To expound on the whole 'born again' thing..?

Question

One time, and one time only, does the Bible mention 'born again'.

Twelve times Jesus said he was the bread that came down from heaven; four times he said they would have "to eat my flesh and drink my blood."

Why do some play so heavily on 'born again' yet completely ignore Jesus when He says "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him"

I find this very interesting indeed, becaue they remind me of "After this, many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him"

This is the only record we have of any of Christ’s followers forsaking him for purely doctrinal reasons. If it had all been a misunderstanding, if they erred in taking a metaphor in a literal sense, why didn’t he call them back and straighten things out? Both the Jews, who were suspicious of him, and his disciples, who had accepted everything up to this point, would have remained with him had he said he was speaking only symbolically.

Paul wrote to the Corinthians: "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?" (1 Cor. 10:16). So when we receive Communion, we actually participate in the body and blood of Christ, not just eat symbols of them. Paul also said, "Therefore whoever eats the bread and drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord. . . . For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks

judgment on himself" (1 Cor. 11:27, 29). "To answer for the body and blood" of someone meant to be guilty of a crime as serious as homicide. How could eating mere bread and wine "unworthily" be so serious? Paul’s comment makes sense only if the bread and wine became the real body and blood of Christ.

Wrong, CJ. Jesus said "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him"

And you ignore this?

CJ, I am just so sorry to tell you this, but if you are an example of a 'saved' person, I'd rather be as far from you as possible, because you are so incredibly arrogant that you have to be hellbound..

Quiet warrior, you didn't answer me. What do you say to ""Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him"

Fisher of men - my point is that far too many comletely discount Jesus in the Brea of Life discourse, saying it is only symbolic. As for 'born again' yes, I believe Jesus but I also say that Protestants are incorrect in their use of the term.

First of all, Jesus never said anything about "altar calls" and coming forward for the "sinner's prayer". If this were the case then all of salvation would be reduced to a magical formula....in that as long as you knew the correct (magic formula) prayer to say you could be saved.

I'm tired of all the fundies telling people that "all you have to do....." Show me where Jesus uses this phrase!

Catholics are saved, we are being saved and will be saved. Jesus does tell us that those who hold out TILL THE END will be saved. He says nothing about instantaneous salvation. Furthermore, Paul tells us to "work out our salvation in fear and in trembling".....why fear and why trembling if we are saved by the sinner's prayer?

Paul even feared for his salvation many years after he converted to Jesus......"No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize" (1 COR 9:27).

Answer 1

In John 3:5, Jesus says, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." Here Jesus explains that baptism is not an option--it is an essential.

"Born again" Christians claim the "water" is the preached word of God. But the original Christians always 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).

Interestingly, Protestants who reject Jesus' teachings on the Eucharist also fail to get the idea on baptism. Jesus said over and over that he is the bread of life, that his body is real food, and that unless you eat his flesh and drink his blood, you have no life. It was so plainly literal that many of his disciples walked away and stopped following him. So much for "metaphor."

The problem in misinterpreting both "born again" and "eat my flesh and drink my blood" is sola scriptura, the fundamental error of Protestantism, which says that a) only the words in the Bible (versus the teachings of Jesus known from other sources) tell us anything about God, and that b) each individual Christian is authorized to decide for himself what any scripture means, which is interpretive anarchy.

Cheers,
Bruce

Answer 2

1322 The holy Eucharist completes Christian initiation. Those who have been raised to the dignity of the royal priesthood by Baptism and configured more deeply to Christ by Confirmation participate with the whole community in the Lord's own sacrifice by means of the Eucharist.

