I have met quite a few people these days that identify themselves as Christian, not Catholic or a Protestant denomination, but only as a Christian. Are these people born-again Christians?
2007-01-11 13:01:00 · 17 answers · asked by smacky 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I am referring to the people that populate the mega-churches in my area, Southern California. They apparently are people that have left other Christian denominations and now refer to themselves as only Christians. They also seem very comfortable judging other religions and discussing the bible with others as if all people take it literally. They also seem to be predominately white Anglo-Saxon people.
2007-01-11 13:21:46 · update #1
These "born agains' developed durng the 1970's.
Consequently, most Christian denominations hold that a person must be born again in some sense in order to be a Christian, and thus that all who are true Christians are in fact born again, whether they describe themselves as such or not. The Roman Catholic Church, for example, considers that "Baptism is ... the sacrament by which we are born again of water and the Holy Ghost." [1], though the term is not frequently used by Catholics. This is also the belief held by Eastern Christianity, Anglicanism, and Lutheranism, among other Christian traditions. However, the term itself is most frequently used by Fundamentalist, Pentecostal, and Evangelical Protestants, where it is often associated with an intense conversion experience and an encounter of the individual with the power of God. Many Christians who are "born again" in this sense deny that those without such an experience are true Christians.
One cannot have God for his Father, who will not have the Church for his Mother, and likewise, one cannot have the Word of God for his faith who will not have the Church for his teacher. It is the infallible teaching authority of the Church, as promised by Christ, which alone preserves God's Word from erroneous interpretation.
Born Again in Baptism
One key Scripture reference to being "born again" or "regenerated" is John 3:5, where Jesus says, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God."
This verse is so important that those who say baptism is just a symbol must deny that Jesus here refers to baptism. "Born again" Christians claim the "water" is the preached word of God.
But the early Christians uniformly identified this verse with baptism. Water baptism is the way, they said, that we are born again and receive new life—a fact that is supported elsewhere in Scripture (Rom. 6:3–4; Col. 2:12–13; Titus 3:5).
No Church Father referred to John 3:5 as anything other than water baptism.
2007-01-14 11:53:27 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not always. However, no one is actually a Christian unless they are born again-that is the number one requirement. The vast majority of those who identify themselves as Christian are really not. They may belong to some church or denomination, or may have been baptised by some priest-but none of that makes you a Christian. Jesus said in John 3, "you must be born again". He was talking to Nicodemus, the religious teacher of Israel. Nicodemus was about as religious as you can get-Jesus was telling him -that wasn't enough.
2007-01-11 13:16:42 · answer #2 · answered by Desperado 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The born againers will say that anybody that has no longer finished the 'born returned' prayer isn't a 'real' christian. they are incorrect. something of the Christians do no longer component to them and say that they do no longer look to be 'real' Christians because of the fact in the event that they suspect that Jesus is the Christ and that he died and rose from the ineffective, and are following His coaching, they are Christians. Small minded human beings of all religions are those that choose. additionally Father ok, above, is nice approximately Baptism.
2016-10-07 00:46:07 · answer #3 · answered by hobin 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some are born-again, others were raised as Christians.
Anyone who believes that Jesus Christ is our Savior is a Christian--Catholics, Lutherans, Methodists, Baptists, Born-Again Christians, Episcopalians, Mormons, and so many more... even non-practicing, non-church-going people.
2007-01-11 13:11:43 · answer #4 · answered by Holiday Magic 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have done that for a long time now. But now I just say I believe in Jesus and the Bible and I live for Him. It's a daily walk. Christian has come to mean to many different things to many different people. I am a follower of Christ.
2007-01-11 13:12:08 · answer #5 · answered by cathyhewed1946 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't feel the need to identify myself with anything else besides Jesus's name. Christian, believer in Jesus, nuff said. And yes we believe in the new birth. When you ask for salvation, you become a new creation "for anyone who is in Christ is a new creation" It's somewhere in Paul's letter to the Corinthians. By being a new creation you are born again into someone new (the new birth). hope that helps. keep on seeking!
2007-01-11 13:15:31 · answer #6 · answered by Andres 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
alot of people just go with the flow thats what mom said so that must be,you can call yourself anything but that doesnt make it so I am a staunch Christian that does not believe in religion(to carnel or man-made)and I am a born again Christian Jesus said where two or three are gathered together in my name I will be in the midst that tells me that a building is just that, a building regardless of the name He said beware of wolves in sheeps clothing and that means in a building or anywhere else
2007-01-11 13:16:47 · answer #7 · answered by loveChrist 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i'm a member of a Baptist church, but i don't think of myself as primarily 'a Baptist'...i'm a Christian because i am a follower of Christ...and yes, i have been 'born again'-that is how i became a Christian. Christ taught that you must be born again to enter the kingdom of God...the denomination, if any, you belong to is secondary...
2007-01-11 13:12:16 · answer #8 · answered by spike missing debra m 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i can't speak for others but the reason why i don't refer to myself as any particular denomination is because i don't find any one of the 100% correct. there are things that i believe out of each one of them and things that i don't believe out of each one of them so i wouldn't feel right just claiming only one. i don't consider myself born again though.
2007-01-11 13:05:47 · answer #9 · answered by Annie Rod 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no, not all people who take the name "christian" are true Christians.
many take the name for their own evil purposes.
only God knows if they are truly born again......
but you can get some clues by their brhavior and
how they treat others.
2007-01-11 13:06:23 · answer #10 · answered by Chef Bob 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