prayer, I gave my affirmation. There was no great repentance and no real change in my affections. Just strong agreement to the truths with a future of poor execution and in my defense, nothing to generate anything else. To those on the outside, I gave them no cause for suspicion. I learned how to act. Years would pass and I would thrive in this enviroment doing all of the things one would expect from a model Christian. Oh but the heart was desperately wicked and even though I thought myself bound for eternity with Christ, I was lost. It would not come until 32 years later, having been in the church that whole time, that the words Born Again would go from identification to a new identity. All was changed. What I was before is past. My new life has meaning, for Christ is more than just with me. He is in me. The old life is gone. The new He has entered in and established. So now when someone asks,"Are you born again"? I can tell them yes, now lets talk about what that means!

My Mother is a Deacon at her so-called Church. Only a few weeks ago, she told me she was finally reading the New Testament. ??????

It is encouraging to me that Mama has begun to read the Word. I pray for her. If any of you feel so inclined, I would appreciate if you would, also.

Kind regards,
white stone

Growing up in the church (unsaved but thinking myself saved) I would occasionally hear, although it was very rare, of one who had served as elder or deacon or in some other capacity, all of the sudden coming to Christ. I would so quickly pass over the thought and write it off as just a great ignorance on that persons behalf. The problem was they had not agreed fully with the common think. That however was from my very skewed mind that was yet to be born again.

Today the many unsaved in the church will hear of these same things on occasion and feel the same way. However those born again will automatically understand that the great miracle of salvation has suddenly fallen upon one who was religious . This is what men like Tozer labored passionately to expose. An unsaved man can attend the church and do a great many things that one who has been born again does. The difference between the two is one operates indwelled by the Spirit; the other does not.

Men will pray, they will read scripture, they will do good deeds, they will discipline themselves in many ways, they will join themselves to the membership of proclaimed believers, they will partake of the sacraments, observe days, fellowship, serve in various capacities and participate in a great many things However, their baptism is but a quick dip without the benefit of the swim . Their membership is of no more value than the paper it is recorded on. Their fellowship is superficial. Their sacraments are meaningless low calorie consumptions. Their good deeds sown in self effort never sprout for no Godly fruit is possible. Their prayers though heard by one who is omniscient, are likened to sounds falling upon deaf ears. Their holy days are but an empty and vain identification with but another passing day. Their discipline is self effort with no gifted strength. Their scriptural reading is intellectualism without true heart.

They will do a great many things. This does not classify them born again! So the warning should go out. The flares lit. The sirens sounded. Knowing what we know. Understanding what is prevalent in this time of great deception, we should not fear asking questions that only we are equipped to ask. Most everyone in the Church will claim to be saved. How many are truly born again?

Are You Born Again?

As one goes older this question may become less and less theological. As you look back in your life, through those good times, struggles, those trials, those failures there will be but tears and deep gratitude that the grace, mercy, and power of God has been with you.

It doesn't matter much if you been good because
you know in your heart that it is by his great love alone that you are saved and all you can say is 'thank you Lord, be thou exalted.'

Mat 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Lylewise, AMEN!

I grew up in a conservative Baptist church also, but the difference with me was that all those points you've made WERE stressed. And yet, I tried to stifle all my worries telling myself it was just the devil trying to get me. After three of the worst years of my life (intense conviction, gripping fear and eventually hardening to all of it) I was so mercifully converted and cannot cease to praise Him! O the depth of His mercy!

32 years is a long time; but glory to God YOU KNOW FOR SURE NOW! That's what really matters.

As always, the searching question is ARE YOU BORN AGAIN??

Classical Arminiasm tends to focus on your life after conversion, downplaying the conversion experience; classical Calvinism tends to focus on your conversion experience itself, downplaying you life afterwards. But Scripture points to the fact that your life will be a radically new life BECAUSE of the absolutely incredible work God does at conversion. Just an interesting side note; I'm not insinuating any theological debate as I understand that is not acceptable on here...

Thanks for your uplifting post.

The church is a captive audience. We seek to extend ourselves traveling to a good many places, and we should when called by God to do so. Yet concerning evangelism men like Tozer, Ravenhill, Havner, Reidhead, Redpath, Conlon, Comfort, Washer, Wilkerson, Katz, and a slew of others even including Graham have spoken, and we must be willing to accept the doctrine of the few (remnant) within the church. It does not speak to the great mass of souls that attend church . These religious ones in our day are the very ones that need to be reached. In this regard they are truly a captive audience. We need to accept what our brothers in Christ have told us and warned us of. We need to understand and reach out knowing this to be true. They did not create this doctrine but merely relayed to us that it is as alive and viable today just as it was in scripture.

