Born Again - what is it?

To me "Born again" implies finally experiencing the spiritual connection to God that all Christians should be striving for. It is not a simple matter of being baptized in a Church or saying some ritual words like so many Christians sadly think it is. It is also not an outward, ostentatious show of being "holier than thou" either like so many think it is.

It's hard to explain if you haven't experienced it for yourself. For me, I feel a deep inward yearning toward something else, something greater. It's a deep pull when my thoughts are centered on God for some reason or other. It almost brings tears to me eyes at times because the pull is so strong.

originally posted by: Klassified
a reply to: iNobody
For the Christian, being "born again" is simply becoming "alive to god" through conversion to the Christian faith(acceptance of Jesus).
Ephesians 2

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ...

There's nothing mystical or spiritual about it.

When I wrote this question, only a couple of people answered, and it was late and I feel asleep. So firstly, thank you to everyone taking the time to reply. I have read through them all, and right now do not have the time to reply to everyone, but deeply respect everyone's opinion on the matter.

Klassified, I picked your response out of all the rest to reply to. I don't know why.

There is a spiritual connection in coming alive to God. But it goes much further than that. It is a sacred secret not taught in any dark corner, or by any rites. It is in the Bible itself, and God's spirit teaches what it is.

Only sons of a certain town can enter into the private school. An outsider is rejected. Yet if a father adopts an outsider, and he becomes an adopted-son, he receives the same rights as the original son, and is now able to enter the school.

No one is able to enter into heaven expect the son. If the Father adopts sons from earth then they are given a token of their place in heaven. No one can enter without permission or adoption.

Being born again implants a seed, a spiritual seed and it grows as a spiritual person inside the person. That spiritual perfect seed of God as it grows through the quickening cries out in the physical form to be released and to go home to the Father who is spiritual.

This is being born again.

Someone here said he was a Jehovah's Witness an they don't believe in being born again. That person is a liar.

Most others are misinformed.

Many in the charismatic movements think of fleshly things when thinking of being born again. But the spiritual child waiting to return to God thinks not on physical things, but heavenly. But God is spiritual and not fleshly. All those who think they are born again and think God is flesh just like they are, have no idea of the calling, or what it means to be born again.

originally posted by: ketsuko
To me "Born again" implies finally experiencing the spiritual connection to God that all Christians should be striving for. It is not a simple matter of being baptized in a Church or saying some ritual words like so many Christians sadly think it is. It is also not an outward, ostentatious show of being "holier than thou" either like so many think it is.

It's hard to explain if you haven't experienced it for yourself. For me, I feel a deep inward yearning toward something else, something greater. It's a deep pull when my thoughts are centered on God for some reason or other. It almost brings tears to me eyes at times because the pull is so strong.

Thank you for taking your time to explain in honest terms what you think it means.

Being born again is not something all can achieve. It is a selection process of God. It has nothing to do with us. And no one is a failure if they do not achieve it.

originally posted by: iNobody
Thank you for taking your time to explain in honest terms what you think it means.

Being born again is not something all can achieve. It is a selection process of God. It has nothing to do with us. And no one is a failure if they do not achieve it.

I both agree and don't. For those who truly seek it will be given. But there will be a transformation where the seeker changes due to the answers the seeker finds.

"Keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you.

There are souls who are in vacation mode here to experience something else. They will be totally disconnected all their lives and not know much of the source on the other side but they will be very beautiful anyway in their own way.

This might now suit all of you since it is Sikh. But it is speaking of the love/unity.



Ong Namo -I bow to the subtle divine wisdom
Guru Dev Namo - I bow to the divine teacher within.

And the teacher within is below the mind.

