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ARE YOU A BORN AGAIN
CHRISTIAN?
What other kind of Christian is there?
Jesus told the night visitor Nicodemus, "Unless one is born again, he
cannot see the kingdom of God." When Nicodemus expressed his puzzlement,
the Lord explained, "Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he
cannot enter the kingdom of God" (John 3:3-5).
This rebirth is universally equated with the forgiveness of sins and
salvation. Jesus testified of two elements necessary to experience our
new birth: water and the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is involved in several
ways. First, His work of revealing God's Will to man is the avenue
through which we learn of God's desire to save us. "Of His Own Will He
brought us forth by the Word of Truth..." (Jas. 1:18). Second, the
Spirit "seals" or marks-for-identification those who come to belong to
God (Eph. 1:13). And third, included in this "sealing," the Spirit
is "given to those who obey Him" (Acts 5:32). We may not understand all
aspects of the Spirit dwelling in us, but we do know that without the
inspired Scriptures we could not be saved, for "Faith comes from
hearing, and hearing by the Word of God" (Rom. 10:17).
But the other essential element of being born-again is water. The only
sense in which water is ever mentioned in connection to a "new life," is
when speaking of water baptism for the remission of sins (Rom. 6:3,4;
Col. 2:12,13). It's also interesting to note that many denominational
commentators, who personally reject baptism as having any connection to
salvation, admit that John 3:3-5 teaches water baptism for that very
purpose.
The late Dr. Merrill C. Tenney, well known theologian and long-time
lecturer at Wheaton College in Illinois, taught in his Bible classes
that John 3:3-5 teaches water baptism for the remission of sins. To Dr.
Tenney, the meaning was so obvious it could
not be denied. But when asked how he reconciled the fact that Jesus
taught water baptism, while being affiliated with a denomination that
denied the importance of it, he replied, "I can't." Well, he was
nothing, if not straightforward.
Water baptism is an act of faith that declares our confidence in God to
raise us to a new spiritual life, just as He raised Jesus from the grave
(Col. 2:12). We have faith to obey Jesus in baptism because the Holy
Spirit inspired men to write God's Word for us. The Spirit and water are
both essential to being born again; hence, Jesus' Words: "Unless one is
born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." There
can be no real Christians, except born again Christians.
Curiously though, the world has completely redefined the meaning of being
born again. Nowadays it's relatively popular to be "born-again." From
politicians and actors wishing to change a "bad boy" image, to our
neighbors next door, everyone is being born-again. But this vital
soul-saving principle taught by Jesus has been altered to accommodate
the "wisdom" of men.
Instead of being born "of water and the Spirit," folks are told to just
"accept Jesus as your personal Savior," even though no Scripture is
produced to support the instruction.
Or perhaps people are told to "invite Jesus into your heart." Again,
however, no passage can be found to illustrate the correctness of such a
move. In fact, nearly anything can be an acceptable means of being "born
again," except the things Jesus actually taught!! Conversations can turn
downright ugly if one even tries to mention baptism. Instead of being a
simple act of faith, baptism has been transformed into a "work" that
only ignorant, insincere people use to try to earn their redemption.
And this, despite the words of the apostle Paul: "But when the kindness
and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of
righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved
us, through the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy
Spirit..." (Ti. 3:4,5). Even sectarian writers acknowledge that the
"washing of regeneration" is a reference to water baptism. And note that
Paul makes a clear distinction between the meritorious works of men on
the one hand, and baptism on the other. Baptism, properly understood, is
an act of faith, not a "good work" one does to "win points" with God.
How can it be that everyone wants to be "born again," but so few seem
willing to do what Jesus taught? It must be because modern man wants to
take the lead in his own salvation, rather than being led by the Spirit.
At any rate, next time someone asks the familiar question, "Are you a
born again Christian?" look at him dumbly and reply, "What other kind is
there?"
-- Steve Dewhirst via
Gospel Power, Vol. 13, No. 32, Aug. 6, 2006.
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