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 ?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.
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.