1323 "At the Last Supper, on the night he was betrayed, our Savior instituted the Eucharistic sacrifice of his Body and Blood. This he did in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross throughout the ages until he should come again, and so to entrust to his beloved Spouse, the Church, a memorial of his death and resurrection: a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a Paschal banquet 'in which Christ is consumed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us.'"[133]

I. THE EUCHARIST - SOURCE AND SUMMIT OF ECCLESIAL LIFE
1324 The Eucharist is "the source and summit of the Christian life."[134] "The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it. For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself, our Pasch."[135]

1325 "The Eucharist is the efficacious sign and sublime cause of that communion in the divine life and that unity of the People of God by which the Church is kept in being. It is the culmination both of God's action sanctifying the world in Christ and of the worship men offer to Christ and through him to the Father in the Holy Spirit."[136]

1326 Finally, by the Eucharistic celebration we already unite ourselves with the heavenly liturgy and anticipate eternal life, when God will be all in all.[137]

1327 In brief, the Eucharist is the sum and summary of our faith: "Our way of thinking is attuned to the Eucharist, and the Eucharist in turn confirms our way of thinking."[138]


One is not truly"born again" if they are not baptised which is a commandment of our Lord Jesus Christ. One can not be born again unless they are baptised, just saying the words "I believe in Jesus" does not make one born again, never has and never will.

The Lord's table is not symbolic. It is the table of Jesus Christ and the Eucharist. if one does not partake of the body and blood of Christ, one is not a true Christian and they are following a false Christ.

Answer 3

I think its everything. Being "born again" was symbolism for becoming a new person. When you become a Christian, you are an "infant" in your spiritual growth. You develop from there. But being a Christian also means that you partake of communion - symbolically by taking communion at church, and literally - you "take up your cross and follow Him." Not only are you expected to partake of a Christian life - like obeying God, praying, etc., but you want to do those things. And being a Christian is not something that is easy and happy all the time. There is scorn from others, misunderstandings, temptation, and we still mess up. As a Christian, you are to forget your will, your plans, and follow God. That is what Jesus meant by "eat my flesh and drink my blood." It's also a reflection of accepting His sacrifice on the cross for our sins.

Answer 4

I read some of it, there is a lot there. JESUS is not like MOSES, but MUHUMMED is like MOSES: Deut.18:18 "LIKE UNTO THEE" - Like MOSES! Moses delivered the children of Israel out of slavery. Jesus delivered the Jews out of bondage from Satan. Not all believed in Him. Matthew 1 (New King James Version) And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.” 22 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,”[d] which is translated, “God with us.” So He was like Moses, He was a deliverer. John 14:11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. He did signs, and His followers are still doing them today. Luke 4:40 [ Many Healed After Sabbath Sunset ] When the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them. God confirms His word with signs and wonders. Healing is one of them.

Answer 5

1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; 2 this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is BORN AGAIN he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:1)

There out of the mouth of Jesus. You have to be born again.

Answer 6

Hi spiritroaming. You are wrong. The Bible mentions being 'born again' 3 times. In John 3:3, John 3:7 and 1 Peter 1:23. Christ explains what being born again means in John 3:3-7:

“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. 4Nicodemus 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?
5Jesus 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. 6That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.”

When God tells us we need to be ’Born Again’ it means we become a new spirit in Christ.

I’m not sure what your point is in trying to minimalize being Born Again. Being Born Again is Salvation. It is spiritural. It can only come from God Almighty Himself. No amount of bread and wine you eat or drink will give you Salvation. Salvation is spiritual, God is a spirit (John 4:24) None of anyone’s good works or church traditions will Save your soul, only God can, and Salvation can only be found through Jesus Christ.

Answer 7

well i do not know what yall believe but i know my bible,he who takes bread an wine,will have eternal life.

Answer 8

"born again" Jesus said you must be born again to gain heaven.

Answer 9

And the one time Jesus said "born again", He said you won't enter into heaven without it.

The rest of your personal interpretation is worthless. The Lord's table is symbolic. I'm not a cannibal.

Catholics are not saved Christians.

Answer 10

spiritroaming, it's futile to have an intelligent discussion with them because they can only grasp simple things. very sad isn't it? it seems like being Catholic must mean that you must be intelligent also.