THE SECOND BIRTH

Frances,

A very intriguing description of the new birth. I too have become impatient with the term "born again" as it no longer describes my theology of being "born of God". Like you allude to, I think it's more of a process rather than an event at a single point in time. It's a conversion, not a magical "presto".

 

The Bible does say we are born again.

I think you all might be getting justification and sanctification mixed up. We are justified (born again) when we trust Christ; we are sanctified as we grow in Christ.

I agree, though, that not all believers have a specific moment when they know they were born again. Some do, some don't.

 

I think you all might be getting justification and sanctification mixed up. We are justified (born again) when we trust Christ; we are sanctified as we grow in Christ.

I agree, though, that not all believers have a specific moment when they know they were born again. Some do, some don't. </font>[/QUOTE]

 

I know exactly when I was BORN AGAIN.
July 26-1985

I personally had immediate changes. Right away I quit smoking weed and cigarettes, I stopped swearing, I stopped fooling around et. Not only my outward actions changed immediatly, but I had a NEW MIND, I thought the things of God. I was more aware of good and evil. I understood things in the Bible without even reading them ( the fact I wanted to read a Bible day and night was something ) One of the reasons I quit smoking was in my mind I thought if Jesus is now in me ( which I felt ) then how can I smoke if he is in there. So I asked God to help me quit and within 2 weeks I quit both. I also ASKED all on my own to be Baptized to show everyone I meant business with God and the decision I had made, that I was moving forward completely with my faith. Now mind you I was saved through a Pentecosal and after I had asked to be Baptized, they tried to teach me I'd be filled with the Holy Ghost and I would receive a new gift speaking in tongues. Well I knew I had already been filled with the Holy Spirit, and the tongues thing was just down right wrong and crazy to me. So already God was teaching me things. I had many trials right after I was saved and my faith remained strong.
I started immediately witnessing to anyone who was near me. If you didn't want to hear about God you had better not sit next to me on a plane or bus or anywhere.

I have learned though not everyone is as blessed as I was and their transformation may take longer. I honestly believe that my personality and the fact I was moved clear across the United States to get saved helped.

But when you are truly Born Again the Holy Spirit AUTOMATICALLY comes in and you are saved. Santification is a continual thing, a process.

 

PS I don't think God changes our personalities, I know mine hasn't changed much.

He does change our desires, mindset, attitude, faith and such. But our personalities remain.

ROMANS 12:1-2

 

Personality: hmmmmm some people are

OUTGOING
FUNNY
SHY
DETERMINED
PERFECTIONIST
EASYGOING
SUBMISSIVE
THOUGHTFUL
SPONTANEOUS
IMPATIENT
DISORGANIZED
CUTE

there are alot of words ( those were a few words ) to discribed the basic four temperments SANGUINE ~ MELANCHOLY ~ CHOLERIC ~ PHLEGMATIC.

Alot of the traits you have before you get saved don't change a whole lot after you get saved. For instance, before I got saved I was very responsible, a perfectionist, who liked people and thought of others alot. I am a very outgoing person. Just to name a fewof my traits.
So when I got saved it wasn't hard for me to be a resonsible Christian who wanted to obey God. I still was outgoing and wanted to help people only now through God and I was able to do it more with God and his kingdom as my focus.

I know people who are very shy and interverted who even after they get saved have a very hard time witnessing to people because God didn't change the fact that they are still shy. See what I mean.

Not to negate that we all need to work on our weaknesses to be more like Christ. For every good Personality trait there is a weaker side to it.

A person who is a pefectionist can be judgmental, a person who is shy has trouble witnessing and dealing with people, a person who is lots of fun can be too focused on self, and a person who is goal oriented and determined has a hard time letting go of control.

 

Frances, I assume you say you are striving to "enter in" and to be saved from hell because I see from your profile that you are a Freewill Baptist, and so I conclude that you believe you can lose your salvation. Is that right?

So this means you have no assurance of salvation, right?

 

Not only have I read Hebrews 6 many times, but we've had discussions on the passage you are referring to here on the BB a few times. I do not believe it says that a believer can lose salvation.

But you are not alone -- there are a few others on the BB who believe that you can.

 

Frances read this ! this subject has already been delt with. Your understanding of that scripture verse Heb. 6 is wrong

http://www.baptistboard.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php/topic/10/5292.html

 

Frances, whenever we come across a verse, passage or even a word relating to salvation we must determine by context what it is talking about. Born again, saved, redeemed, etc. all have various time factors. Certain passages give salvation as a onetime act which takes place at a moment in time. We were saved, born again when we accepted Christ as Saviour. However there are also passages which teach that salvation is a process from conversion to glorification. This is often called progressive sanctification and is a true process rather than a single event. Thus we might refer to the process of birth rather than the end event. Finally sometimes these words are used in Scripture to refer to the end of the process, namely that moment when we are ushered into God's presence. All three could be said to be the new birth, salvation, redemption, etc. The final determiner of the true meaning is always the biblical context, but all are aspects of our salvation in Christ. That is why Paul told us to "rightly [divide] the word of truth."

 

Then your salvation is dependant on you holding God's hand, making salvation not from God, but your works. Read Ephesians 2.

 

Circuitrider

RIGHT ON

 

My husband and I have NEVER doubted our salvation. I have been saved 20 years and he has been saved over 30. We know we are secure in Christ because of what he did for us not what we do. Bottom line !

If you think you are not saved yet, then chances are you NEVER did get saved. There are two types of people SAVED and UNSAVED.