How to know you are born again

General Christian Theology
Sudsy
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Re: How to know you are born again

Post by Sudsy »

Valerie wrote: I understand what you mean, but we do recognize throughout the New Testament, Christians were always baptized- yet many remained immature or carnally minded (at least it SEEMS that way when you read epistles like Corinthians & then Galatians who were easily influenced) however- we leave that in God's hands. I don't believe almost 2000 years of Christianity misunderstood what Born Again meant in all the places the Apostles took the Gospel- until Evangelicals straightened it out in the last few decades. And I agree that there are many baptized in all faiths who do not 'seem' to have been really changed but we must consider the Holy Spirit isn't finished with them yet in sanctification- and also- people can 'choose' to walk in the flesh instead of the Spirit. However Born Again by 'water' (Baptism) and the Spirit (when you are prayed over at that time to be filled with the Spirit and 'sealed') is still what the Apostles did teach- when you read through the book of Acts, it seems the Church was somewhat all over the place in this- sometimes the Spirit was given before Baptism, sometimes after Baptism (when the Holy Spirit fell on New Believers) however over time it became somewhat methodical- Belief, repentance, Baptism (water, descending into the water is dying to self/world as Christ was crucified, and rising out of the water in newness of life as His resurrection) & receiving the Holy Spirit- this became the common pattern as Christianity was taken to the world.
Looking at the bold above, then the pattern was belief, repent and be immersed, right ? So those sprinkled really haven't been born again according to that pattern, right ? If regeneration occurs at water baptism, which is being immersed (going under/dying) and be resurrected (coming up out of), then sprinkling does not do this, right ? How can anyone say mode of baptism doesn't matter if the mode does not represent what is taking place spiritually ?

I think I am wandering off into the mode of baptism but if baptism is associated with being born again, don't you think it important to also follow the early pattern that includes immersion ?

OK, so how would you describe how one knows they have been born again ? Joel Osteen says repeat this prayer after me and we believe you have been born again. He doesn't say how the person repeating this prayer knows.
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ohio jones
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Re: How to know you are born again

Post by ohio jones »

Sudsy wrote:OK, so how would you describe how one knows they have been born again?
Considering that one has to be born to be a son, Paul puts it this way:

[bible]Rom 8,14-16[/bible]
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Valerie
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Re: How to know you are born again

Post by Valerie »

ohio jones wrote:
Sudsy wrote:OK, so how would you describe how one knows they have been born again?
Considering that one has to be born to be a son, Paul puts it this way:

[bible]Rom 8,14-16[/bible]
That passage was in today's sermon! I love it.
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Sudsy
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Re: How to know you are born again

Post by Sudsy »

ohio jones wrote:
Sudsy wrote:OK, so how would you describe how one knows they have been born again?
Considering that one has to be born to be a son, Paul puts it this way:

[bible]Rom 8,14-16[/bible]
Thanks ohio jones, good verse. Here is an explanation of this text summarized as following -
Are you a child of God? Are you sure that you’re a child of God? How can anyone be sure? First, have you abandoned all trust in your own good works and trusted in Christ alone to save you from God’s judgment? That is the main source of assurance. But, how can you know if your faith is genuine? Is the Holy Spirit governing your life so that you fight against and kill your sin every day? Is the Holy Spirit confirming to you the wonderful truth that God has adopted you into His family? Part of that confirmation is that you often find yourself crying out to the Father for help and grace in your time of need. And the Spirit repeatedly confirms to you the many promises that God gives to His children.
https://bible.org/seriespage/lesson-47- ... ans-814-16

Regardless of when regeneration occurs, whether it is at water baptism or at some other point in time. Whether it is before you chose to follow Jesus or after you chose. Whether you have been immersed, sprinkled or dunked. Whether or not you ever said 'the sinner's prayer'. The question is - has the new birth occured in us ? I think this text gives us some pretty solid evidence that we can know the Holy Spirit has come to live in us and we are children of God.
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cmbl
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Re: How to know you are born again

Post by cmbl »

Sudsy wrote:
Thanks ohio jones, good verse. Here is an explanation of this text summarized as following -
Are you a child of God? Are you sure that you’re a child of God? How can anyone be sure? First, have you abandoned all trust in your own good works and trusted in Christ alone to save you from God’s judgment? That is the main source of assurance. But, how can you know if your faith is genuine? Is the Holy Spirit governing your life so that you fight against and kill your sin every day?
I think it's good to examine one's life to see whether one is overcoming sin.

When I read Jesus' teaching on the judgment in Matthew and Luke, I'm not convinced that the goal of his teaching was for his hearers to do what I think is meant today by "abandon all trust in your own good works and trust in Christ alone to save you from God's judgment."
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Josh
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Re: How to know you are born again

Post by Josh »

Assurance flows from abandoning any attempt to follow Jesus? That's an odd doctrine.

Where did Jesus actually say that?
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