If Christians don't believe in reincarnation, how can they be born again?

Question

WOW!!!! many of you are quite insulting! I asked an honest question, so please, if you have nothing nice or informative to say, don't say anything. I'm glad I'm catholic, for baptism accomplishes the same thing as 'born again', just without all of the rude, insulting *******

Answer 1

You're a funny girl. As you probably well know, born again means in a spiritual, not physical sense. Also, I bet there are quite a few people who call themselves Christians that believe in reincarnation.

Answer 2

Well I think you misunderstood the definition of reincarnation. Incarnate is the root word which means to be given a bodily form.

Reincarnation then specifically refers to being given a bodily form again. One would suspect that there would be a difference between the two forms or an interlude between the two forms.

Christians believe born again does not refer to a new bodily form, but a new spiritual form. It is close to opposite of reincarnation, as some religions hold it is the same spirit in a different body. Christians reject this and say born again is the same body, but different spirit.

I simplified this greatly so it lost a bit of its true meaning, but I just wanted to show you the difference theologically between 'reincarnation' and 'born again'

Hope this helps.

Answer 3

Being 'born again' is a bit of a confusing concept. I don't pretend to understand it completely. Even Nicodemus, a well-learned Pharissee to whom Jesus spoke about being born again, didn't quite get what Jesus was talking about.

It has come to mean, among certain Christian groups, a spiritual experience which validates the rest of one's faith. In their terms, a 'born again' Christian is a TRUE Christian.

In my view, being 'born again' is a process that is experienced by those who place their trust in God who has acted in Jesus Christ and continues to act in our lives and in our world. In this sense, being born again isn't the goal of faith, it is the beginning of the journey of faith that leads into a changed way of living and thinking.

For example, before I was 'born again' (a process that began about the age of 13 and continues still) I was quite selfish, violent, hateful, and lazy. Since God has been working in my life, 'birthing me anew' by the Spirit, I have become a new person in the sense that I have new priorities, new desires, a love for peacemaking and justice, an enjoyment of work and service, a desire to be more and more generous.

There are parts of my personality that continuosly require more 'rebirth'... I'm no saint!!!

This is altogether different than reincarnation. Reincarnation suggests a rebirth after the actual physical death of someone. The concept suggests that after a person dies, they are 'born again' into another actual life on this earth. Being 'born again' in my view has nothing to do with this, but rather signifies a change 'on the inside' wrought by God's Spirit, that affects all parts of life including ethics, economics, politics, sexuality, etc...

Answer 4

There is a difference. Reincarnation involves the dying of the flesh or human body. Being born again is the death or willingness to lay aside the sin part of man. It is a changing of the soul. No literal death is a part of a Christian salvation.

Answer 5

Being reborn is getting a good heart and has to do with the affection for good replacing affection for evil that we are born into. This is done by following the commandments of the Lord in submitting to the sovereignty of the Lord and following the Lord.

Answer 6

Born again means "born from above". It's not a physical birth. It's a renewing of the mind.

Answer 7

It's referring to being born again into the spirit of Jesus. Not that you die and are born again into another vessel. I personally don't have scripture memorized but I am familar with the stories of the bible, and the way I remember it is that your spirit is dead in the Lord until you accept him into your heart. That's when you are "born agian" in spirit. Some one correct me if I'm wrong.

Answer 8

Christians believe in Eternal Life meaning living in paradise with God after death. Certainly not being reincarnated and being sent back to Earth.

Answer 9

Reincarnation means you are born again without any memories of your past life, and usually in most religions its mainly being born again as various animals. When christians say they are "born again" its symbolic for dedicating or re-dedicating their life to Jesus. Such as they die to their old self and are born anew

Answer 10

I think the term is really born from above. It is a spirit birth rather than again physically. That is what I remember from what I was taught years ago.