We cannot take for granted that the great mass of those that assemble every Sunday, claiming to be saved and regenerated men, are really lost. There is much religion but few who know God. Yes they do so many things that others do who are truly saved but we must flush out the lie with the truth. Each saint is given a testimony by God. What that speaks to and what it consists of cannot be copied.

Do all in the church have a testimony? Yes almost all do but what does that say? A testimony can be born in the flesh but the flesh is not born again, so the testimony will be flawed and false. However it cannot be exposed when discernment is forfeited to the culture of the church and it is impossible that it be exposed by yet another deceived and false professor. Is it that we have voluntarily laid our priesthood aside? In some cases yes, but when the majority claim priesthood and are not, then the problem is not difficult to discern. Didn't the priests examine their own? A type and shadow of our evangelical obligations as servants of the Most High. This inspection and scrutiny in the church has been hands off and men cannot be expected to use discernment that they do not have, but for those born again, God can give us the boldness and strength we need to face the churched lost. I come across so many regenerated believers that want to pack up and go to a foreign land and evangelize where men have not been ruined by church culture and the false assurance that they hold to. Once again good men filled with the Spirit have told us of the few in number. So tragically low in the church (true believers) that virtually no one believes them. The born again do, but that only lowers the perceived percentage of the true saints within the church even more. So we pray that God gives us strength to evangelize properly and perseveringly those who would even call themselves Christian.

The word 'born again' can be misused but so is the question
'are you born again' can be abused and be born out of pride and contentiousness.

What really make us 'born again', is it the set of ceremonies, a set of belief, a set of sound theological knowledge, a set of good conduct?

When we ask the question 'are you born again' what is really in our mind? a passion for the lost souls, a passion for argument, a passion for Christ?

What really means to be born again, how do we know we are among the ones and how do we know they are not among the ones.

Passerby, you ask

"What really make us 'born again', is it the set of ceremonies, a set of belief, a set of sound theological knowledge, a set of good conduct?"

No. It is when the Holy Ghost comes and makes His home in us that we are born again and become children of God.

Until that time, it will be ceremonies, beliefs, theology and conduct. But when He comes, the shadows disappear, and the life of Christ Himself comes and abides in us forever.

And, yes, we know. We have the witness in ourselves.

David

Bless you.

Are you born again?

Being converted and a primarily church-goer in an open non-denominational christian fellowship, the term ‘born-again’ is very familiar to my ears. In the bible, the term is directly stated only in the 3rd chapter of John and in places where it is implied, it is not used as a prime or starting point for preaching the gospel. Today, many says that it is rather a new form of religion, the term is spoiled and embarrassingly cheap, so we ask are you really born again?

The issue about being born again has its own simplicity but at the same time complex, in the end only God can say who is and who is not. By introspection, faith, and reference to biblical principles, one can say that he is among the ones.

However, how about other believers, they were baptised, they can remember their altar call or date of conversion but lack holiness in their conduct. They love wordly music, eat too much, love material things, smokes, drinks, talks vainly, having indecent romantic affairs with believers or non-believers, etc. And there are also believers who are coming to the altar call over and over again.

How about them? backsliders, phonies, false brethren, carnal christians, babies in faith, apostate, persons who lost their salvation, or simply unconverted? Do the letter of the apostle Paul to the corinthians apply?

Then there are believers that do not belong to our denomination, is it right for us to think that that they are not saved until they hear our or some preacher preach, believes this and that, or join a certain church.

Are you born again? a simple and yet a complex issue which one has to discuss from time to time, directly or indirectly on the pulpit and outside the pulpit, in fellowship within our group and with our interaction with the other believers, for warning and to bring someone to the right path.

Passerby,
Asking the question, "Are you born again", is extremely important, because so many people are deceived by a false assurance. That is why God says, "Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?--unless, of course, you fail the test!"
(2 Corinthians 13:5)

A person may say, "I believe; I have faith". But, how do you know that you truly have saving faith? Even the demons believe, and shudder! (James 2:19)

God gives us the test of true saving faith. In fact, the entire book of 1stJohn is filled with tests to see whether or not we are in the faith. However, you will find that these tests reveal a gloomy picture about the evangelical church. That is why people don't take it seriously, because if they did, they would have to admit that they have been playing a game for all their lives! Pride will not allow that! It takes too much humility to admit that we've been wrong for so many years, even though we claimed that we were right!

