In my circle of Christian friends, I am often asked the question, "Were you ever born again?" I automatically know what they are referring to -- a definable, life changing moment where all of a sudden, one's faith in Jesus Christ becomes real. My answer is always something along the lines of, "Well, I can't really point my finger on a single life-changing moment in my faith where I was 'born again.' But I have significantly grown in my faith
over a period of time."
I have what some might call the "boring" type of testimony -- no sudden revelations, no near death experiences, no moments of being "knocked off my horse" as the apostle Paul was. I was baptized into the Roman Catholic Church only a couple of months after my birth, and I firmly remain Catholic today. But I am not the same Catholic that I was, say, ten years ago -- it's been a process, a journey of personal faith formation.
I used to attend Mass only because it was an obligation, something that I had to do with my family on a Sunday morning and then move on with the other, "more important" activities of my life. I held onto this mindset for a while, but over time, various factors led me to look deeper into my faith and make it real in my life.
In the 7th grade, when I was confirmed, I began to ask myself, what am I confirmed in? Confirmation is a really strong word. It indicates that someone has a steadfast, unwavering belief in something to be true. But what was unwaveringly true for me at the time? The fact that I must always attend Mass on a Sunday morning? But attending Mass was an obligation for me -- not a conviction, not something I firmly believed in. I began to ask myself, why do I attend Mass? What kind of affect does attending Mass have on my life? I received a Bible from my grandmother for my Confirmation, and often took the time to read it in an attempt to apply passages to my life.
But I knew my faith was still not rock-solid. During my high school years, I noticed that many other Christians freely opened up and spoke to others about their faith and trusted God in the face of hardships. I became aware that this did not define me. I rarely to never discussed my faith with others because I didn't want to be made fun of. And whenever I faced a hardship in my life, I became angry with God rather than turned to him in prayer.
This began to change when I started attending the newly created Life Teen youth group in my parish. Life Teen featured contemporary worship music integrated with the Mass, followed by a "Life Night" where teens discussed faith-related topics and engaged in fellowship. As a singer, I joined the Life Teen Band and found that this style of worship music reached me in a way that the traditional hymns never had. Many of the lyrics were so genuine, relatable and reflected a deep desire for God's love and grace. Singing these songs definitely deepened my prayer life and helped me to realize that I attend Mass on Sunday because of my relationship with Jesus Christ, not because of an obligation. The Life Night discussions helped me to realize that I'm not alone in my beliefs -- there are many other young adults seeking to grow in their Christian faith.
And I am still growing today. Engaging in retreats, worship, and faith-based discussions with my peers at the Newman Center and InterVarsity Christian fellowship at my university foster my spiritual growth.
So I cannot pinpoint a certain day, time or place where my faith became real for me. But I know that it is real for me, and I'm certain that it will continue to become more real for me as I grow older. I believe that there is a reason why some people have a single "born again" moment and others gradually grow in their faith as I have. I think God knows what the best way is to reveal Himself to each of us. He knows that He can reach some people with a lightning-striking moment, but others He must shepherd gradually and lead them onto the right path. I don't think it matters
how we come to know God -- only that we
do know Him. We all end up in the same place at the end.
I think Cheryl Prych perfectly explains this in a sermon entitled "
Born Again..and Again and Again":
Of being born again as something mysterious and beyond our control.
For some of us, faith does come in a sudden conversion, and nothing
is the same again. For others, it's a reliable, steady sense of God's presence
since earliest childhood. For others, it comes and goes. Maybe at one point
in your life you felt "born from above," and had a strong sense of faith or
spiritual renewal, but it faded, or your doubts became so strong you
wondered if you should even call yourself a Christian. But then, as the hymn
goes, the Spirit revived your soul again. And you
were born again.. and again..
and again.
Do you think that it is necessary to have a single, defining "born again" experience? Or do you agree that it doesn't matter how someone comes to believe, as long as they believe in the end?
