What is the 'born again' experience?

[The_word_made_flesh]

So what does it mean to be born again or as some translations yield the original Greek text "born from above"?

This is talking about spiritual regeneration or inner renewal from one's old nature to a new nature.

Here is from John 3 (ESV)

3 "Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God."


Here is the (NVSV) New revised standard version.
Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.”.

The meaning is the same though.

So what is being born of water and spirit? Being born of spirit means being born again or born from above and receiving indwelling of the Holy Spirit when one accepts Jesus Christ as their Lord. The term being born of water was a ancient Israelite phrase that simply meant normal natural birth or in other words just being born. This is because when child birth starts the mothers water breaks and children are born quite wet and pussy. In context Jesus was telling Nicodemus that in addition to our worldly birth we need a heavenly birth.


Here is Ezekiel 11:19 (CJB)

19 "And I will give them unity of heart. “I will put a new spirit among you.” I will remove from their bodies the hearts of stone and give them hearts of flesh;"

Also from Ezekiel 36:26 (CJB)
"I will give you a new heart
and put a new spirit inside you;
I will take the stony heart out of your flesh
and give you a heart of flesh."


Now back to the New Testament (ESV) in 1 Peter 1:22-23

22 "Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God"


So why is it necessary to have a renewed heart? Because the old heart is to hard and to wounded and tainted!

Jeremiah 17:9
The heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately sick;
who can understand it?

Genesis 6:5

5 "The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually."



So call upon the Lord and ask Jesus to offer you this spiritual renewal by telling Jesus he is your savior! God bless and please put another questions in the comments.

 

[thevineyardworker]

I was born a Christian and was baptized at birth, my mother was an atheist when I was a child and was raised in such an environment. I had considered myself Christian until I was a teenager where I began to question my faith, I fell in with a bad crowd and went through many different religions like paganism, I was extremely depressed during these times but a year ago I found Christ and repented of my sins.

 

[The_word_made_flesh]

I was born a Christian and was baptized at birth, my mother was an atheist when I was a child and was raised in such an environment. I had considered myself Christian until I was a teenager where I began to question my faith, I fell in with a bad crowd and went through many different religions like paganism, I was extremely depressed during these times but a year ago I found Christ and repented of my sins.

Good to hear . I came to to faith about three years about very late in life after years of well nonsense I guess

 

[H0micidal-Idol]

“Born again” is just some term whores use when they’ve hit the wall to larp as a hoe turned housewife type so they can have a chance of finding a betacuck provider

 

[The_word_made_flesh]

“Born again” is just some term whores use when they’ve hit the wall to larp as a hoe turned housewife type so they can have a chance of finding a betacuck provider

It is when we accepted Christ into our lives and the Holy Spirit lives in us

 

[RandomGuy]

It is when we accepted Christ into our lives and the Holy Spirit lives in us

View: https://youtube.com/shorts/iFyXNvqg65s?si=_pxH1nz6C2dTGx0G

 

[The_word_made_flesh]

View: https://youtube.com/shorts/iFyXNvqg65s?si=_pxH1nz6C2dTGx0G

What is that .

 

[LeFrenchCel]

“Born again” is just some term whores use when they’ve hit the wall to larp as a hoe turned housewife type so they can have a chance of finding a betacuck provider

 

[Old Ironsides]

Christ is King.
I do believe we should Baptize infants so based.

Saint Thomas Aquinas would be proud.

 

[Sir Silentium]

Christ is King.
I do believe we should Baptize infants so based.

Saint Thomas Aquinas would be proud.

Although remember, there was no mention in the bible about baptism of infants, but rather when they are at the age of understanding