Why Do Catholics Struggle With the Concept of Being Born Again

Evangelical Christian term

Born once again, or to experience the new birth, is a phrase, particularly in evangelicalism, that refers to a "spiritual rebirth", or a regeneration of the human spirit. In contrast to one'due south physical birth, being "built-in once again" is distinctly and separately caused past baptism in the Holy Spirit, it is not caused by baptism in h2o. It is a core doctrine of the denominations of the Anabaptist, Moravian, Methodist, Quaker, Baptist, Plymouth Brethren and Pentecostal Churches along with all other evangelical Christian denominations. All of these Churches strongly believe Jesus' words in the Gospels: "You must be born over again earlier you tin can see, or enter, the Kingdom of Heaven." Their doctrines also mandate that to be both "born again" and "saved", i must have a personal and intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [vi]

In contemporary Christian usage and apart from evangelicalism, the term is distinct from similar terms which are sometimes used in Christianity in reference to a person who is beingness or becoming a Christian. This usage of the term is unremarkably linked to baptism with water and the related doctrine of baptismal regeneration. Individuals who profess to exist "born over again" (meaning in the "Holy Spirit") oft country that they have a "personal relationship with Jesus Christ".[seven] [v] [6]

In addition to using this phrase with those who do not profess to exist Christians, some Evangelical Christians use the phrase and evangelize those who belong to other Christian denominations or groups. This practice is based on the belief that non-Evangelical Christians, fifty-fifty those Christians who are professed Christians, are not "born once more" and do non have a "personal relationship with Jesus." They therefore believe that they should deliver to non-Evangelical Christians in the same way that they would deliver to people who exercise not profess the Christian faith.

The phrase "born once more" is also used equally an adjective to describe individual members of the move who espouse this belief, and information technology is likewise used equally an describing word to depict the movement itself ("built-in-once again Christian" and the "born-once again motion").

Origin [edit]

The term is derived from an outcome in the Gospel of John in which the words of Jesus were not understood by a Jewish pharisee, Nicodemus.

Jesus replied, "Very truly I tell you, no one tin can see the kingdom of God unless they are built-in again." "How tin can someone be born when they are old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely they cannot enter a second time into their female parent's womb to exist born!" Jesus answered, "Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of h2o and the Spirit."

Gospel of John, John chapter iii, verses three–v, NIV[8]

The Gospel of John was written in Koine Greek, and the original text is ambiguous which results in a double entendre that Nicodemus misunderstands. The word translated as over again is ἄνωθεν (ánōtʰen), which could mean either "again", or "from above".[9] The double entendre is a figure of speech that the gospel author uses to create bewilderment or misunderstanding in the hearer; the misunderstanding is and then clarified past either Jesus or the narrator. Nicodemus takes only the literal pregnant from Jesus'due south statement, while Jesus clarifies that he means more of a spiritual rebirth from in a higher place. English translations have to option ane sense of the phrase or another; the NIV, King James Version, and Revised Version apply "born again", while the New Revised Standard Version[10] and the New English Translation[11] prefer the "born from in a higher place" translation.[12] Well-nigh versions will annotation the alternative sense of the phrase anōthen in a footnote.

Edwyn Hoskyns argues that "born from above" is to be preferred equally the central pregnant and he drew attending to phrases such as "nascence of the Spirit",[13] "nativity from God",[14] only maintains that this necessarily carries with it an emphasis upon the newness of the life as given past God himself.[15]

The final employ of the phrase occurs in the Showtime Epistle of Peter, rendered in the King James Version every bit:

Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, [see that ye] dearest one another with a pure heart fervently: / Beingness born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, past the give-and-take of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

1 Peter 1:22-23[16]

Here, the Greek word translated every bit "born once again" is ἀναγεγεννημένοι ( anagegennēménoi ).[17]

Interpretations [edit]

The traditional Jewish understanding of the promise of salvation is interpreted as being rooted in "the seed of Abraham"; that is, physical lineage from Abraham. Jesus explained to Nicodemus that this doctrine was in fault—that every person must have two births—natural birth of the physical body and some other of the water and the spirit.[xviii] This discourse with Nicodemus established the Christian conventionalities that all human beings—whether Jew or Gentile—must be "built-in again" of the spiritual seed of Christ. The Apostle Peter further reinforced this understanding in ane Peter 1:23.[19] [17] The Cosmic Encyclopedia states that "[a] controversy existed in the primitive church over the interpretation of the expression the seed of Abraham. It is [the Apostle Paul'southward] educational activity in one example that all who are Christ's by faith are Abraham's seed, and heirs co-ordinate to hope. He is concerned, however, with the fact that the hope is not being fulfilled to the seed of Abraham (referring to the Jews)."[20]

