Does Being Born Again Make You A Better Person?

[Katzpur]

IMO the person you described is not born again, but the same person trying hard to fulfill the law just like the Jews and Muslims.

Why do you say that? Jesus said, "If you love me, keep my commandments." When a person has been born again -- and I mean truly born again -- he experiences a change of heart. His desire from that time forward is to be follow his Savior's example. I don't know when the desire to obey Jesus' commandments became anything other than a means of honoring Him, but I guess some people don't see it that way.

 

[Muffled]

Why do you say that? Jesus said, "If you love me, keep my commandments." When a person has been born again -- and I mean truly born again -- he experiences a change of heart. His desire from that time forward is to be follow his Savior's example. I don't know when the desire to obey Jesus' commandments became anything other than a means of honoring Him, but I guess some people don't see it that way.

There are two parts to being born again. You have described the first but have left out the second. You must be born of the Spirit. For this to happen you must invite Him in to be Lord of your life. As long as you control your life you will sin no matter how hard you try not to.

 

[Muffled]

Muffled, there is no need to see everything in christian viwes. Everyone on RF knows about religions except there own. Your karma is carried on. Once you pay for your sins your even.

This is a comforting concept but also an impossibility. Old sins can be paid but there are always new ones to pay for so a person can never be even.

We are talking about a Christian event in this thread but that does not mean that I need to restrict myself to Christian views. However a religion may claim some validity for its views but that does not guarantee that they are correct views.

 

[Don Penguinoini]

I didnt say anyone was right or wrpng. IM ujst saying that you dont have to make your posts completely christian, universal is always better.

 

[Katzpur]

There are two parts to being born again. You have described the first but have left out the second. You must be born of the Spirit. For this to happen you must invite Him in to be Lord of your life. As long as you control your life you will sin no matter how hard you try not to.

I see a heartfelt commitment to Jesus Christ coming about as as result of being born of the Spirit. When I was baptized, I entered into a covenant relationship with Jesus Christ. When I received the Gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, I received the promise of His constant companionship as long as I remained faithful to the terms of the covenant I had entered into -- my part of that covenant being a promise to do my best to keep His commandments. Without the companionship of the Holy Ghost, I agree that I would sin no matter how hard I tried not to. But the choice to try to follow Jesus' example and live my life is still a choice I must make every day. Being "born again" certainly isn't a guarantee that I am home free. I have the promise of salvation, provided I endure to the end.

 

[ChristineES]

Although I am a Christian, I don't feel comfortable trying to change someone else's religion. All my witnessing that I have done has been to atheists and agnostics (and only if they let me). Some of these different faiths from mine have a lot of similarities to what I gathered from Jesus' teachings. I just can't ignore that.

 

[Muffled]

I didnt say anyone was right or wrpng. IM ujst saying that you dont have to make your posts completely christian, universal is always better.

It is easier to speakabout what I know and let you speak about what you know.

I don't see being correct the same thing as being right in the context that you have used the word.

For instance, it would be correct to say that Hinduism has more information about reincarnation than the Abrahamic Religions. However whether it is right for God to reincarnate people, I would say yes because God is always right.

 

[Muffled]

I see a heartfelt commitment to Jesus Christ coming about as as result of being born of the Spirit. When I was baptized, I entered into a covenant relationship with Jesus Christ. When I received the Gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, I received the promise of His constant companionship as long as I remained faithful to the terms of the covenant I had entered into -- my part of that covenant being a promise to do my best to keep His commandments. Without the companionship of the Holy Ghost, I agree that I would sin no matter how hard I tried not to. But the choice to try to follow Jesus' example and live my life is still a choice I must make every day. Being "born again" certainly isn't a guarantee that I am home free. I have the promise of salvation, provided I endure to the end.

I would consider you born again.

I went through three stages after being born again:
1. First I followed the law and God occasionally intervened on my behalf without my even being aware of it at the time.
2, After receiving the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, I followed the leading of the Holy Spirit as well as keeping the law.
3. Now God is resident in me and works through me. This is not yet totally in fruition but the promise is there for the future.

 

[Don Penguinoini]

It is easier to speakabout what I know and let you speak about what you know.

Cant you say in general? The question asks Does Being Born Again Make You A Better Person?
You dont have to say, jesus said yes. Im not saying what hindusim says, im saying what i think actually happens.

 

[Muffled]

Cant you say in general? The question asks Does Being Born Again Make You A Better Person?
You dont have to say, jesus said yes. Im not saying what hindusim says, im saying what i think actually happens.

I could but I don't think my personal opinions are worth much so I mcuh prefer to quote an authoritative source.

 

[Bathsheba]

If a born again Christian is reincarnated, do they have to be born again again?

Not if they come back as a Muslim - sheesssh!

 

[look3467]

The bible says: "The wages of sin is death". Do we not all die? What happens to sin then?
If the wages for sin is death, then at death, are they paid up.

