By COGwriter
Note: This article is intended to discuss whether the use of the expression "born again" is simply one of semantics or if it has major doctrinal implications. It is not intended to discuss where the Greek term gennao is or should be translated as begotten as opposed to born: that may be the subject of a second article (but I will add that the Liddell & Scott Greek-English Lexicon, does use "beget" as the primary definition on page 344 of the 1996 version which I own; as does Danker's Greek-English Lexicon, 3rd edition, 2000, page 193).
For years the old Worldwide Church of God (WCG) taught that we were begotten children of God who would be born again at the resurrection. About 30 years ago this changed. Essentially the teaching of those who then led it became that of the Protestants: once you accept Jesus as your savior you are born again, and that if you are only begotten now you are not a child of God. Over time, WCG, like many Protestant sects, also began to teach that the laws of God were done away (and now WCG/GCI clearly teaches that they were).
While I continued to accept the concept that we would be "changed" at the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:42), I started to feel that when a Protestant asked if you were "born again" all they wanted to know was if you accepted Jesus Christ as your savior. I considered the "born again" question to be primarily one of semantics and not a major distortion to "the faith which was once delivered" (Jude 3, NKJV throughout), but I was wrong. Very wrong.
My wife Joyce, on the other hand, never went along with any of the changes regarding being "born again." Lest their be any misunderstanding, I did believe that upon conversion, we were begotten of God, and as such his children. I did not accept the new teaching that those who are only begotten are not children. I did believe we would be born again after the resurrection.
I believed 1 John 3:9 which says:
9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for his seed remains in him; and he cannot sin because he is born of God.
I also believed Jesus when he said, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit" (John 3:6). I just felt that the Protestant issue was really only one of semantics, or definitions. Not only was I unaware of where this doctrinal change would lead, I had neglected the history of how it developed.
I was later shocked to re-read about this subject in Hislop's The Two Babylons. I had read this book once fifteen-plus years before, but for some reason the section titled "Baptismal Regeneration" (Chap. IV, Sec I) had completely left my mind. According to Hislop, being born again on earth is a long-standing pagan belief. Hislop quotes Asiatic Researchers (Vol. vii, p. 271, London, 1806) that the Hindoo Brahmins boast that they are "twice born" men.
The book quotes the Greco-Roman Catholics' belief (from Hay, Bishop. Hay's Sincere Christian, Vol 1., p.356, Dublin, 1783) that infant baptism is to "regenerate us by a new spiritual birth" or in other words, infant baptism is how one becomes "born again." Hislop quotes Prescott's Conquest of Mexico (Vol iii, pp. 339-340, London, 1843) that Roman Catholic missionaries were shocked by the similarities of the pagan baptismal ceremonies to their own. In this pagan ceremony it was stated that the infant "is born anew".
Hislop seemed to feel that the concept of being born again with baptism originally was a pagan corruption of the fact that God saved Noah in an ark from the flood (many ancient civilizations recorded the flood). As Noah lived before and after the flood, he was believed to be in some sense "born again" by some of the pagans). The water of the flood is supposed to be a type of baptism. After some baptismal type ceremony (which did not require immersion in some cultures), the re-born individual was assured entrance to some version of paradise, as per some pagans.
Interestingly the Roman Catholic Church has admitted that their practices of infant baptism are of an old, non-scriptural origin. Hislop quotes Jodocus Tiletanus as saying,
(More on baptism can be found in the article, Baptism and the Early Church.)We are not satisfied with that which the apostles or the Gospel do declare, but we say that, as well as before as after, there are divers matters of importance and weight accepted and received out of a doctrine which is NOWHERE SET FORTH IN WRITING. For we do blesse the water wherewith we baptize, and the oyle wherewith we annoynt; yea and besides that, him that is christened. And (I pray you) OUT OF WHAT SCRIPTURE have we learned the same? HAVE WE NOT IT OF A SECRET AND UNWRITTEN ORDINANCE? And further what scripture hath taught us to grease with oyle? Yea, I pray you, whence cometh it, that we do dype the child three times in that water? Doth it not come out of this hidden and undisclosed doctrine, which our forefathers have received closely without any curiosity, and do observe it still? (Harvet, Gentianus. Review of Epistles, PP. 19B, 20A, London 1598, as quoted by Hislop, A. in The Two Babylons, emphasis mine).