Charles Hodge writes that "The subjective modify wrought in the soul by the grace of God, is variously designated in Scripture" with terms such as new birth, resurrection, new life, new creation, renewing of the listen, dying to sin and living to righteousness, and translation from darkness to lite.[21]

Jesus used the "birth" illustration in tracing spiritual newness of life to a divine beginning. Contemporary Christian theologians accept provided explanations for "born from above" existence a more accurate translation of the original Greek give-and-take transliterated anōthen. [22] Theologian Frank Stagg cites ii reasons why the newer translation is significant:

  1. The emphasis "from above" (implying "from Heaven") calls attention to the source of the "newness of life". Stagg writes that the give-and-take "again" does non include the source of the new kind of beginning;
  2. More personal improvement is needed. "a new destiny requires a new origin, and the new origin must be from God."[23]

An early case of the term in its more modern use appears in the sermons of John Wesley. In the sermon entitled A New Birth he writes, "none tin can be holy unless he be born again", and "except he be born again, none tin can be happy even in this globe. For ... a man should not be happy who is not holy." Also, "I say, [a human] may be built-in again and so become an heir of salvation." Wesley also states infants who are baptized are born again, but for adults it is dissimilar:

our church supposes, that all who are baptized in their infancy, are at the same fourth dimension born over again. ... But ... information technology is certain all of riper years, who are baptized, are non at the same time built-in over again.[24]

A Unitarian work chosen The Gospel Anchor noted in the 1830s that the phrase was not mentioned by the other Evangelists, nor by the Apostles except Peter. "Information technology was non regarded past any of the Evangelists but John of sufficient importance to record." It adds that without John, "we should hardly have known that it was necessary for one to be born again." This suggests that "the text and context was meant to apply to Nicodemus particularly, and not to the world."[25]

Historicity [edit]

Scholars of historical Jesus, that is, attempting to define how closely the stories of Jesus friction match the historical events they are based on, generally treat Jesus'southward chat with Nicodemus in John 3 with skepticism. It details what is presumably a individual conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, with none of the disciples seemingly attending, making it unclear how a record of this conversation was acquired. In addition, the conversation is recorded in no other ancient Christian source other than John and works based on John.[26] According to Bart Ehrman, the larger consequence is that the same problem English translations of the Bible have with the Greek ἄνωθεν (anōthen) is a problem in the Aramaic language as well: there is no single word in Aramaic that means both "once more" and "from higher up", withal the chat rests on Nicodemus making this misunderstanding.[27] As the conversation was between two Jews in Jerusalem, where Aramaic was the native language, there is no reason to think that they'd accept spoken in Greek.[26] This implies that even if based on a real conversation, the author of John heavily modified it to include Greek wordplay and idiom.[26]

Denominational positions [edit]

Catholicism [edit]

Historically, the archetype text from John 3 was consistently interpreted by the early on church fathers as a reference to baptism.[28] Modern Catholic interpreters take noted that the phrase 'born from above' or 'born over again'[29] is clarified as 'beingness born of water and Spirit'.[30]

Cosmic commentator John F. McHugh notes, "Rebirth, and the commencement of this new life, are said to come about ἐξ ὕδατος καὶ πνεύματος, of h2o and spirit. This phrase (without the article) refers to a rebirth which the early Church regarded equally taking identify through baptism."[31]

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) notes that the essential elements of Christian initiation are: "proclamation of the Word, acceptance of the Gospel entailing conversion, profession of organized religion, Baptism itself, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and access to Eucharistic communion."[32] Baptism gives the person the grace of forgiveness for all prior sins; information technology makes the newly baptized person a new brute and an adopted son of God;[33] it incorporates them into the Body of Christ[34] and creates a sacramental bond of unity leaving an indelible mark on our souls.[35] "Incorporated into Christ by Baptism, the person baptized is configured to Christ. Baptism seals the Christian with the indelible spiritual marker (character) of his belonging to Christ. No sin tin erase this marker, fifty-fifty if sin prevents Baptism from bearing the fruits of salvation. Given once for all, Baptism cannot be repeated."[36] The Holy Spirit is involved with each aspect of the movement of grace. "The get-go piece of work of the grace of the Holy Spirit is conversion. ... Moved by grace, homo turns toward God and abroad from sin, thus accepting forgiveness and righteousness from on high."[37]

