Why are they called "born again" Christians?

Question

Cos the first time was such a disaster

Answer 1

John 3
Jesus Teaches Nicodemus
1Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him."
3In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."

4"How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"

5Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' 8The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."

9"How can this be?" Nicodemus asked.

10"You are Israel's teacher," said Jesus, "and do you not understand these things? 11I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 14Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.

16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. 19This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."

Answer 2

"Born again" -John 3:3.

Jesus tells Nicodemus that he must be born gain. Nicodemus questions? ..."can I enter again into my mothers womb and be reborn again"?
Jesus says- no. (paraphrasing) You must be born of water=which was Nicodemus' natural birth. AND- by the spirit.
Remember the story of Jesus' conception in Matthew ? Look at verse1:38. Mary "believed" what the messenger from God (angel) told her. It was through her belief that she conceived by the words of God. Its the same power that makes a person born again. When you "believe" (not just say so) what the Bible (God's word) says about Jesus- a "new Spirit" will be conceived within you and you will be born again. With that new spirit-you will be able to see and know things that you previously could not know or understand. The "lost" person can not comprehend it.

Answer 3

The concept stems from the original group of Christians that John the Baptist led and baptized Jesus Christ into. The Roman Catholics directly associate being born again with Baptism itself.

Most groups tend to trace it back to a statement by Jesus to Nicodemus in John 3:1-8 where he directly related the washing of sins and a new devotion to God to being re-born from the womb.

The theory being that before-hand they led lives of sin, not devoted to God but to themselves. After hearing a calling or simple dissatisfaction with their lives they decide then to devote themselves to God and are re-baptized (at least in theory, some groups only require a new devotion to God while the Catholics tend to take it literally and re-baptize the individual) cleansing them of sins and essentially being born anew in devotion to the word of Christ. Thus they are born again. It's also used a descriptor to new converts of evangelical Christians.

On a side-note, John the Baptist believed that the world was on the verge of apocalypse and the wicked would be cleansed away by the faithful who joined his small, anti-establishment group. Which is the technical definition of a Doomsday Cult. I always find that a bit humorous, no offense intended.

Answer 4

being "born again" is when a person comes to the point of knowing that they are truly unworthy of any thing from God. that there is nothing that they can do, on their own, to to justify themselves in the eyes of God. That the only hope they have is The Mercy and Grace of God... There is a process that occurs leading to this... an understanding that comes, for some fast, for others slowly, of The Way That God has prescribed for all to come to Him.... The concept can not be fully understood by one who has not experienced it...for me it took most of 53 yrs... and then only came in an instant when I was not even looking for God... but ... the result is a knowledge of the certainty of God and of His free gift, which is now mine, of Salvation... The Way is Jesus The Christ... when one experiences God's Mercy and Grace and receives His free gift of Salvation... then one knows what being "born again" really means...
If you have a question concerning The True Christian Faith feel free to email me... one honest question will receive one honest answer to the best of my ability.

Answer 5

It's because they were following the teachings of Christ and then fell off the perverbial Christian band wagon, realized that they were sinning somewhat, and went and got saved again and got back on the Christanity band wagon. By being saved a second time they were "Born again" to Christanity.

Answer 6

The Bible tells of a discussion between Jesus and Nicodemus in John3:3 where Jesus tells him one must be born again to see the Kingdom of Heaven. He goes on to say the "born again" is of the spirit.

Answer 7

when some body say they are born again christians, it means that they have repent, they are not living in a very sinful nature like before. they are walking closer with God. having a better spiritual relationship with God. being more commited to God

Answer 8

Because they use it hide away from all the bad things they have done previously, like non of it matters anymore cause they're born again.

Answer 9

The first birth is the physical birth whereas the second birth is the spiritual.

Answer 10

Rejecting the virgin birth of Mary.