Comments (24)
Good post. I think it's important to remember that although a great many Christians have grown up in the faith and do not have a "born again" moment the scriptures are very clear that a person must be born again in order to see the kingdom of Heaven. Jesus makes this statement in John chapter 3. I find it interesting that you were "confirmed" in the RCC and didn't have a clue as to what you were confirmed in. This is not just an RCC problem but rather a community wide problem. For many in the church they look at their baptism as the end all be all moment that they became Christians or were saved. While all the time having no idea about the necessity of Christ and his atoning work on the cross. For those who believe the born again moment may not be that sudden flash! You may not even remember the moment, but take ease... If you are a true believer.... It happened... You were born again....
Those in the church who lack the "fascinating" testimony should take heart! Always remember that it is Christ's story that saves a person not yours. It is His story that brings redemption not our own. What happens if someone comes along with an even better conversion story than your own and they became Muslims? Lots of people come from and are rescued from horrible backgrounds and situations but they do not always become Christians. Christianity is not true because it saved us from various vices or helped us in times of sorrow (although it can and does on both accounts). Christianity is true because it happened! Christ came, lived, died and rose again...
Grace and peace!
~Michael
Most of my walk in faith has been a gradual process of growth, and through that gradual process I've been born again and again and again.
But there was a moment when God hit me with that proverbial lightning strike and catalyzed that process. I wouldn't say that it was a "born again" moment. It was more like the beginning of the rapid cell division that ultimately leads to the child being born.
No, I don't think it's necessary. Your testimony is like mine in the sense that there was no one "life altering" event. I just decided one day that I really wanted to know who Jesus was. I used to go to this church where people went to church to feel like they were good people, I suppose. Yet they didn't live a lifestyle that would lead ANYONE to believe that they feared the Lord.
When I went the church I attend now, I saw people that really looked like they wanted to know God for real. That made me want to know him for myself. So I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I didn't fully know what I was doing at the time, but I read my bible and was beginning to experience God for myself. It took time to get where I am now, where I refuse to miss a day of church and when I do things out of love for the Lord, not because I feel like I have to.
so yeah... it doesn't take a grandiose testimony... not unless that's where you've been. I don't know how many people really have a testimony like that. They exist; I know people that have had it. But your testimony of coming to know Him more holds just as much power.
He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son. (Col. 1:18)
...for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord (Eph. 5:8).
I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. John 3:5.
Jesus says we must be born again, that implies that our default state is out of the Kingdom of God. Through our first birth (human birth), we are all born into sin and darkness. We are all born into Adam. We are all born out of the Kingdom of God. We are all born separated from God.
That's why we need a Savior.
Apart from being born again, we never come into the Kingdom of God. We need a second birth.
In John 1 we read that whoever received Him and believed on His Name, He gives the right to become children of God. There must be belief, there must be faith, which comes through the operation of the Spirit of God. We are saved by grace through faith (though the faith is His gift to us) (Eph. 2). We are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ by faith (Rom. 3). Faith and belief are necessary to be saved. We must appropriate God's salvation through faith. God says without faith it is impossible to please Him. There must be a receiving and a believing in Christ, though for some there may not be so conscious or obvious point at which that happened, but as you look back, you should be able to pinpoint an approximate point when that translation/movement/deliverance began from outside the Kingdom to inside the Kingdom, from darkness to light, when your behavior began to change.
For example, when we are born again, there will be evidence of Christ's life in us. We will know the love of God and we will love God. We will no longer live for ourselves but want to live for Him who died for us. We will begin to hate sin.
It's true the Bible says "You must be born again." The experience is called a lot of things: converted, born again, saved and regenerated. It's a spiritual thing. I know a person can have more than one conversion experience. The Bible also says: "If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart God raised Him from the dead you will be saved". I believe in the sinner's prayer to get saved: "Jesus, I admitt I am a sinner, I believe your shed blood and death on the cross has washed away my sins, I confess with my mouth Jesus is Lord and I believe in my heart God raised you from the dead, I call upon your name, I ask you to forgive my sins, come into my heart and be my Lord and Savior. Thank you God for saving me, In Jesus name, Amen"
After you are born again it's a good idea to be baptised and recieve the Eucharist ( communion ). I don't think if you have already been baptised that you need to do it again. If you want to be Episcopal ( split ), then it's also a good idea to be confirmed. These are things to do after you have been born again.
I also believe that you cannot loose your salvation though the Bible says it's possible. The reason why is that after you are saved you enter into the most wonderfull relationship with God and you won't want to give your salvation away.
The phrase "born again" can also be translated "born from above". One is born of water and spirit through baptism. It does not need to be an 'ah-a' moment or involve some great spectacle, but then I am not wise enough to say it cannot be. Yet, we must always pray 'Lord, I believe, now help my unbelief.' We all experience highs and lows of faith during our lives. We pray for strengthening of faith so that we do not fall away and that we may demonstrate God's love in our relation with others and give Him all honor and glory.
@MC_Shann@xanga - Great response. You said it all. AMEN!
What happens if you die before you're 100% in your belief? Do you believe you'll go to hell?
I LOVE LIFE TEEN! I went to the Life teen Conference in Arizona in 2007! (and I met MATT MAHER) It was Life Teen that really begun my faith in high school.
But anyway.
i think I have experienced several 'born-again' experiences.
I realized that growth and the aim for perfection will never stop, because I am a Human Being. I will always be making mistakes and failing God someway.
Plus,
there will never be a point in my life where something new, something mysterious, or something beautiful will be realized in my life.
I don't think it takes one single experience to truly come to belief.
Even now, I still have my doubts (consciously and unconsciously), but it's a journey that'll take my whole life time
Well, I'm of the mindset that the belief itself is worthless unless you practice what you preach. If your not a true follower of Christ then your not Christian. So forth and so on. In life, it doesn't matter if you have one life changing experience, several life changing experiences, or you simply just go with the flow and grow and adapt. Obviously the latter is the preferred as it allows the person to change and be more steady in their faith. Faith is not something found in one day or one event. It's something that grows overtime. Those that proclaim that after nearly dying they are instantly saved and believe wholeheartedly are really only fooling theirselves and clinging their life here on Earth. The bible teaches you to not live for this life, but lie for Christ and to almost cherish death.
Being born again refers to our Baptism by water. I was born again, of course. The difference with many non Catholic Christians is probably that I was born again as an infant. I have always thought about the concept of "testimony". So many people have this "testimony"...they were a drinker, or did drugs, or committed crimes and they "found Jesus" and were born again. All of which is great but I don't have a story. I think about that I don't have "testimony". I have been a Christian my whole life and have never known another life. I cannot even say I slowly grew. I cannot remember a time that I wavered or anything. I remember first communion when I was 8, and Confirmation when I was 14, and it seemed like all those things were normal and expected and I honestly didn't believe there were other kids not doing the same thing because my circle of friends has always been other Catholic kids.
I recognize so much of what you are talking about. It is, in some ways, a Catholic "culture" thing. We are taught that the Church, along with us, evangelize and spread the Gospel primarily through our works not our words. I have never been someone who starts talking about faith unprompted either. Not so much because I think I will be made fun of but that I assume people don't want to hear it.
I think LifeTeen is great, I am on their web page but we don't have it at my Parish
.
@MC_Shann@xanga - I find it interesting that you were "confirmed" in the RCC and didn't have a clue as to what you were confirmed in.
I think this is very indicative of the problem in the Church itself here in the US at least. My understanding is that the Sacrament of Confirmation used to be a set process among all diocese. There was a set age, and process. But now it is different everywhere. She says she was confirmed when she was in 7th grade, so like 12 years old. I was confirmed at 14 when we lived in the San Diego Diocese and here in Seattle, you have to be a Junior in High school to be confirmed. And there is a lot of preparation, especially if you have not been fully catechized or if you don't go to a Catholic school. Confirmation is a celebration. It is the point that you should be able to recognize your fullness in life in the Church.I wonder if she didn't know because maybe she was too young to understand.
