Do you believe that to be a Christian, you must be born of God, born again, born spiritually?

Question

Jesus said to see/enter the Kingdom of God we must be born again. The first person is born of the mothers waterbag into this world, and the second person born of His Spirit, spiritual.

Do you agree that a person isn't a Christian unless person is born of God spiritually?

The first person is body/soul & spiritually blind/dead, and the born of the spirit person is whole; body, soul & spirit?

Thanks EdwardJ, & those answers referring to John 3.

Latterrain, When we are born physically as a new babe, we are born from our mothers water bag. Why is that so hard to understand? It is common sense.

But, as a new man in Christ Jesus, born of Gods Spirit, we are to wash in the Word of God. Renew our minds in the Word of God. Make the soul choice to die to the lust flesh (reacting by yelling, etc.) & the soul choice to follow after the fruit of the Spirit (faith, hope, love, joy, peace, patience, truth, etc.)

Faith, You have to be born again to be a true Christian. Not the other way around.

TG, You are adding to the word of God when you write that to be born of water is when you are water baptized. You are born of water when you are born into this world. That is the understanding I get when I read all of John 3. It doesn't write about water baptizing in John 3.

And there is a different baptism that Jesus baptises with. The Holy Spirit & fire. Also, the seal of the Holy Ghost is given to all born of God. Being water baptized doesn't make anyone born of God by itself. But confessing Jesus Christ Lord with heart faith in the resurrection does. Being born of the spirit happens before, during or after a water baptism.

Answer 1

I believe you have the right idea. I would express it as when a person is born they have a physical body and a spiritual essence (the soul/spirit; the embodiment of our humanity).

Because of original sin (inherited and imputed) the soul/spirit is separated (dead/blind) from God. When one is “born again” that sin is cleansed and makes the soul/spirit acceptable to God.

As Jesus put it, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” John 3:6 (KJV). So to me that is saying that our physical birth endows us with a soul/spirit however, it is not fully functional until its rebirth through Christ.

Answer 2

I can tell by your answer that you are have been taught incorrectly. What makes you born again is not saying a prayer, it is baptism. You are born again in the spirit when you are BAPTIZED into the church. When I was 12 I did the 'born again' thing, and I didn't feel anything. But I was baptized at age 29 and felt the Spirit of God coming down upon me and I did not expect to have that happen. It was a surprise when it happened.

In general anyone who believes that Jesus is the son of God and follows his teachings is a Christian. To be 'born again' means to become a member of the Body of Christ, and one must be BAPTIZED.

Salvation is through our Baptism. That has been the teaching of the church for 2000 years. The idea of saying a little prayer to ask Jesus to come into your heart has been created by some branches of the Protestant church. I follow the way the church taught FROM THE BEGINNING.

Answer 3

Absolutely. To be a Christian is to be a follow of Christ and John 3:3-6 makes it perfectly clear.

"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again."

To be born of water and the Spirit involves being baptized in water in obedience to the teaching of the Holy Spirit. How does the Spirit teach us? He does so through the Word of God.

"For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free--and have all been made to drink into one Spirit." Paul says all must be baptized into the body of Christ, which is the church (Ephesians 1:22,23).

Once you are baptized, you are added to the church.

"Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved." Acts 2:47

Answer 4

New birth, being born again, is an act of God whereby eternal life is imparted to the person who believes (2 Corinthians 5:17; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:3; 1 John 2:29; 3:9; 4:7; 5:1-4, 18). John 1:12,13 indicates that "born again" also carries the idea "to become children of God" through trust in the name of Jesus Christ.

A true Christian is a person who has put his or her faith and trust in the person of Jesus Christ and fact that He died on the cross as payment for sins and rose again on the third day to obtain victory over death and to give eternal life to all who believe in Him. John 1:12 tells us: “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.”

Answer 5

Yes, the only true way to go to heaven is to have been saved by Jesus Christ. This means accepting him as your only savior and by inviting Jesus into your heart. This is Salvation.

I do not believe you are born Christian. You may be born into a CHristian home, family, culture, but you must accept Jesus and profess that you are a sinner.

I don't know that I belive in the "first person" "second person" way of explaining, but I get what you mean. Becoming a "Christian" and knowing and having a relationship with God is the only way to get to heaven. You are "born again" because all the sins that were made before you accept Jesus into your heart and soul are gone. Jesus washes away the sins . You are now clean!

Jesus is my savior!

Answer 6

Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. He came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God." Jesus answered him, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born again." Nicodemus said to him, "How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother's womb and be born?" Jesus answered, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit."

– John 3:1-5, RSV

Answer 7

Dear tamil,

I hate to point this out to you, but the "water" is not a mother's waterbag..... It is the water of the word-the word of God (Ephesians 5:26). People are born-again (born spiritually, born of God, saved, redeemed ...) when they sit under the hearing of God's word and He determines to regenerate them (Titus 3:5).

A person does not become saved (Christian) unless Christ has paid for their sins and given them a new resurrected soul (Ephesians 2:6)

Answer 8

There is no such a thing as being born again It's a religious scam brought about by evangelists, when one is baptized they are born of the spirit, and never having to be so called born again, when Christ spoke of being born again in order to be received in heaven was simply baptism by water nothing more.

Answer 9

Absolutely.

Jhn 3:2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
Jhn 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Jhn 3:4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
Jhn 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and [of] the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Jhn 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Jhn 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

Answer 10

This is what Jesus taught. If someone disagrees then I suggest they have issues with him. He said it. To the person who said I think it has been misinterpreted. Can you offer a better interpretation? After all it is important. Jesus said unless you are born again you will not enter heaven. I would suggest that sounds like an important issue to resolve. Jessica to suggest this was made up by Evangelicas puts the burdon of proof on you. This verse is in the ealiest copies of all scriptures which are more authenticated than any work of antiquity. 35'000 greek and thousand of latin not to mention other languages. The protestant reformation didn't happen until many centuries later Brushing up on your history would clear things up. Person above me you are confusing the resurrection of the dead with the new birth.