But, who then can be saved? Thankfully, what is impossible with man, is possible with God.

Love in Christ,
Renoncer

Just as scripture says,"What is impossible with man is possible with God. Renoncer, thank you for reminding us of what is often quoted but rarely, and we do mean rarely understood.. It speaks to a miracle does it not? It also speaks to man's efforts to do what is impossible for him to do. Salvation is a graceful and loving gift of God. That sounds so redundant and repetitive. We keep stating the obvious but the majority of those in religion do not understand this verse. Doesn't the mere picture of one being born again sound traumatic? I attended my first child's birth when you could film them. To this day I cannot watch that miracle with out being greatly broken up and in awe of what happened before my very eyes, but we are talking about one who is grown when we say," Born Again". How much more traumatic is this statement when we are speaking of one who is already formed? One says, it is just a picture, not literal as Nicodemus would point out to The Creator of the universe. OK now lets bring death into it. Now lets bring an added new nature to it. Now lets bring God indwelling man into it. As I write these words I do not even feel worthy to speak of how great this action of God is upon the life of a man. How can we view this in such prosaic fashion?

A simple yet complex question? Is it complex? You shall love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. The slave of Christ will understand this immediately and be cut to the quick by it every time they read it. They will question their very salvation when reading the words of John's Epistle, for the spirit that indwells them convicts them of these shortcomings and applies it pointing to the precious blood of the Savior. If it weren't for the true understanding of sanctification and repentance, we would be left undone. Thank God for the gift of repentance in the life of the believer. For the false professor they quickly over look this for they have Abraham as their father so to speak. They are falsely assured and unless truth is spoken and God intervenes they will continue believing the lie.

"What think ye of Christ" a sermon on this site by Tozer, speaks to this better than anyone I have ever heard address it. Why? Because the simple picture of the false professors adrift with the life raft in the distance is so revealing. Worth the listen and comes near the end of the teaching. He is such a simple country man but with an incredible depth in Christ. Take it up with Tozer is something I will quickly pass off to others that question cheap belief. Look at what extent men will go to with false assurance. It would be better to deal with this issue with Christ in scripture, but men will view Christ's words through the filter of modern church culture and will not be able to make application of it today. The religion of the 5 foolish virgins, the many who stand at the Grooms door giving evidence of their loyalty and servitude, and those who believed in Christ yet were quick to pick up stones to kill Him are bound to ancient history and the pages of so many copied manuscript and that is were they stay.

So many today will say, "One cannot know, only God knows". That is a lie! Satan has deceived many and they buy into it. From the old grandma who has attended the church her whole life to the man who stands elevated to the crowd before him. It is a lie! Any born again believer knows this. Now shall we talk about true assurance?

Let us speak of Paul's letters. Let's talk about the practice of sin vs. still being bound to this nature that we will only be free of when this body dies. Let's talk about the new nature we are given that battles daily this body of sin. This is worthy of discussion but lets not make the mistake of grouping the new life given a believer with the the false salvation of the majority and seeing the actions in these lives as the same. Prayer is not the same. Renewing the mind is not the same, testimony is not the same, worship is not the same, assurance is not the same, the affections are not the same, the view of sin is not the same, the love of God is not the same, the conviction is not the same, sanctification is not the same and on and on.....................

When many in the church say do not judge for it is too complex, what they are saying is do not exercise the gift given the believer of discernment. They cannot judge and they should not, for they do not have the ability. We do, and we should under His instruction. The culture says we must be tolerant. Look what it has become and is still becoming. The church for the most part has followed suit.

It takes two to give new life. This Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit. So is the Born again expierence, new Life, the incorruptable Seed of the Father, Jesus Christ born again in us and now we are a new creature.

Mt 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
Mt 1:20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

WE are a new creature as Paul says. "Christ in you the Hope of Glory." "It is no longer I who live But Christ who liveth in me, and the life I now live, I live by the Faith of the Son of God."

1Peter 1:23
Col 1:27
Gal 2:20
and many other, Paul speaks of this new Person that we are now identified by as be in Christ and Christ in you 146 times in his Gospel.

New birth, New Creature, In Christ, Christ in you, by the Word of God, the incorruptable Seed of the Father.

John 1:1-4

In Christ: Phillip

Are You Born Again?

How, by whom and what difference in the birthing?

In Christ: Phillip