Oh, my beloved
Kindness of the heart
Breath of life
I bow to you
And Im coming home
And Im coming
And Im coming home
And Im coming
Ong namo guru dev namo
Ong namo (I bow to the subtle divine wisdom)
Guru dev namo (I bow to the divine teacher within)
Oh, my beloved
Kindness of the heart
Breath of life
I bow to you
Divine teacher
Beloved friend
I bow to you
Again and again
Lotus sitting on the water, guru dev guru dev namo
Beyond time and space, guru dev guru dev namo
This is your way, guru dev guru dev namo
This is your grace, guru dev guru dev namo

originally posted by: LittleByLittle

originally posted by: iNobody
Thank you for taking your time to explain in honest terms what you think it means.

Being born again is not something all can achieve. It is a selection process of God. It has nothing to do with us. And no one is a failure if they do not achieve it.

I both agree and don't. For those who truly seek it will be given. But there will be a transformation where the seeker changes due to the answers the seeker finds.

"Keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you.

There are souls who are in vacation mode here to experience something else. They will be totally disconnected all their lives and not know much of the source on the other side but they will be very beautiful anyway in their own way.

This might now suit all of you since it is Sikh. But it is speaking of the love/unity.

Ong Namo -I bow to the subtle divine wisdom
Guru Dev Namo - I bow to the divine teacher within.

And the teacher within is below the mind.

Oh, my beloved
Kindness of the heart
Breath of life
I bow to you
And Im coming home
And Im coming
And Im coming home
And Im coming
Ong namo guru dev namo
Ong namo (I bow to the subtle divine wisdom)
Guru dev namo (I bow to the divine teacher within)
Oh, my beloved
Kindness of the heart
Breath of life
I bow to you
Divine teacher
Beloved friend
I bow to you
Again and again
Lotus sitting on the water, guru dev guru dev namo
Beyond time and space, guru dev guru dev namo
This is your way, guru dev guru dev namo
This is your grace, guru dev guru dev namo

A good premise, but it belies what God's word itself says:

(Romans 9:15, 16) . . .“I will show mercy to whomever I will show mercy, and I will show compassion to whomever I will show compassion.” 16 So, then, it depends, not on a person’s desire or on his effort, but on God, who has mercy.

a reply to: iNobody

Sorry Paul is not a source I trust for spiritual information so his writings do not mean anything to me even if they are in the bible.

(Romans 9:15, 16) . . .“I will show mercy to whomever I will show mercy, and I will show compassion to whomever I will show compassion.” 16 So, then, it depends, not on a person’s desire or on his effort, but on God, who has mercy.

An objective being who wishes symbiosis would respond to beautiful requests lovingly and show compassion. And if objective care about the works above flattering of the god ego.

Can also be seen as a contradiction to:

"Keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you.

The old Faith only vs Faith without works is dead contradiction....

If there is need and a souls is seeking to transcend this place then there will be an answer back to point the right direction from within. It is up to the seeker to follow it. The rights of a spirit. If a spirit seek the highest for symbiosis it will one day find the highest for symbiosis since a love for both parts will grow. An objective being might not like the current person but can love the being the current person will be under the right circumstances.

a reply to: LittleByLittle

Actually, Paul is quoting the Old Testament.

Exodus 33:19
The LORD replied, "I will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will call out my name, Yahweh, before you. For I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.

We all know what a loving and compassionate guy Yahweh was!

originally posted by: LittleByLittle
a reply to: iNobody

Sorry Paul is not a source I trust for spiritual information so his writings do not mean anything to me even if they are in the bible.

Can also be seen as a contradiction to:

"Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.

The old Faith only vs Faith without works is dead contradiction....

If there is need and a souls is seeking to transcend this place then there will be an answer back to point the right direction from within. It is up to the seeker to follow it.

If God's word, including what he inspired Paul to write, does not mean anything to you. That is fine, and I have deep respect for that. Obviously this discussion will only be something you won't want to participate in.

a reply to: iNobody

Been thru my own spiritual experience with the other side of the veil and yes Paul words mean nothing to me as a spiritual truth after that trip. I do not either put much credit to Muhammad as an very good spiritual teacher that can teach me much on the objective One. To much ego hiding behind the words.