The Catholic Church also teaches that under special circumstances the need for water baptism can be superseded past the Holy Spirit in a 'baptism of desire', such as when catechumens dice or are martyred prior to receiving baptism.[38]

Pope John Paul II wrote in Catechesi Tradendae nearly "the problem of children baptized in infancy [who] come for catechesis in the parish without receiving any other initiation into the organized religion and still without any explicit personal attachment to Jesus Christ.".[39] He noted that "being a Christian means maxim 'yes' to Jesus Christ, but let united states remember that this 'yes' has two levels: It consists of surrendering to the discussion of God and relying on information technology, but it also ways, at a later stage, endeavoring to know ameliorate—and improve the profound significant of this discussion."[xl]

The mod expression being "born over again" is really almost the concept of "conversion".

The National Directory of Catechesis (published past the U.s.a. Conference of Catholic Bishops, USCCB) defines conversion equally, "the acceptance of a personal relationship with Christ, a sincere adherence to him, and a willingness to accommodate one'south life to his."[41] To put it more than simply "Conversion to Christ involves making a genuine commitment to him and a personal conclusion to follow him as his disciple."[41]

Echoing the writings of Pope John Paul II, the National Directory of Catechesis describes a new intervention required by our mod earth called the "New Evangelization". The New Evangelization is directed to the Church herself, to the baptized who were never effectively evangelized before, to those who have never made a personal commitment to Christ and the Gospel, to those formed past the values of the secular culture, to those who have lost a sense of faith, and to those who are alienated.[42]

Declan O'Sullivan, co-founder of the Catholic Men's Fellowship and knight of the Sovereign Military Lodge of Malta, wrote that the "New Evangelization emphasizes the personal encounter with Jesus Christ every bit a pre-condition for spreading the gospel. The born-again experience is not but an emotional, mystical loftier; the really of import affair is what happened in the convert'due south life after the moment or period of radical change."[43]

Lutheranism [edit]

The Lutheran Church building holds that "nosotros are apple-pie of our sins and born again and renewed in Holy Baptism by the Holy Ghost. Just she as well teaches that whoever is baptized must, through daily contrition and repentance, drown The Old Adam so that daily a new man come along and arise who walks earlier God in righteousness and purity forever. She teaches that whoever lives in sins after his baptism has once again lost the grace of baptism."[44]

Moravianism [edit]

With regard to the New Nascency, the Moravian Church holds that a personal conversion to Christianity is a joyful experience, in which the private "accepts Christ as Lord" after which faith "daily grows inside the person."[45] For Moravians, "Christ lived as a homo because he wanted to provide a blueprint for time to come generations" and "a converted person could attempt to live in his prototype and daily become more similar Jesus."[45] As such, "heart faith" characterizes Moravian Christianity.[45] The Moravian Church has historically emphasized evangelism, especially missionary piece of work, to spread the faith.[46]

Anabaptism [edit]

Anabaptist denominations, such every bit the Mennonites, teach that "True faith entails a new birth, a spiritual regeneration past God'due south grace and power; 'believers' are those who have become the spiritual children of God."[47] In Anabaptist theology, the pathway to conservancy, is "marked not by a forensic understanding of salvation by 'faith alone', just by the unabridged process off repentance, self-denial, religion rebirth and obedience."[47] Those who wish to tarry this path receive baptism after the New Birth.[47]

Anglicanism [edit]

The phrase built-in again is mentioned in the 39 Articles of the Anglican Church in article Xv, entitled "Of Christ lonely without Sin". In part, it reads: "sin, every bit South. John saith, was not in Him. But all we the remainder, although baptized and born again in Christ, yet offend in many things: and if we say we take no sin, nosotros deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in the states."[48]

Although the phrase "baptized and born again in Christ" occurs in Article XV, the reference is clearly to the scripture passage in John 3:3.[49]

Reformed [edit]

In Reformed theology, Holy Baptism is the sign and the seal of ane's regeneration, which is of comfort to the believer.[50] The time of one'southward regeneration, however, is a mystery to oneself co-ordinate to the Canons of Dort.[50]