But what does this have to do with "born again" from a Protestant perspective? The Roman Catholics used to believe that babies and others who die before committing any sins will be eternally placed in a bizarre realm called "limbo" if they have not been baptized (Pope Benedict XVI has said that his church no longer necessarily teaches this, see What is Limbo? Is There Such a Place as Limbo? What Happens to Babies When They Die?). The Roman Catholics believe you can be a terrible person, but if you have been baptized as an infant and will confess to a priest just before you die, you will go to heaven.
Certain Greco-Roman Catholic teachings strongly emphasize the importance of ceremony (called sacraments) over living according to every word of God. From a Roman Catholic perspective, once baptized your "immortal soul" can access the kingdom of God. After infant baptism, all one really needs to do is confess to a priest before death and entrance into heaven is assured, no matter how one lead their life. And if you sinned after confessing to a priest and then died, after a period of purging (the length dependent upon the amount and types of sin) you then entered the kingdom of heaven.
The Protestant view is remarkably similar, except that baptism is not required of infants in most Protestant denominations (it is unclear what the actual Protestant teaching is regarding sinless infants/children who die without baptism--though many seem to feel that babies are automatically saved, but some claim they are doomed; a related free book of interest may be: Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God Differs from Protestantism). The general Protestant view appears to be that once you sin (which they usually do not clearly define; for a Biblical definition see 1 John 3:4, KJV), you must accept Jesus as your savior and then you are "born again"; baptism is expected but does not appear to be an absolute requirement. Once you are "born again" your "immortal soul" is guaranteed to enter heaven upon death unless you repudiate your belief in Jesus. Sinning in any and every other way will not prevent you from entering heaven. Further repentance, though often encouraged, is not strictly necessary. In other words, when Protestants are referring to being "born again" they are referring to a state in which one no longer needs to do follow the laws of God in order to enter the Kingdom of God.
While it is true that eternal life is a gift of God (Romans 6:23, thus no one has an "immortal soul") and that salvation is by the grace of God and not by our works (Ephesians 2:8), it is also true that there are "...ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness" (Jude 4).
"Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God" (I Corinthians 6:9-10). "For this know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you through empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them" (Ephesians 5:5-7).
These are strong and clear scriptures. Surely God means it when he says, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (II Timothy 3:16-17).
Of course, Christians should base doctrine on what the Bible teaches.
So, let's look more at what Jesus taught:
5 ... "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit." (John 3:5-7)
Now, notice something that the Apostle Paul taught:
49 And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man. 50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed-- 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. (1 Corinthians 15:49-53)
It is clear that Christians are NOT born again until they are changed at the resurrection.
One is born of water with the physical birth (which is normally accompanied by water breaking forth from the mother). One is begotten by the Spirit now, but will be born of the Spirit at the first resurrection.
Some have wondered about the following passage and suggest this is proof that Christians are already born again:
23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, (1 Peter 1:23, NKJV)
But the above does not properly convey the intent of the writing. The translation of that is misleading.
It should state that we have been BEGOTTEN again, as we have not yet been born into the kingdom.
Notice three translations that get this right:
23 having been begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which liveth and abideth. (1 Peter 1:23 American Standard Version)
23 For you have been begotten again, not from corruptible seed, but from incorruptible seed, by the living Word of God, which remains forever. (1 Peter 1:23, A Faithful Version)
23 being begotten again, not out of seed corruptible, but incorruptible, through a word of God -- living and remaining -- to the age; (1 Peter 1:23 Young's Literal Translation ).