Just because I do not agree with your idea on the bible, do not mean I do not have things to contribute to a discussion on the born again experience. I was an atheist in this life that meet the spiritual world that changed my view of the world.

a reply to: windword

Actually, Paul is quoting the Old Testament.

Exodus 33:19
The LORD replied, "I will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will call out my name, Yahweh, before you. For I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.

. Divinely inspired do not mean divinely allspanning truth. Souls get it wrong since their awareness are not able to transcend the subjective view.

a reply to: iNobody

Originally posted by iNobody
How many people who are "born again" think of the fleshly, and think of heaven in fleshly terms?

Wanted to stop there but need to go further. If your idea of being born again is fleshly and that heaven is fleshly, you were never born of the spirit. Which reveals spiritual things.

Personally, I think of the Heavenly and not the fleshy…

Becoming “born again”, is a spiritual event that takes place in a person life, at a specific date and time, when they receive the Holy Spirit IMO…

Jesus said “no one can enter the Kingdom of Heaven unless he is born again”…but the word enter, is more accurately translated as “knowing”, “perceiving” and “understanding” the Kingdom, because it’s a spiritual Kingdom. It’s a kingdom that one becomes aware one is in; on the day they receive the “Holy Spirit”

The Holy Spirit, births you into the Kingdom so to speak, or more accurately stated, makes you aware you are in the Kingdom, and that you were in it, all along…

When you become “born again” by receiving the Holy Spirit, you will experience rivers of living water flowing from within you…as described in the verse below…

John 7:38-39
Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive.

The whole of John 14 describes the receiving of the Holy Spirit more than any other chapter; it also describes the oneness connection you will experience, when you receive it, in the verse below…

John 14:20
20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.

Being “born again” is two fold, it’s a spiritual knowing of the Father above you i.e. your divine connection to God; And it’s also about recognizing/knowing that you are a spiritual being, and not just fleshy one.


- JC

a reply to: LittleByLittle

Just because I personally do not think Muhammad is a good source of understanding and think Rumi transcended Muhammad do not mean the followers of Muhammad are lost. All souls have the potential to transcend not matter the starting view.

a reply to: LittleByLittle

a reply to: LittleByLittle

Yep, I agree with you about Rumi. The world would be a much better place if Muslims read him more and the Koran less.

👣

a reply to: Joecroft

JoeCraft God's kingdom is more than just knowledge. It is real. And it exists beyond the realms of the physical.

Im just interjecting, but want to say that I think most religions believe in a creative God "energy" or spirit. And, that its available to anyone who believes the way their Religion believes. But maybe its the same Spirit. Just called by different names.
I have often wondered if you took all the worlds religions, including Ancient religions. Hindi, Buddhists, Muslems, Christian, Egyption, Mithrasim, etc etc, and looked only at the common treads in their belief systems, if that is the true message of the God Spirit. In our humble quest to understand it, we try to define it, and that is where I think Religious Programming comes in.

In reality I think we are one, we worship the same spirit, just define it differently. There are many members of the same body. I am probably just a wart, or a birth mark. But we are still a part of the same body.

a reply to: iNobody

He's not trolling.

👣

a reply to: iNobody

lol. . Hilarious.

Namaste (I bow to the divine in you)

originally posted by: iNobody
a reply to: Joecroft

JoeCraft God's kingdom is more than just knowledge. It is real. And it exists beyond the realms of the physical.

Have you been there? If so, please describe your experience and the circumstances surrounding it.

👣

originally posted by: BlueMule
a reply to: LittleByLittle

Yep, I agree with you about Rumi. The world would be a much better place if Muslims read him more and the Koran less.

Sufi Whirling Dervishes. Sufi tool to reach the source.

a reply to: iNobody

you'll know it when you're glowing and shining like a pregnant woman...

in the mean time this thread needs some tunes, set the mood.