Read the whole chapter. Jesus said, "When you are born of
FLESH, you are FLESH. And when you are born of SPIRIT,
you are SPIRIT! Just like the wind, which you can hear but not
see, and it blows wherever it wants to go!"
Born Again people? How many of you fit that description?
And will you lose your faith to find there has been a small
misinterpretation of things?
Do church people realize who they look to others when they
"puff themselves up" with these notions of men, and place
themselves above others?
2006-10-26 00:47:16 · 8 answers · asked by zenbuddhamaster 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The idea of being born again is mentioned all over the place in the New Testament. Heck, it's mentioned in prophecies in the Old Testament too. Try doing a study of baptism (spiritual), circumcision (spiritual), a "new heart," regeneration and other similar terms--it's all the same thing and just as you stated it refers to being "born of the spirit."
2006-10-26 00:52:35 · answer #1 · answered by KDdid 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you only read 1 verse I could understand feeling that way but that concept is through out the bible. We are all human with faults, we fall, we fail, that is why we need Jesus to be our savior to help pick us up when we do fall and to cover our sins. For none of us is perfect. BTW I do not attend church as I see things that just don't feel right. I am willing to help anyone regardless of what they look like & what their beliefs are. I don't know if I can say I fit the description of born again but I keep striving. As far as losing faith, I'm not sure what you are asking with that question but all you need is a small amount of faith.
2006-10-26 08:15:38 · answer #2 · answered by d0ve67 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Lot of people do that.
It is because when they "get" something, they keep it....
Nothing wrong with that... But, it's like having a beautiful car and sitting in it in your drive way.....
Sure, you can show it off to the neighbors, but there is so much more to explore.....
**Oh... and that "born again" is not what you think. Consider, how were we born in the first place?... Well, we came from some place and were born.... To be born again, is to die the death from life and to return to that place (thus, born again)
Your sister,
Ginger,
gmcfayden@yahoo.com
2006-10-26 08:38:30 · answer #3 · answered by awriter2dream 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
So, how do you interpret the words of Jesus when he said "You must be born again"?
Maybe church people should be more concerned about how they look to God than how they look to others.
Do I sound "puffed up" when I say that I am a sinner who deserves to go to hell, but by the grace of God, through faith in the son of God, my sins are forgiven and I'm going to heaven?
2006-10-26 08:05:59 · answer #4 · answered by David S 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's very common to take verse out of context.
Like the 'eye for eye' verses. People believe that teaches revenge, because that don't know the whole purpose behind it. They haven't read anymore about it.
2006-10-26 07:54:30 · answer #5 · answered by rangedog 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Every sect of Christianity has done this .
People have changed and put their own spin on religion for thousands of years.Humans are not ones who like to follow rules they don`t like , so they ammend them to fit their liking.Why do you think there are so many forms of Christianity.
2006-10-26 07:52:19 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
These born again-evangelical-holier than thou art-Christians are scary. They not only immerse themselves in their viewpoints, but are trying (in the USA) to change our Constitution and our laws to these viewpoints.
They will not accept that their way is not the ONLY way.
2006-10-26 07:52:52 · answer #7 · answered by Shossi 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Apparently you don't know that there is more to that doctrine than the passage you are citing.
John 3:5 Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
Ezekiel 36:25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and of death. 3 For what was impossible for the law to do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and concerning sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who are fleshly set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 Because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not submit to the law of God, nor indeed can it. 8 And those that are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10 But if Christ is in you, the body indeed is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit indwelling in you. 12 Therefore, brothers, we are debtors--not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you shall die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the practices of the body, you will live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again unto fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.
Jeremiah 31:33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more."
Hebrews 10:11 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. 15 And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, 16 "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds," 17 then he adds, "I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more."
If people go around "puffed up" because they are "born again" that is not consistent with a good witness for Christ. But telling others that being born again is necessary for salvation is a clear teaching in the Bible. When a person is given "new life" in Christ God is actually making them a person who is now alive on the spiritual level and the separation of sin between man and God is healed by faith in the sacrifice of Jesus. Someone who has merely given an intellectual assent to the gospel message but who is not made new in Christ is no different from a pagan in regards to being on their way to Heaven.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
Ezekiel 11:19 And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, 20 that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.
2006-10-26 08:54:09 · answer #8 · answered by Martin S 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