According to the Reformed churches being built-in over again refers to "the inward working of the Spirit which induces the sinner to respond to the effectual call". According to the Westminster Shorter Catechism, Q 88, "the outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicateth to the states the benefits of redemption are, his ordinances, especially the word, sacraments, and prayer; all of which are made effectual to the elect for salvation."[51] Effectual calling is "the work of God'due south Spirit, whereby, convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ, and renewing our wills, he doth persuade and enable the states to encompass Jesus Christ, freely offered to us in the gospel."[52] [53]

In Reformed theology, "regeneration precedes religion."[54] Samuel Storms writes that, "Calvinists insist that the sole cause of regeneration or being born again is the volition of God. God first sovereignly and efficaciously regenerates, and only in upshot of that do we human action. Therefore, the private is passive in regeneration, neither preparing himself nor making himself receptive to what God will do. Regeneration is a modify wrought in usa by God, non an democratic deed performed by us for ourselves."[55]

Quakerism [edit]

The Central Yearly Meeting of Friends, a Holiness Quaker denomination, teaches that regeneration is the "divine work of initial conservancy (Tit. 3:5), or conversion, which involves the accompanying works of justification (Rom. v:18) and adoption (Rom. eight:15, 16)."[3] In regeneration, which occurs in the New Birth], in that location is a "transformation in the eye of the believer wherein he finds himself a new creation in Christ (Ii Cor. 5:17; Col. i:27)."[3]

Following the New Birth, George Fob taught the possibility of "holiness of heart and life through the instantaneous baptism with the Holy Spirit subsequent to the new birth" (cf. Christian perfection).[56]

Methodism [edit]

In Methodism, the "new nascence is necessary for conservancy because it marks the move toward holiness. That comes with faith."[one] John Wesley, held that the New Birth "is that swell modify which God works in the soul when he brings it into life, when he raises it from the death of sin to the life of righteousness."[58] [1] In the life of a Christian, the new birth is considered the first work of grace.[59] In keeping with Wesleyan-Arminian covenant theology, the Manufactures of Organized religion, in Article XVII—Of Baptism, state that baptism is a "sign of regeneration or the new nativity."[60] The Methodist Visitor in describing this doctrine, admonishes individuals: "'Ye must be born once more.' Yield to God that He may perform this work in and for yous. Admit Him to your heart. 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thousand shalt be saved.'"[61] [62] Methodist theology teaches that the New Nascence contains two phases that occur together, justification and regeneration:[63]

Though these two phases of the new birth occur simultaneously, they are, in fact, two separate and distinct acts. Justification is that gracious and judicial act of God whereby a soul is granted complete absolution from all guilt and a full release from the penalty of sin (Romans 3:23-25). This human action of divine grace is wrought past faith in the merits of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1). Regeneration is the impartation of divine life which is manifested in that radical alter in the moral character of human, from the love and life of sin to the dear of God and the life of righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:17; i Peter 1:23). ―Principles of Religion, Emmanuel Association of Churches[63]

Baptists [edit]

Baptists teach that people are born again when they believe that Jesus died for their sin, and was buried, and rose once more (1 Cor xv:3-iv), and that by believing/trusting in Jesus' death, burial and resurrection, eternal life shall be granted equally a gift by God (John 3:14-16, Acts ten:43, Romans 6:23). Those who take been born again, according to Baptist teaching, know that they are "[children] of God because the Holy Spirit witnesses to them that they are" (cf. balls).[64]

Plymouth Brethren [edit]

The Plymouth Brethren teach that the New Nascency effects conservancy and those who testify that they take been built-in again, repented, and have faith in the Scriptures are given the right paw of fellowship, after which they can partake of the Lord's Supper.[65]

Pentecostalism [edit]

Holiness Pentecostals historically teach the new birth (starting time work of grace), entire sanctification (second work of grace) and baptism with the Holy Spirit, every bit evidenced past glossolalia, as the third work of grace.[66] [67] The New Birth, according to Pentecostal teaching, imparts "spiritual life".[4]

Jehovah's Witnesses [edit]

Jehovah's Witnesses believe that individuals practice not accept the power to choose to be born once more, but that God calls and selects his followers "from in a higher place".[68] Simply those belonging to the "144,000" are considered to be built-in once more.[69] [70]

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-solar day Saints [edit]

The Volume of Mormon emphasizes the need for everyone to be reborn of God.[71]

Disagreements betwixt denominations [edit]

The term "born again" is used past several Christian denominations, but at that place are disagreements on what the term means, and whether members of other denominations are justified in claiming to exist born-again Christians.

