Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (John 3:3)
Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. (I Corinthians 15:50)
There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. (I Corinthians 15:44)
John 3:3-5 (New International Version, �2010)
3 Jesus replied, �Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.[a]�
4 �How can someone be born when they are old?� Nicodemus asked. �Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother�s womb to be born!�
5 Jesus answered, �Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (John 3:6)
Catholics believe that we are �born again� (become Christians)�that we are made a �new creation��by being Baptized into the Death and Resurrection of Christ�.whether this occurs when we are an infant or later on in life.
We receive Grace at Baptism that washes away Original and other sins and allows us to live a life for Christ.
This is what Christ meant by being �born again� or born from above by water and the spirit (Baptism).
The Non-Catholic view of being �born again��(which is) that we become true Christians when at a special moment of our life we make a conscious choice to repent from our sins, commit our lives to Jesus Christ, and personally accept the Salvation that Christ won for us on the Cross is something that I can understand and find hard to discount and most certainly agree that it is a Pivotal Moment in any Christian�s Spiritual Life, but The Church has never taken the point of view that it means being �Reborn�.
From the very beginning The Church has taught differently.
What happens to a person who is infant baptized, yet when becomes of age refuses confirmation, choosing not to confirm their baptism, effectively choosing differently than their parents choose for them when they were infants. Are they still born again after choosing not to accept Christ?
I believe the understanding is born once of the flesh, and then born of the spirit which follows confessing Jesus as lord.
I would like to share a part of my testimony in meeting the lord, I was brought up in a catholic home and I did have a baptismal certificate, and like the average catholic we knew nothing of scripture, at the time I was born again after an encounter with the lord, I said I did not know if there was a God, nor was I looking for him, or even believe that he even existed. Experience is not doctrine, but if it agrees with the word of God it is valuable.
In summary after the new birth, a spiritual birth there has always been a fellowship with the lord Jesus and in the that fellowship I have learned to let Go of Catholicism, I do not believe the lord Jesus is in agreement with what we call denominations, he only agrees with his word and it would be of our best interest for all believers to put any and all tags of men behind us, all they are is a tool of Satan to bring Strife.
For to love the Lord is to love the word of God, for they are inseparable.
Along the lines of the question Two asked...just some things I've pondered.
What happens to a person who undergoes a 'conversion' experience and is baptized as an adult, yet after several years falls away into a life of sin, denying the very existence of God. Are they still born again after choosing not to believe in Christ no matter what their experience at baptism? Is there really any difference between that and infant baptism?
What happens to parents that don't uphold the vows they make at the time of the infant Baptismal covenant to raise the child in the Faith?
Also, what do the passages in Acts 16, 18, 1Cor 1 mean when they talk about baptising households? Does that include all adults, all people including children, slave and servant regardless of their personal beliefs?
Baptism creates a new person...a new creation into "The Body of Christ". Staying there is up to you. That Grace given you by God (freely from God) has to be cooperated with by you. You have free will to decide. An infant makes that decision when he is of The Age of Reason whether to cooperate with that Grace.
The Church has from the Beginning believed differently than what you now believe about Baptism. She has always Believed that it is Regenerative and a Sacrament.
Well now two fellows is it not of the word faith in the word of God, that brings man into the family of God, and the same man can turn from the same faith that brought him into the family, at least that is what Jesus said.
You may try to turn that horse, to keep him out of the ditch but he runs on into it anyhow
as a Catholic I believe that every morning when I awake I have to "pick up" my Cross and work at my Salvation daily. Otherwise I would take it for granted and there would not be any "fruit" or any need to be held accountable for my actions and deeds.
