Quote:
Originally Posted by Igzy
None of these verses have anything to do with being born again.
bearbear, you read the Bible like someone who is colorblind. You just see black and white. To you, either the verses are about getting eternal salvation or about losing eternal salvation. It's outside of your concept that the Lord could be talking about anything else.
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I'm open to your point of view and I think I'm capable of nuance. This is a subject I haven't spent a long time studying and I think I can learn from you guys. But maybe it's not a subject worth delving into. The process of being born again does seem quite a bit controversial and it does seem like splitting hairs if you look at all the verses that talk about receiving the Holy Spirit, being born again, receiving a new heart and new spirit etc. Even Billy Graham lists some formulaic steps saying you have to repent of your sins, believe and try to obey the Lord. In my case, those all result from a desire for obeying and loving the Lord once convinced enough to trust in the message of the Gospel.
http://billygraham.org/story/how-to-be-born-again/
"Jesus Christ says that we must be born again. How do we become born again? By repenting of sin. That means we are willing to change our way of living. We say to God, “I’m a sinner, and I’m sorry.” It’s simple and childlike. Then by faith we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Master and Savior. We are willing to follow Him in a new life of obedience, in which the Holy Spirit helps us as we read the Bible and pray and witness."
Maybe it's all bit of a mystery and that's why Jesus left it at "the wind blows where it wills". But it still wouldn't hurt to make sure your heart is good earth via repentance and loving Jesus with all your heart in full surrender would it? Why take any chances? Shouldn't we encourage people to do so?