Catholic Answers says:

Catholics should ask [Evangelical] Protestants, "Are you born again—the fashion the Bible understands that concept?" If the Evangelical has not been properly water baptized, he has non been built-in once more "the Bible style," regardless of what he may think.[72]

On the other hand, an Evangelical site argues:

Some other of many examples is the Catholic who claims he too is "born again." ... However, what the committed Catholic means is that he received his spiritual birth when he was baptized—either as an infant or when as an adult he converted to Catholicism. That'southward not what Jesus meant when He told Nicodemus he "must be born once again."[73] The deliberate adoption of biblical terms which accept different meanings for Catholics has become an effective tool in Rome's ecumenical agenda.[74]

The Reformed view of regeneration may be fix apart from other outlooks in at least two ways.

First, classical Roman Catholicism teaches that regeneration occurs at baptism, a view known every bit baptismal regeneration. Reformed theology has insisted that regeneration may take place at any time in a person's life, even in the womb. It is not somehow the automatic issue of baptism. Second, information technology is common for many other evangelical branches of the church to speak of repentance and religion leading to regeneration (i.e., people are born once again but afterward they practice saving organized religion). Past dissimilarity, Reformed theology teaches that original sin and full depravity deprive all people of the moral ability and will to exercise saving faith. ... Regeneration is entirely the work of God the Holy Spirit - we can do nothing on our own to obtain it. God alone raises the elect from spiritual death to new life in Christ.[75] [76]

History and usage [edit]

Historically, Christianity has used various metaphors to describe its rite of initiation, that is, spiritual regeneration via the sacrament of baptism by the ability of the water and the spirit. This remains the mutual understanding in well-nigh of Christendom, held, for example, in Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, Lutheranism,[44] Anglicanism,[77] and in other historic branches of Protestantism. However, sometime after the Reformation, Evangelicalism attributed greater significance to the expression born again [78] as an feel of religious conversion,[79] symbolized by deep-water baptism, and rooted in a commitment to one's own personal faith in Jesus Christ for conservancy. This aforementioned belief is, historically, also an integral role of Methodist doctrine,[lxxx] [81] and is continued with the doctrine of Justification.[82]

Co-ordinate to Encyclopædia Britannica:

'Rebirth' has frequently been identified with a definite, temporally datable form of 'conversion'. ... With the voluntaristic type, rebirth is expressed in a new alignment of the volition, in the liberation of new capabilities and powers that were hitherto undeveloped in the person concerned. With the intellectual type, it leads to an activation of the capabilities for understanding, to the quantum of a "vision". With others it leads to the discovery of an unexpected beauty in the guild of nature or to the discovery of the mysterious meaning of history. With yet others it leads to a new vision of the moral life and its orders, to a selfless realization of love of neighbour. ... each person affected perceives his life in Christ at any given fourth dimension as "newness of life."[83]

According to J. Gordon Melton:

Born again is a phrase used by many Protestants to depict the phenomenon of gaining faith in Jesus Christ. It is an feel when everything they have been taught every bit Christians becomes existent, and they develop a directly and personal relationship with God.[84]

According to Andrew Purves and Charles Partee:

Sometimes the phrase seems to be judgmental, making a distinction between genuine and nominal Christians. Sometimes ... descriptive, similar the distinction between liberal and conservative Christians. Occasionally, the phrase seems historic, like the sectionalisation between Catholic and Protestant Christians. ... [the term] usually includes the notion of human choice in salvation and excludes a view of divine election by grace alone.[85]

The term born once again has become widely associated with the evangelical Christian renewal since the late 1960s, offset in the Us and then around the world. Associated perhaps initially with Jesus People and the Christian counterculture, born again came to refer to a conversion feel, accepting Jesus Christ every bit lord and savior in club to be saved from hell and given eternal life with God in heaven, and was increasingly used as a term to place devout believers.[12] By the mid-1970s, born again Christians were increasingly referred to in the mainstream media every bit part of the born over again movement.

In 1976, Watergate conspirator Chuck Colson's book Born Again gained international notice. Time magazine named him "One of the 25 most influential Evangelicals in America."[86] The term was sufficiently prevalent then that during the year'due south presidential campaign, Democratic party nominee Jimmy Carter described himself every bit "born once again" in the outset Playboy magazine interview of an American presidential candidate.

