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What exactly is the "born-again" experience?
- Thread starter Gambit
- Start date
Gambit
Well-Known Member
What exactly do you mean by "experience your faith?"
Lighthouse
Well-Known Member
I liken it to a software program of the mind that has gradually been programmed in error and corruption by the user, only for that user to gradually perform a clean installation that kills all of the virus's and faulty programming of the mind back to a clean slate.
Renewing of the mind. A mind being cleansed. A shift and change in conscious/conscience/awareness/memory.
How do you experience love in your life? Love of another person? It's like that. You can't explain that feeling in words, but you know what you feel for people in your life, of whom you love. It's just like that. Now, imagine someone telling you to love different people in your life, simply because they are telling you to. You are only doing it because they are telling you to, or you read it somewhere that you should. You might just do it on faith, but you wouldn't be experiencing it for yourself. That is what born again means to me.
Lighthouse
Well-Known Member
Doing it naturally and automatically because the new nature of the person is love? A different love that surpasses any definition of love?
A very different love, yes. A love that changes you.
Yoshua
Well-Known Member
Hi Gambit,
"Born Again" is the inner transformation of person's life who surrendered and followed the teachings of Jesus Christ. This is by walking in God's righteousness manifested spiritually.
Thanks
Unveiled Artist
Veteran Member
I know I am not the best person to ask; however, when I was born again/baptized, it was like taking dirty clothes and washing them clean. It was like, like water is cleansing for the spirit and soul; so, when you're immersed in water, it's like your soul is cleansed. After confession, when your repent your sins to God, then you come to God with a humble heart with the intent and readilness to be cleaned not only by confession but by the spirit through baptism too. The experience is like someone else coming and saying "give me your dirty clothes and put on these clean ones.. Yes, I know you'll get it dirty from time to time, but remember I am here and everytime you come into my presence and remind yourself of your baptism, you are cleaned once again."
The whole experience I'd never forget. Every person is different from ex-christian to present. As long as you believe god touches your heart and the experiences you have come from him, then that is all that matters.
InChrist
Free4ever
I was baptized as an infant and went to church every Sunday for over eighteen years, but I was not born again. This spiritual transformation didn't occur until years later when I personally placed my complete trust in Jesus Christ alone for forgiveness of my sins and eternal life.
"What does it mean to be a born again Christian?"
"How does that come to be? Ephesians 2:8-9 states, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast." When one is saved, he/she has been born again, spiritually renewed, and is now a child of God by right of new birth. Trusting in Jesus Christ, the One who paid the penalty of sin when He died on the cross, is the means to be "born again." "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17)."
excerpt from:
http://www.gotquestions.org/born-again.html
"What does it mean to be a born again Christian?"
"How does that come to be? Ephesians 2:8-9 states, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast." When one is saved, he/she has been born again, spiritually renewed, and is now a child of God by right of new birth. Trusting in Jesus Christ, the One who paid the penalty of sin when He died on the cross, is the means to be "born again." "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17)."
excerpt from:
http://www.gotquestions.org/born-again.html
Gambit
Well-Known Member
This seems like an inherently self-contradictory statement to make from someone who has publicly presented herself as an atheist.
Gambit
Well-Known Member
So, you understand that the born-again experience is one that enables you to feel this ever-expanding love for others that you never felt before?
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Rick O'Shez
Irishman bouncing off walls
I went to Quaker meetings for several years and became a born-again atheist. 
Unveiled Artist
Veteran Member
No. I dont need to believe god exist for me to mske a comment of if feel god loves you and your experiences confirm that, who am I to say you are wrong.
Its not about me.
Um, not entirely. I don't believe that one needs to believe in a deity in order to love others, but for me personally it is just a consistent feeling that hasn't subsided. A feeling of selfless love, and peace and a desire to just 'be'. I didn't have this sense of peace as an atheist.
John 3:5 says; "Jesus answered: “Most truly I say to you, unless anyone is born from water and spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God." Jesus himself underwent this experience at his baptism. After his baptism, God's poured out his holy spirit upon Jesus. So I believe a person does not choose to be born again, adopted by God, but God performs this new birth by means of his spirit. Romans 8:14-16 explains; "For all who are led by God’s spirit are indeed God’s sons. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery causing fear again, but you received a spirit of adoption as sons, by which spirit we cry out: “Abba, Father!” The spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are God’s children." Thus, those born again are given a new birth or beginning as spiritual sons, and become heirs with Christ of the heavenly kingdom. (Romans 8:17) I believe being born again is not a requirement for everlasting life on earth, but is a requirement for those making up the heavenly government, God's kingdom that will rule the earth after this system is removed. (Daniel 2:44)
Gambit
Well-Known Member
Um, not entirely. I don't believe that one needs to believe in a deity in order to love others, but for me personally it is just a consistent feeling that hasn't subsided. A feeling of selfless love, and peace and a desire to just 'be'. I didn't have this sense of peace as an atheist.
So, what exactly is it that enables you to have this "feeling of selfless love, peace, and desire to just 'be'" now as a believer that you didn't have before as a nonbeliever?
Gambit
Well-Known Member
So, you believe the born-again experience is the result of an individual reprogramming his or her mind?
Gambit
Well-Known Member
Is it possible for an atheist to experience this love and still remain an atheist?
Gambit
Well-Known Member
What exactly does this "spiritual transformation" entail?