It doesn't matter as long as you're truly
saved in the end. Look at Peter. We don't know exactly when he was
saved. One moment he's cursing and denying Jesus and later he is
writing 2 letters of the N.T.
In the physical, a child is not born in an instance but through a nine month process, Leaving the womb is not singular event but the continuation of a human development process that was in motion long before the child was even thought of.
Some of us may have more dramatic experiences in coming to christ than others but for all of us our birth in christ was not a isolated instance like a strike of lighting but the beautiful realization of a process that god put into place before the begining of what think of as time. As the gospel of John so beautifully states, "In the begining was the word and the word was with god and the word was god".
The bible is very plain and clear concerning this matter!
Heb 11:6 - Show ContextBut without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.Joh 3:3 - Show ContextJesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.Joh 3:7 - Show ContextMarvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
From Jesus's words is specifically says that you must be born again to enter into the kingdom of god!
Ro 6:23 - Show ContextFor the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.In the bible it talks about sin and our sin can be be made right before god by gradual improvement! As when we stand before a living god all our righteousness will be as filthy rags
Isa 64:6 - Show ContextBut we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.Jesus provided a way through his son as it says in romans the gift of eternal life
Heb 9:14 - Show ContextHow much more shall the bloodof Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot
to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Only by the blood of the Lamb can we enter into a relationship with Jesus as God as he is a substitution for our sin, he paid for our sin and took the place of where we would have to go! Jesus paid our sin so we would not have to go to Hell!
Ac 17:30 - Show ContextAnd the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:Ac 2:38 - Show ContextThen Peter said unto them, Repent,and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the
remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Repent is turn from your sins as our it was our sins that Jesus took on the cross once and for all!
Ac 15:11 - Show ContextBut we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.By believing on the Lord jesus Christ we are saved from our sins!
Basically there is no gradual conversion as noone is good enough to stand before a holy god! without the blood of the lamb! You must be born again
DOm
All I know is that I became a Christian somewhere in October. I can't say to anyone that I became a Christian on this date, at this time, on a Tuesday, it was raining...my memory isn't that precise. Like you, I decided on my own to do my own research and talk with my Christian friends to find out more about what the Christian faith is about...in addition to other things.
When I think of the term "born again" I think of it as applying to people who once were Christian, went astray for a while, and then re-dedicated their lives to Christ. Maybe that isn't biblically accurate but that's just how I always saw it.
Even with a singular experience, constant growth is required. I like the quote that "great faith has a short shelf life."
But even for those who grow gradually in the faith, there always seems to be a moment where they "know that they know."
i am somewhat confused as to why people are responding by writing long essays about how to be saved
the author did say that she "believes", doesn't that imply she believes in Christ and is saved? i don't think her question was about believing in Christ or not, i think she was wanting us to discuss how dramatic or obvious the turning point is.
my own impression is that most believers do not have one dramatic conversion. my observation is that most people go through what she described as a gradual growth in the faith. i myself cannot remember the one moment that was life changing, the moment that i turned my life over to Christ. i can remember lots of encounters that were critical growth points, but it was more like a story unfolding with continual plot development. this is especially true for people who grew up in the church, as they probably grew up hearing and just accepting that God exists, is sovereign, sent His son Jesus to save us, and that we can be saved if we believe. my own knowledge of Him and relationship with Him began when i was so small, it wasn't about "oh should i believe in You?" it was more about "should i submit to You?"
from the time my mom starting bringing me to children's church, i just accepted what i was told about God. for me, it took time for me to actually turn my life over, from the time i was 8 to when i was 16. yes, it took 8 years. in that time i didn't doubt His existence or what He did to save me, but i knew what it meant to follow Him and at the time i wasn't sure if i wanted to. i knew that i should respond to His love, but that would mean i should follow His will and not my wishes. that is what took that long. in the end it's not like i was able to completely surrender all my selfishness and became 100% full of faith, but over a number of months i grew closer to Him through reading devotional books for teenagers, being part of a youth group among teenagers and adult sponsors who loved Him, and have dialouge with Him on my own.
it is a much cleaner and easier concept, to think that it is just one moment where a person changes from lost to saved. i guess technically it is just one moment, but that depends on your theology about salvation. if you're Calvinist, that "moment" already happend before time began, right? i'm not 5 point Calvinist at all, but i agree that God already knew who would believe, and i totally do not know what to think about at what point in time is a person saved. makes my head hurt to think so hard ....
AMEN AND AMEN:
I understand that I was born again when I made a decision to follow Christ as a teenager. I was raised under the tradition of Believers Baptism, so I'm not that familiar with infant baptism. I remember the tears of repentance, the love for Jesus, and the desire to live for God. The world sparkled with 'first love'. My eyes were opened to things I had not known heretofor. All of these things happened over a few days period, including my water baptism. To me, water baptism is a symbol of one's faith and desire. The spiritual baptism that is necessary for salvation is the work of God. I do remember one of my peers saying one time that he felt the new birth is similiar to our natural birth in this respect: The newborn has self-awareness, but it takes a period of time to grow in understanding and maturity. I guess being 'born again' to me means a God awareness, and the power to live for Him. Being born again refers to our relationship with God, not our baptismal tradition.
i think what's going on is that the church has taken phrases from here and there in the bible and strung them together to create a formula, if you will, for "getting saved." but if you read the bible as a whole, and even the specific verses they use in context, it's not so simple. yeah, jesus told nicodemus he had to be "born again". that confused nicodemus, and it ought to at least make us think. but no, we've already got it all figured out. to be "born again" means to ask jesus into your heart and life and accept him as your personal lord and savior! of course! or so the story goes. but i don't think this kind of faith and life is so easy to pin down, any more than god's own self is easy to pin down and define. i think that in light of the bible as a whole, especially parts like matthew 25, the book of james, 1st john, etc--parts that are pretty damning to this modern framework of an actual step-by-step formula--we as a church need to really stop and reexamine our own beliefs and teachings, and the scripture that may or may not support them.Â
btw, great post! :]I really think you are being lead astray as to the real meaning of born again. The truth is born again, means nothing more than when accepting Christ, as sited in John 3:3-5, you are being born of the spirit. The spiritual birth is required after you die to self  Acts 17:11, Romans 6:6, eph 2:15, 4:22-24, & Colossians 3:9-11. The new man rises and you are born again! Being born by water is being born in flesh and being born in spirit is being born into the kingdom of God through Christ death on the cross. Gradual change takes place then over life lessons, but for a select few God does an immediate transformation. It's not the norm and shouldn't be considered what the definition of being born again is. Please do not feel you are not born again or that you have a boring testimony because we all have different ministries in life. You can minister to someone I may never be able to reach simply because or your experiences. Take heart and be joyous and take Godly pride in the life God has given you so far.
God makes no mistakes or mediocre(sp?!) creations!
This is something I used to worry about - that some people could pinpoint the exact date when they decided to follow Christ and believe in Him as their Lord and Savior.......but I could not.
I asked my previous pastor about this, and he said something to the effect of it is not that important that we get caught up in the exact details of when we became a Christian. But what matters is that once I didn't believe, and now I do. It was comforting to hear that.
I'm a recent convert but was raised in the Catholic Church. I never had a testimony in that church and subsequently turned away from God. I have recently turned back to Him and am in the process of getting a consistant dialogue going.
I think personally, the Catholic Church was always far too interested in superstition and ritual and the hierachy of the church than to let any of us mere mortals have an interpersonal relationship with God. I always felt let down by Catholicism.
You didn't mention BTW whether you were a practising Catholic or had "progressed" to another Christain faith?