In this age Christians are begotten by the Holy Spirit to be born again in the resurrection.
One who disagreed with this article, sent the following in an email:
I don't find the differentiation between "begotten" and "born" crucial (since God is not a woman); it rather seems to be a means of obscuring and explaining away things.
Be that as it may, one last question. Paul writes to the Colossians (COL 1:13, KJV): "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son." Hence, if someone has been "translated into the Kingdom of Christ (who is God)", then they are outside the Kingdom of God?
Thus, the Colossians and Paul had been within the dominion of darkness, and after they had been translated from there, they were still in the dominion of darkness? In other words, they hadn't gone anywhere, they hadn't entered the "kingdom of his dear Son", because being "translated into the Kingdom" means "not to enter the Kingdom". ...
you seemingly don't appreciate terms such as "being seated in the heavens" (EPH 3:10) or "being a new creature" (2 COR 5:17),- all this willing or unwilling ignorance is understandable. What I don't understand is how you can seriously claim that no one has "actually" entered God's Kingdom, when Paul tells the Colossians that they have.
The issue of born vs. begotten is important, despite the writer of the above's comments.
As far as being a "new creature" (2 Corinthians 5:17) a newly begotten child of God is a new creature. When a parent begets a child, it is a new creature, though not yet born, and can also be considered as being enrolled in the family.
As far as Ephesians 3:10 goes, here is what it actually says:
10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places,
So, it does not contradict the idea of being begotten now.
Furthermore, Colossians 1:13 does not say anything about being born again now. It discusses the Kingdom--and yes, Christians are named to be in that kingdom--but we are not in it now.
The true kingdom is in the future--nor is it here now as Mark shows:
47 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast ... (Mark 9:47).
23 Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!" 24 And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God" (Mark 10:23-25).
25 Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God" (Mark 14:25).
43 Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage . . . (Mark 15:43).
Jesus taught that the kingdom is not now part of this present world:
36 Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here" (John 18:36).
Jesus taught that the kingdom will come after He returns as its King:
31 "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world (Matthew 25:31-34).
Since the Kingdom of God is not here, we have not yet been born-again into it.
However, as begotten children of God our names are enrolled to be in it and are in the Book of Life (see also The Book of Life and the Feast of Trumpets?).
More on the Kingdom can be found in the free online book: The Gospel of the Kingdom of God.
Many get confused with English translations of koine Greek--the language the New Testament was written in (see also as the New Testament Written in Greek, Hebrew, or Aramaic?).
The reason to mention this is that second century Christians, for example, would have a better understanding of whether or not begotten or born was intended--plus some of them knew people who knew the original apostles.
Notice in the second century (the century just after the Book of Revelation was written), there was at least one Christian taught that we are not to be "born again" until the resurrection. Here is some of what Theophilus of Antioch wrote:
Of the Fourth Day. On the fourth day the luminaries were made; ...
But the moon wanes monthly, and in a manner dies, being a type of man; then it is born again, and is crescent, for a pattern of the future resurrection" (Theophilus of Antioch. To Autolycus, Book 2, Chapter XV. Translated by Marcus Dods, A.M. Excerpted from Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 2. Edited by Alexander Roberts & James Donaldson. American Edition, 1885. Online Edition Copyright © 2004 by K. Knight).
So, Theophilus of Antioch taught Christians are born-again, not now, but at the resurrection.
An interesting thing to also observe here is that the Feast of Trumpets has traditionally been the fourth biblical Holy Day and a trumpet blast is associated with Christians being born again:
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed -- 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." (1 Corinthians 15:50-54)
Here is a link to a related sermon video: Trumpets and Being Born Again.
In the third century, Hippolytus (the greatest of the early theologians according to Roman Catholic scholars) understood that we are begotten by the Holy Spirit at baptism. Notice what he wrote:
This is the Spirit that was given to the apostles in the form of fiery tongues. This is the Spirit that David sought when he said, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." Of this Spirit Gabriel also spoke to the Virgin, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee." By this Spirit Peter spake that blessed word, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." By this Spirit the rock of the Church was stablished. This is the Spirit, the Comforter, that is sent because of thee, that He may show thee to be the Son of God.
Come then, be begotten again, O man, into the adoption of God ... For he who comes down in faith to the layer of regeneration, and renounces the devil, and joins himself to Christ; who denies the enemy, and makes the confession that Christ is God; who puts off the bondage, and puts on the adoption,--he comes up from the baptism brilliant as the sun, flashing forth the beams of righteousness, and, which is indeed the chief thing, he returns a son of God and joint-heir with Christ (Hippolytus. The Discourse on the Holy Theophany, Chapters 9,10. Excerpted from Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 5. Edited by Alexander Roberts & James Donaldson. American Edition, 1886. Online Edition Copyright © 2005 by K. Knight).
Also, even in the fourth century, it was understood that Christians are first begotten, that Jesus was the first born of the dead, and that we become born again later. For even though he had other heretical ideas, Athanasius apparently understood this as he wrote:
For God not only created them to be men, but called them to be sons, as having begotten them. For the term 'begat' is here as elsewhere expressive of a Son, as He says by the Prophet, 'I begat sons and exalted them;' and generally, when Scripture wishes to signify a son, it does so, not by the term 'created,' but undoubtedly by that of 'begat.' And this John seems to say, 'He gave to them power to become children of God, even to them that believe on His Name; which were begotten not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.' And here too the cautious distinction is well kept up, for first he says 'become,' because they are not called sons by nature but by adoption; then he says 'were begotten,' because they too had received at any rate the name of son...He became man, that, as the Apostle has said, He who is the 'Beginning' and 'First-born from the dead, in all things might have the preeminence ... He said to be 'First-born from the dead,' not that He died before us, for we had died first; but because having undergone death for us and abolished it, He was the first to rise, as man, for our sakes raising His own Body. Henceforth He having risen, we too from Him and because of Him rise in due course from the dead ... He is called 'First-born among many brethren' because of the relationship of the flesh, and 'First-born from the dead,' because the resurrection of the dead is from Him and after Him ... And as He is First-born among brethren and rose from the dead 'the first fruits of them that slept;' so, since it became Him 'in all things to have the preeminence (Athanasius. Discourse II Against the Arians, Chapters 59,60,61,63,64. Excerpted from Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Volume 4. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. American Edition, 1892. Online Edition Copyright © 2005 by K. Knight).
Thus the idea of being begotten when converted and being born again at the resurrection is not a relatively new one among professing Christians. But unlike the idea of being born again now, it is not a concept with pre-Christian (pagan) origins.
In the 19th century, articles in a publication of the Church of Christ, later called the Church of God had the following:
I wish to express a few thoughts through 'The Hope of Israel,' with regard to the 'new birth,' or the 'Birth of the Spirit.' I am aware that upon this subject, there exists a great diversity of opinions, at the present day.
There is no subject taught in the sacred Scriptures, fraught with greater interest than the one before us; for, said Jesus to Nicodemus, 'Verily, verily I say unto thee, 'Except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.'' John 3:5.
Some take the position that the 'new birth' is water baptism. But the 6th verse explains the two births. 'For that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.' Hence the first birth, is the birth of the flesh. The birth of the flesh Nicodemus well understood. But the 'birth of the Spirit,' was a mystery to him. This subject so involved in mystery, we are about to investigate, in the light of the sacred Scriptures.
First, Christ is said to be the 'first born of every creature.' Col. 1:15. Now we would ask, was Christ the first one ever baptized in water? Most assuredly not, for Paul tells us that 600,000 'were baptized unto Moses, in the sea and in the cloud.' And again, John had been baptizing six months before Christ came and demanded baptism at his hand.
Again, according to the theology of the day, the new birth is considered to be a change of heart, or conversion. If this idea be correct, there never was a man who was converted, or met with a change of heart, until Christ came in the flesh; for he was the 'first born of every creature.' But 'to the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them.' Isa. 8:20. Paul has told us in what sense Christ was the first born of every creature. Col. 1:19, 'He is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the first born of the dead; that in all things he might have the pre-eminence.' Again, Paul says, 1st Cor. 15:23, 'That Christ the first-fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.' And again, Acts 26:23, 'That Christ should [suffer, and] that he should be the first that should rise from the dead.' Again Rev. 1:5, 'And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten from the dead.'
Now we will see if the Old Testament will be in harmony with the New, on this subject.
Psalm 89:27, 28, 'Also I will make him my first born, higher than the kings of the earth. My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him. His seed also I will make to endure forever, and his throne as the days of heaven.' This scripture agrees perfectly with Paul to Colossians 1:18, that the first born Son of God 'should in all things have the pre-eminence.' Yet E.G. White, in one of her 'visions,' called 'The Great Controversy,' says, on page 43, that Moses had a resurrection 1400 years before Christ. Enough of that fable for the present.
In the above remarks, we have seen how Christ became the firstborn Son of God. Now we will see if the rest of the family are to be born after the same manner.
First, I take the position that Christ is to take the place the first Adam might have occupied, as the 'Everlasting Father of all the redeemed family. Go with me to Isaiah 9:6, 'For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.' Now, the question arises, How, and when does he become 'the everlasting Father'? Go with me to Isaiah 22:21, 'And I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah.'
From the above scripture we have learned who is to be our 'everlasting Father.' Next, we ask, Who is to be our mother? Go with me to Gal. 4:26, 'But Jerusalem which is above is free, and the mother of us all.'
Now go with me to Rev. 10:7, and we will have our father and mother married. 'Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.' Rev. 21:9, 10. And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.'
Now turn to Isaiah 66:6, 7, 8, and you will see when the whole family is to be born. 'A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the Lord that rendereth recompense to his enemies. Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came she was delivered of a man child. Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.'
We learn from the scripture, just quoted that before the general resurrection of the saints, 'the woman brought forth a man child,' that shall rule all nations with 'a rod of iron.' See Rev. 19:15, And at the general resurrection of the saints, the earth will be made to give up the dead, and all the family be born 'at once;' or as Paul has it, 'shall be changed, in a moment in the twinkling of an eye.'
In conclusion, I would say to the scattered flock of God, may that spirit that brought Jesus forth from the grave, dwell richly in all our hearts, that 'our vile bodies' may be quickened like his, at the sound of the last trump.
Gilbert Cranmer
Comstock, Mich.
(The Birth of the Spirit, The Hope of Israel, 14 Sept 1863, p. 3)
I now propose to examine the doctrine of BEING BORN AGAIN. ... If this is being born, then to be born again must be to be brought forth a second time. ... Heb. 13 : 20 ... Christ there was born again. ... Christ was born a second time, or born again, or born from the dead.
WHEN ARE CHRISTIANS BEGOTTEN AGAIN? .... 1 Peter 1 : 3 .... Christians then are begotten again when they receive the Gospel, the word of truth : when they receive the hope of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. ...
WHEN WILL CHRISTIANS BE BORN AGAIN? -- John 3 : 6 ... As all Christians have been born of the flesh, they will be born again when they are born of the Spirit. 1 Cor. 15 : 44, 49 ... when they become children of God, by being children of the resurrection. (Anon. Being Born Again. Hope of Israel, August 25, 1865, pp. 1,2)
Notice also the following extract related to the Sabbath Advocate and Herald of the Coming Kingdom, April 1893:
“William C. Long in April 1893, wrote in the Advocate: “We are begotten of God; we are born of the Spirit. These two events do not occur at the same time. We are begotten at conversion; we are born at the resurrection” (R C Nickels, Bible Doctrine, page 11.13).