There is a sin that is not unto death, and that sin is that way because someone already paid the dept.
That sin exists no more, so the only reward there is left is while you are still alive.
If you bless, you will be blessed, if you curse someone, you will be cursed.
That is the physical law.
Being born again is understanding that the spiritual end of our lives Jesus paid the dept we owed to death.
That being paid, we are free to live.
But the bible warns us that to abuse that freedom would be worse for us.
Worse in that we would be much afflicted, vexed spiritually, that we could not stand it, thus cursed by our own making.
But physical death would settle the sin dept and we would all be heaven bound.

The hardest thing for any human to understand is why would God forgive a disobedient child and throw a party when that child returns.
While there was never a party thrown for the obedient child?
Go figure.
"The Prodigal Son."

Peace>>>AJ

 

[lilithu]

The bible says: "The wages of sin is death". Do we not all die? What happens to sin then?
If the wages for sin is death, then at death, are they paid up.

There is a sin that is not unto death, and that sin is that way because someone already paid the dept.
That sin exists no more, so the only reward there is left is while you are still alive.

What about the unforgivable sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit?

The hardest thing for any human to understand is why would God forgive a disobedient child and throw a party when that child returns.
While there was never a party thrown for the obedient child?
Go figure.
"The Prodigal Son."

The obedient child has all that God has.

 

[look3467]

What about the unforgivable sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit?>>>lilithu

The only link between God and humanity is the Holy Spirit.
If the Holy Spirit is rejected, then the hope of salvation for that soul is placed on hold and the world is allowed to deal with him.

For at the time of that saying, Jesus had not yet gone to the cross.
While Jesus was yet alive, He was privy only to the circumstances that existed, on or revelations give to Him by God.
In other words, limited to required information as prescribed by God.
The whole thing was about to change with the Crucifixion, for all things that were, are now changed.
Rev 21:5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

Isa 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

So there is no excuse: no spirit of God, no life.

The obedient child has all that God has. >>>lilithu

Luk 15:29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:
Luk 15:30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
Luk 15:31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.

Peace>>>AJ

 

[Aasimar]

What about the unforgivable sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit?>>>lilithu

The only link between God and humanity is the Holy Spirit.
If the Holy Spirit is rejected, then the hope of salvation for that soul is placed on hold and the world is allowed to deal with him.

For at the time of that saying, Jesus had not yet gone to the cross.
While Jesus was yet alive, He was privy only to the circumstances that existed, on or revelations give to Him by God.
In other words, limited to required information as prescribed by God.
The whole thing was about to change with the Crucifixion, for all things that were, are now changed.
Rev 21:5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

Isa 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

So there is no excuse: no spirit of God, no life.

The obedient child has all that God has. >>>lilithu

Luk 15:29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:
Luk 15:30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
Luk 15:31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.

Peace>>>AJ

I suppose that means I shouldn't even try to get saved, seeing as how I'm damned anyway. Or is unforgivable flexible in the same manner infallible is to the Catholic church?

 

[blackout]

A friend of mine has a bumper sticker that reads:

Buddhist: Born again, and again, and again, and again, and again............

LOL! I'm not Buddhist (or anything)... but it is a TRUE understanding,
and in a "christian nation" makes for real funny bumper stickering!

 

[blackout]

I think being "born again" means being transformed - like a caterpillar to a butterfly. Transformation doesn't mean shedding everything about the previous self, but it does mean a dramatic qualitative change.

For me the transformation took place not just "inside" myself,
but in my whole reality, my whole life became a changed place,
like it was lifted from the "ordinary" (plain).... to the "supernatural" (plane)....
(which after all of this time is now very "natural"-
and now that I think of it, still awesomely super!)

 

[logician]

Any religion that thinks it is the only way - isn't.

 

[Muffled]

The bible says: "The wages of sin is death". Do we not all die? What happens to sin then?
If the wages for sin is death, then at death, are they paid up.

There is a sin that is not unto death, and that sin is that way because someone already paid the dept.
That sin exists no more, so the only reward there is left is while you are still alive.
If you bless, you will be blessed, if you curse someone, you will be cursed.
That is the physical law.
Being born again is understanding that the spiritual end of our lives Jesus paid the dept we owed to death.
That being paid, we are free to live.
But the bible warns us that to abuse that freedom would be worse for us.
Worse in that we would be much afflicted, vexed spiritually, that we could not stand it, thus cursed by our own making.
But physical death would settle the sin dept and we would all be heaven bound.

The hardest thing for any human to understand is why would God forgive a disobedient child and throw a party when that child returns.
While there was never a party thrown for the obedient child?
Go figure.
"The Prodigal Son."

Peace>>>AJ

Jesus indicates that this death is something that takes place in the spirit. Physical manifestations are just symptoms. At death the spirit lives on with the the quality of death still present. If a person goes to Heaven the death quality is suppressed so that it has no affect but another lifetime can bring it out again until that person replaces that death with life. That is why physical life is so important. It is the only time a person can replace death with life.

I don't agree with this definition because it is not the scriptural definition.

I don't agree with this. I believe Jesus died on the cross to prove that sin is no bar to Heaven. God loves you.

 

[MaddLlama]

Any religion that thinks it is the only way - isn't.

Including atheism :yes: