Born again

This article is about the Christian term. For other uses, see Born Again.
"New birth" redirects here. For other uses, see New Birth.

To be born again, or to experience the new birth, is a phrase, particularly in evangelical Christianity, that refers to a "spiritual rebirth", or a regeneration of the human spirit. In contrast to one's physical birth, being "born again" is distinctly and separately caused by the operation of the Holy Spirit, and it occurs when one surrenders their life to Christ (John 3:5, Titus 3:5). While all Christians are familiar with the concept from the Bible, it is a core doctrine of the denominations of the Anabaptist, Moravian, Methodist, Baptist, Plymouth Brethren and Pentecostal churches along with evangelical Christian denominations. These Churches stress Jesus's words in the Gospels: "Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’" (John 3:7).[1] (In some English translations, the phrase "born again" is rendered as "born from above".[2]) Their doctrines also hold that to be "born again" and thus "saved", one must have a personal and intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.[3][4][5][6][7][8]

The term born again has its origin in the New Testament. In the First Epistle of Peter, the author describes the new birth as taking place from the seed which is the Word of God.[9][10] In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus himself refers to the Word of God as the seed.[11]

In contemporary Christian usage and apart from evangelicalism, the term is distinct from similar terms which are sometimes used in Christianity in reference to a person who is, or is becoming, a Christian. This usage of the term is usually linked to baptism with water and the related doctrine of baptismal regeneration. Individuals who profess to be "born again" (meaning born in the "Holy Spirit") often state that they have a "personal relationship with Jesus Christ".[12][7][8]

  1. ^ John 3:6–7
  2. ^ "John 3:7 - Jesus and Nicodemus". Bible Hub. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Joyner2007 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cathcart, William (1883). The Baptist Encyclopaedia: A Dictionary of the Doctrines, Ordinances ... of the General History of the Baptist Denomination in All Lands, with Numerous Biographical Sketches...& a Supplement. L. H. Everts. p. 834.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference CYMF2018 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Wood1965 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ a b Bornstein, Erica (2005). The spirit of development: Protestant NGOs, morality, and economics in Zimbabwe. Stanford University Press. ISBN 978-0804753364. Retrieved 30 July 2011. A senior staff member in World Vision's California office elaborated on the importance of being "born again," emphasizing a fundamental "relationship" between individuals and Jesus Christ: "...the importance of a personal relationship with Christ [is] that it's not just a matter of going to Christ or being baptized when you are an infant. We believe that people need to be regenerated. They need a spiritual rebirth. The need to be born again. [...] You must be born again before you can see, or enter, the Kingdom of Heaven."
  8. ^ a b Lever, A. B. (2007). And God Said... Xulon Press. ISBN 978-1604771152. Retrieved 30 July 2011. From speaking to other Christians I know that the distinction of a born again believer is a personal experience of God that leads to a personal relationship with Him.
  9. ^ "Born Again – The New Birth occurs only from accepting God's seed, which is His full and unaltered Word". UnmodifiedWord.com. Archived from the original on 25 September 2022. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  10. ^ 1 Peter 1:23
  11. ^ Luke 8:11
  12. ^ Price, Robert M. (1993). Beyond Born Again: Toward Evangelical Maturity. Wildside Press. ISBN 978-1434477484. Retrieved 30 July 2011. I have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.