In addition, even the 21st century, the Eastern Orthodox Church teach:
Frank Schaeffer...calls the standard evangelical doctrine a "false bill of goods." "The simplistic 'born-again' formula for instant painless 'salvation' is not only a misunderstanding, I believe it is a heresy. It contradicts the teaching of Christ in regard to the narrow, hard, ascetic, difficult way of salvation." (Clendenin D.B. ed. Eastern Orthodox Theology, 2nd ed. Baker Academic, 2003, p. 268).
The late evangelist John Ogwyn wrote:
The Dictionary of the Bible and Religion explains in the article "Regeneration" that the rite of infant baptism, practiced not only by Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox, but by many Protestant churches as well, "is historically known as baptismal regeneration and rests on the belief that the sacrament, when performed aright, has the power to confer what it signifies, namely regeneration or new birth of the child to God's family." Churches that view infant baptism as a sacrament believe that the ceremony itself confers regeneration, and that the baptized person at that point enters into the Kingdom of God. Evangelicals would argue that the individual must first make his own personal profession of faith, after which he is "born again" and is, from that moment on, in the Kingdom...Those who view "born again" as a matter of sacrament and those who view it as personal experience do agree on one point. Both viewpoints assume that Christians are already born again at this present time...Just as new life is imparted in the process of human birth—with a begettal, a period of growth and development and then a coming forth into the world—so also is new life imparted in the process of salvation. We are begotten, we grow and develop as Christians, and then we enter into the Kingdom of God. The "when" of salvation is the resurrection from the dead, when we will finally inherit the Kingdom of God as spirit-born sons of God. Christ said in Luke 20:36 that we will be the "children of God, being children of the resurrection" (NRSV) ... To equate the biblical "born again" with conversion, or an emotional experience at baptism, is to miss the entire point that salvation is a process! Salvation begins with our receiving God's Holy Spirit after baptism and thus becoming a partaker "of the divine nature" (2 Peter 1:4). Christians then grow in grace and knowledge throughout the rest of their physical lives. The salvation process will culminate at the resurrection with the Christian's full arrival into the glorious Kingdom of God as a fully glorified, Spirit-born son of God. Truly, God is "bringing many sons to glory" (Hebrews 2:10)! (Ogwyn J. What Do You Mean "Born-Again"? Tomorrow's World. Jan-Feb 2003).
We in the Church of God believe that God's Holy Spirit begets us a baptism--which is something for adults, not infants.
The concept of being "born again in the flesh" is more than just an issue of semantics. It was not taught in the early true church, as they taught Christians were begotten now and would be born again at the resurrection. The concept of being born again now seems to mislead some people into believing that obeying the law of God is not necessary, or otherwise misunderstood the entire plan of God. It does not lead people to Jesus Christ.
The logical conclusion of the born-again now argument is to prevent some people from having "any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God" (Ephesians 5:5).
And, as we in the Churches of God have seen, its acceptance among some has ultimately lead to the acceptance of other pagan practices for those who once professed to have the faith once delivered (Jude 3).
Those who understood the original language of the New Testament better than many understand it now, realized that Christians were begotten by the Holy Spirit in this age and are to be born-again at the first resurrection.
We in the Continuing Church of God teach:
Upon receiving the Holy Spirit, Christians are begotten by God (cf. 1 Peter 1:3; 1 John 5:1), then after a period of spiritual growth/gestation (cf. 2 Peter 3:18), Christians will literally be born again (John 3:5-7) when changed at the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:49-54) as Christ was (Romans 1:4-5). (Statement of Beliefs of the Continuing Church of God).
Being begotten now, helps picture our growth and development so what we can truly be born-again at the resurrection and into the Kingdom of God.
A related sermon is also available: COG Q&A: Eating Blood, Born Again, Jesus, Leavening Agents and more!
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