Be Born Again

</big> (Colossians 2:3) [1]

So, be born again as a Christian, but what does that mean... "What good will it do for a man if he gains the whole world, yet [forfeits] his soul? Or, what can a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matthew 16:26)[2] To many, being Christian is simply "admire Jesus" and probably "go to church," but that is not it according to the Bible. Do what Jesus said; He said many things including: "believe; repent; receive God's Holy Spirit -- and love one another", and clearly Jesus said:
"Do not wonder that I say that, 'You must be born again.'"
But how do you start and do that?

Steps

  1. Believe there is the Jehovah/God: but that alone is only a starting point... "You believe that there is one God; you do well -- the Devils believe and tremble..." (James 2:19) [3] Check into that...
    • Respect God: "The fear (respect) of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge..." (Proverbs 1:7)[4]
  2. Be Baptized in the Name of the lord Jesus Christ (acts 2:38). "He that believes and is baptized shall be saved, and he that disbelieves shall be condemned." (Mark 16:16) [5] You must believe in Jesus Christ. You can be baptized either way. But, you are not saved, if you don't have faith in Jesus Christ. In John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me..."
  3. Repent, turn around, and follow Jesus, so that you can be born again as Jesus said: "You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.'..." (John 3:7)[6]

    Jesus said, "I tell you... unless you repent: you shall all likewise perish." (Luke 13:5)[7]
  4. Pray to God and in Jesus name, repenting, admitting your wrongs, yield, turn to God and "acknowledge the Lord in all your ways..."
  5. Receive the Holy Spirit as part of your new life in Christ, and live in your new status as God's child; adopted joint heir with Jesus Christ. So, if you are saved, converted from your old life, "reborn spiritually", then you have received the Holy Spirit as Jesus said:
    • "But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you." (John 16:7)[8]
    • The Holy Spirit is as Jesus promised -- "... a comforter to abide with you forever..." who shall help understanding and remembering the things of God -- and
      • "You shall receive power [the gifts of the Holy Spirit] when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the remotest part of the earth" (Acts 1:8)
  6. Realize that you are not ruled by your flesh: (Romans 8:9)[9]
    • "You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature (the flesh), but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you."
    • "And, Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His."
  7. Live for God as a Christian: saved/filled with the Holy Spirit, serving Him through helping others including to see others come into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ...
    • Act upon the words of Jesus in the Bible: "Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock." (Matthew 7:24-25)[10]
      • Be a fisher-of-man: as Jesus said, "Follow me and I will make you a fisher of men'...", to Simon Peter, and also "Have no fear; from this time forward you will be a 'fisher of men'." (Luke 5:10)[11]
      • Proclaim the good news in order to win souls as Jesus said to them, "Go into all the world, and proclaim the good news (gospel) [to everyone]." (Mark 16:15)[12]
  8. Be aware of the elements of salvation as: you are "...saved by grace, through faith; and this not of yourselves; it is the gift of God... saved to good works foreordained that you do them..." (Ephesians 2:8-10) [13]
  9. Follow Jesus, and win souls to Christ: "He who wins souls is wise."(Proverbs 11:30) [14]
    • Add those souls to God's kingdom: "All who were saved were added to the church daily." (Acts 2:47)[15]
    • Agree in faith as a Christian to be of one mind in the Body of Christ and agree to the same attitude that Christ Jesus had: "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:" (Philippians 2:5) [16]
  10. Accept that for a born again Christian to live is Christ as "...it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God... (Galatians 2:20)[17] He walks with you and in you. So, agree with Christ and live His way and be blessed.
  11. Live in the Spirit, as born again Christians, "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own..." (1 Corinthians 6:19) [18]
    • The gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit is as 'Helper,' 'Guide,' 'Comforter,' 'Counselor,' 'Supporter,' 'Spirit of Christ,' 'Spirit of Truth,' 'Spirit of Grace,' 'Spirit of God Almighty,' 'Spirit of God,' 'Holy Breath,' 'Almighty Breath,' and 'Giver of Life.'
  12. Realize that being re-born may be explained as receiving or being filled "with the Holy Spirit" as 'Spirit filled Christians'; you will find accounts, of people who have experienced extraordinary, life changing "rebirth" with other miracles -- for your encouragement of what God can do for you and yours, as a born again Christian ("joint-heir with Jesus Christ").