Colson describes his path to religion in conjunction with his criminal imprisonment and played a meaning role in solidifying the "born again" identity as a cultural construct in the U.s.. He writes that his spiritual experience followed considerable struggle and hesitancy to have a "personal encounter with God." He recalls:

while I sat alone staring at the sea I beloved, words I had non been certain I could sympathise or say vicious from my lips: "Lord Jesus, I believe in You lot. I accept You. Please come up into my life. I commit information technology to You." With these few words...came a sureness of heed that matched the depth of feeling in my heart. In that location came something more: force and serenity, a wonderful new assurance about life, a fresh perception of myself in the earth around me.[87]

Jimmy Carter was the showtime President of the Usa to publicly declare that he was born-again, in 1976.[88] By the 1980 campaign, all three major candidates stated that they had been born again.[89]

Sider and Knippers[90] country that "Ronald Reagan's election that autumn [was] aided by the votes of 61% of 'built-in-again' white Protestants."

The Gallup Organization reported that "In 2003, 42% of U.Due south. adults said they were born-again or evangelical; the 2004 percentage is 41%" and that, "Black Americans are far more likely to place themselves equally born-again or evangelical, with 63% of blacks saying they are born-again, compared with 39% of white Americans. Republicans are far more probable to say they are built-in-once again (52%) than Democrats (36%) or independents (32%)."[91]

The Oxford Handbook of Faith and American Politics, referring to several studies, reports "that 'built-in-once again' identification is associated with lower support for regime anti-poverty programs." Information technology as well notes that "cocky-reported born-once again" Christianity, "strongly shapes attitudes towards economic policy."[92]

Names which have been inspired by the term [edit]

The idea of "rebirth in Christ" has inspired[93] some common European forenames: French René/Renée, Dutch Renaat/Renate, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and Croatian Renato/Renata, Latin Renatus/Renata, all of which mean "reborn", "born again".[94]

Statistics [edit]

The Oxford Handbook of Religion and American Politics notes: "The GSS ... has asked a built-in-once again question on 3 occasions ... 'Would you say you have been 'born again' or accept had a 'built-in-again' feel?" The Handbook says that "Evangelical, blackness, and Latino Protestants tend to respond similarly, with about two-thirds of each group answering in the affirmative. In contrast, just about 1 third of mainline Protestants and one 6th of Catholics (Anglo and Latino) merits a built-in-again experience." Even so, the handbook suggests that "born-again questions are poor measures even for capturing evangelical respondents. ... it is likely that people who report a built-in-again experience too claim it as an identity."[95]

See also [edit]

  • Altar call – Tradition in some Christian churches
  • Baptismal regeneration – Doctrines held by major Christian denomination
  • Born-again virgin – Person who commits to abstinence after having had sexual intercourse
  • Child dedication – Act of consecration of children
  • Jesus movement – Sometime evangelical Christian motion
  • Dvija – Twice-born status of Hindu male person after Upanayana
  • Evangelism – Preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ
  • Monergism – View inside Christian theology
  • Sinner's prayer – Evangelical Christian term referring to any prayer of repentance

References [edit]

