What makes one a "born again Christian" as opposed to a Christian?

Arpeggionist

A born again Christian is one who does not start out as a religious individual, but at a point in his/her life, becomes considerably more religious, "rediscovering" his/her Christianity so to speak. In Judaism the phenomenon occurs as well, and is known as "(c)hazarah bit'shuvah" ("returning [to God] on the [right] path"). Nov 07 04, 3:34 PM

fluffyjo

The new birth is the act by which God imparts spiritual life to one who trusts Christ.Without this spiritual birth, a person cannot perceive spiritual things, nor can they enter the kingdom of God. (John 3:3) Nov 07 04, 5:15 PM

kaylofgorons

"Christian" is a widely used to describe people who express ANY kind of belief in Christ, no matter how vague their belief may be. They may or may not believe the Bible (Word of God) is the final word on religious things, but will take the word of a minister or priest, or of their own decision to be the last word. (Personally, I believe that if God, the one who Created by speaking, said it then it must be final). A "born again Christian" typically believes that "salvation" has nothing to do with what we do anymore than we have somehow earned being born. "Born again" is an expression used by Christ (which means Messiah in Greek by the way and Jesus means Savior/salvation) when he was talking to Nicodemus "a man of the Pharisses, a ruler of the Jews" "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." This is in John 3. Nov 07 04, 8:40 PM

sisterfire

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A BORN AGAIN CHRISTIAN AND A CHRISTIAN IS WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SECULARISM AND ONE WHO FOLLOWS CHRIST. AMERICA IS CALLED A CHRISTIAN NATION, BUT IT TRULY ISN'T MADE UP OF ALL BORN AGAIN BELIEVERS THAT FOLLOW CHRIST. OH THEY MAY WEAR A CROSS, OR HAVE A FISH ON THEIR CAR OR EVEN ATTEND CHURCH ON THOSE SPECIAL OCCASSIONS. BUT THEY DON'T WALK THE WALK AND RARELY EVEN TALK THE TALK. Jun 29 06, 11:15 AM

MyAlias

Just a bit of a note Sisterfire. There is no "walk". "Walking the walk" is more about Religion than spirituality. One need not "walk a walk" when their Heart is in CHRIST. Being Born Again transcends any cognitive ideals or precepts. One can not help but be CHRIST-like once they have fallen at the foot of the Cross and forsaken their own flesh and invited CHRIST to where HE belongs. I am not saying that one need not mind their footfalls or their path, I am saying that anyone can walk a walk without CHRIST in their life. So walking a walk may not mean anything. Now I do say that I agree with everything you have said I am just trying to clarify for other readers the act of Salvation. As for being born again as ther bible explains it...Man has never, since ADAM, been right with GOD so it is not a coming back to GOD because one can not go back to where one has never been. We are born into SIN. We are freed when we are born again (of the SPIRIT). CHRIST means Anointed Messiah means the Anointed One. Born again is a misunderstood term in the secular World. Most persons who do not know of the Good News and the Anointing think of the 60's and Holy rollers and cult like rituals, basically freaky things, when they hear "born again". Something radical. According to the Bible anyane who follows CHRIST in word, deed and heart are born again once having invited CHRIST home. To sum it up a Christian and a born again Christian are the same thing when we understand the terms properly. You can not be truly one without the other. Jun 29 06, 12:37 PM