A Simple Key to Christianity

  1. Learn about Jesus, and believe that He died, rose from the dead as your Savior, and then talk to the one, true God. Repent - say and mean it that you want to change -- saying something similar to: "I am sorry for my sin, all my wrong doing; I want to change my mind, my life, and I truly thank you for your gift of The Holy Spirit and for everything you, Lord, have done, and that I am now forgiven and saved from the penalty for my sins as a free gift, in Jesus' name."
  2. Tell others that "There is one Christ Jesus, the Son of God, who is Lord and Savior for everyone who believes, repents and follows him:" which should include going to Christian meetings, being baptized as a sign of accepting your new life, seeking to be filled and led by the Holy Spirit, praying to God, showing God's love by kindness, forgiving others, making peace, agreeing in prayer with other believers, and when you sin asking for (and accepting) forgiveness, expecting consequences for some wrongs and going on, all in Christ Jesus' holy name -- with God the Father as the one, true Judge of all things good or bad.

Tips

  • One can serve God through the betterment of mankind in any and all areas including financial, physical, emotional, but grounded in Biblical-spiritual realm -- and especially to win souls.
    • Not everyone is called to be a Pastor or Evangelist, but all are called to be witnesses -- and to help win souls.
  • Love God and love your neighbor (outside your circle), and be kind to your enemy (those who may despise or ignore you...), and be winning souls, watching, be ready for the second coming of Christ.
  • You are commissioned to go and win souls, and if you do so: then you take up your cross (do your duty) and follow Him daily, following in the Spirit and in truth.
  • Let God guide and lead you, giving Him the credit for your efforts and success: "Except God builds the house your work is in vain." Certainly only working for yourself would not be effectively following Jesus Christ, so:

Warnings

  • Jesus said "Love your enemy and do good to him." So, do not hate, but instead, help others of all nations to find Jesus Christ because God said in the Bible in John 3:15 "Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer [no hater] has eternal life abiding in him." Someone asked "Who is my brother. And Jesus answered 'You know.'"
  • Do not fear: The people of entire world are individually invited to receive the new birth in Him, who gave Himself, taking our punishment -- once, for all -- that we could each be born again, saved, our ransom paid, forgiven of our individual debt of sin and death. Thus, raised from imprisonment by sin, raised from living-death, adopted into His family as children of God, brothers and sisters of Jesus, following, serving Him...
  • "Having done all, stand!" after building on the rock: winning souls and doing activities such as to present the provisions of Jesus to others, as well as supporting the church, relationships (fellowship) and "assembling with people of like faith" which are all together able to Help Somebody to Be a Christian to live as a born again Christian should according to the scriptures.
  • Be not ashamed: The Apostle Paul said: "... I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jewish first and also to the Greek [everyone]..." (Romans 1:16) [19]
  • Terminology of certain churches differ from less formal protestants:
    • Be penitent - refers to repenting but also infers the Sacrament of Penance used in certain churches (Anglican, Catholic, Orthodox,... alpha-order). Less formal protestant churches have repentance as a more personal matter between you and God, and usually have only a few sacraments such as the Sacrament of Communion and of Baptism.
    • Paraclete is a Latin term for the Holy Spirit/Holy Ghost. Wikipedia Paraclete.
  • Jesus warned that a very large percent of people are not ready like half of the ten virgins (symbolic of purity) who were wedding maids in a parable, who were napping and living well, with no fault noted except that half of them did not have fresh oil (symbolic of staying full of God's spirit) with their lamps not trimmed and burning. "Five of them were foolish and five were wise." (Matthew 25:2)[20]
    • So the five foolish virgins were Christians living naturally "the usual," unprepared -- who were not ready for doing God's will. Does this say that having fresh oil is "not" just wise, ie: the level of oil of the Spirit of God must be maintained in each life.
  • Jesus said to Peter, "...you offend me: for your mind is not on the things that are of God, but those that are of men." (Matthew 16:23)[21]

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ mystery of God: Christ the anointed -- Colossians 2:3
  2. ↑ exchange for your soul -- Matthew 16:26
  3. ↑ believe in one God -- James 2:19
  4. ↑ the fear of the Lord begins knowledge -- Proverbs 1:7
  5. ↑ believe and be baptized...
  6. ↑ be born again -- John 3:7
  7. ↑ unless you repent -- Luke 13:5
  8. ↑ it is to your advantage that I go away -- John 16:7
  9. ↑ have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His -- Romans 8:9
  10. ↑ build on the rock -- Matthew 7:24
  11. ↑ a fisher-of-man -- Luke 5:10
  12. ↑ to all the world -- Mark 16:15
  13. ↑ it is God's gift -- Ephesians 2:8
  14. ↑ winning souls is wise -- Proverbs 11:30
  15. ↑ saved were added -- Acts 2:47
  16. ↑ mind also in Christ Jesus -- Philippians 2:5
  17. ↑ not I, but Christ -- Galatians 2:20
  18. ↑ you are the temple of the Holy Spirit -- 1 Corinthians 6:19
  19. ↑ to the Jew first -- Romans 1:16
  20. ↑ the people left behind -- Matthew 25:2
  21. ↑ your mind is not on God -- Matthew 16:23
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