  1. ^ a b c Joyner, F. Belton (2007). United Methodist Questions, United Methodist Answers: Exploring Christian Faith. Westminster John Knox Press. p. 39. ISBN9780664230395 . Retrieved x April 2014. The new nativity is necessary for salvation considering it marks the motility toward holiness. That comes with faith.
  2. ^ Cathcart, William (1883). The Baptist Encyclopaedia: A Dictionary of the Doctrines, Ordinances ... of the General History of the Baptist Denomination in All Lands, with Numerous Biographical Sketches...& a Supplement. 50. H. Everts. p. 834.
  3. ^ a b c Transmission of Faith and Practice of Primal Yearly Meeting of Friends. Central Yearly Meeting of Friends. 2018. p. 26.
  4. ^ a b Wood, William Due west. (1965). Civilisation and Personality Aspects of the Pentecostal Holiness Faith. Mouton & Company. p. 18. ISBN978-3-11-204424-7.
  5. ^ a b Bornstein, Erica (2005). The spirit of development: Protestant NGOs, morality, and economics in Zimbabwe. Stanford University Press. ISBN9780804753364 . Retrieved 30 July 2011. A senior staff fellow member in Earth Vision's California function elaborated on the importance of being "built-in again," emphasizing a fundamental "relationship" between individuals and Jesus Christ: "...the importance of a personal relationship with Christ [is] that it's not just a thing of going to Christ or being baptized when you are an infant. Nosotros believe that people need to be regenerated. They need a spiritual rebirth. The need to be born again. ...You must be born again before you can see, or enter, the Kingdom of Heaven."
  6. ^ a b Lever, A. B. (2007). And God Said... ISBN9781604771152 . Retrieved 30 July 2011. From speaking to other Christians I know that the distinction of a born again laic is a personal experience of God that leads to a personal human relationship with Him.
  7. ^ Price, Robert Yard. (1993). Across Born Once more: Toward Evangelical Maturity. Wildside Press. ISBN9781434477484 . Retrieved xxx July 2011. I accept a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
  8. ^ John three:iii-v
  9. ^ Danker, Frederick W., et al, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early on Christian Literature, 3rd ed (Chicago: University of Chicago,2010), 92. Specifically see the first (from above) and fourth (again, anew) meanings.
  10. ^ Jn 3:three Net
  11. ^ Jn 3:3 NET
  12. ^ a b Mullen, MS., in Kurian, GT., The Encyclopedia of Christian Civilization, J. Wiley & Sons, 2012, p. 302.
  13. ^ Jn 1:five
  14. ^ cf. Jn ane:12-13; 1Jn two:29, 3:9, 4:7, five:18
  15. ^ Hoskyns, Sir Edwyn C. and Davy, F.Northward.(ed), The Fourth Gospel, Faber & Faber second ed. 1947, pp. 211,212
  16. ^ 1Peter 1:22-23
  17. ^ a b Fisichella, SJ., Taking Abroad the Veil: To Run across Across the Curtain of Illusion, iUniverse, 2003, pp. 55-56.
  18. ^ Emmons, Samuel B. A Bible Dictionary. BiblioLife, 2008. ISBN 978-0-554-89108-viii.
  19. ^ 1Peter i:23
  20. ^ Driscoll, James F. "Divine Promise (in Scripture)". The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 12. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. xv November 2009.[1]
  21. ^ "Systematic Theology - Volume Iii - Christian Classics Ethereal Library". www.ccel.org . Retrieved xi September 2019.
  22. ^ The New Attestation Greek Lexicon. thirty July 2009.
  23. ^ Stagg, Evelyn and Frank. Woman in the World of Jesus. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1978. ISBN 0-664-24195-vi
  24. ^ Wesley, J., The works of the Reverend John Wesley, Methodist Episcopal Church, 1831, pp. 405–406.
  25. ^ LeFevre, CF. and Williamson, ID., The Gospel anchor. Troy, NY, 1831–32, p. 66. [2]
  26. ^ a b c Ehrman, Bart (2016). Jesus Before the Gospels: How the Earliest Christians Remembered, Changed, and Invented Their Stories of the Savior. HarperOne. pp. 108–109. ISBN978-0062285201.
  27. ^ "Biblical Errancy: The "Born Again" Dialogue In the Gospel of John". Biblical Errancy . Retrieved 11 September 2019.
  28. ^ Joel C. Elworthy, Ed. Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, New Testament IVa, John 1-x (Downers Grove: Intervarsity Printing, 2007), p. 109-110
  29. ^ John 3:3
  30. ^ John 3:5
  31. ^ John F. McHugh, John ane-4, The International Disquisitional Commentary (New York: T&T Clark, 2009), p. 227
  32. ^ CCC 1229
  33. ^ ii Corinthians 5:17; ii Peter one:four
  34. ^ Ephesians 4:25
  35. ^ CCC 1262-1274
  36. ^ CCC 1272
  37. ^ CCC 1989
  38. ^ CCC 1260
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  41. ^ a b U.s.a. Conference of Catholic Bishops, National Directory of Catechesis (2005) p. 48
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  61. ^ The Methodist Visitor. Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, E.C. 1876. p. 137. Ye must be born once again." Yield to God that He may perform this piece of work in and for you. Acknowledge Him to your heart. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thousand shalt be saved.
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External links [edit]

  • The New Birth, John Wesley, sermon No. 45. Wesley'due south teaching on being born again, and argument that information technology is fundamental to Christianity.

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Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Born_again

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