I think that this question has been and continues to be misunderstood by many people, including myself for many years.
Years ago, I would have told you that being Born Again meant asking Jesus into your heart: a spiritual acceptance of Jesus as Messiah and Savior through his sacrifice on the Cross. Accepting such would invite The Holy Spirit to dwell within us. This, of course, must be preceded by repentance for past and present sinfulness, which I understood was innate - born into us because of Adam's "fall" from grace. Sometimes this is referred to as Original Sin.
Accepting the "free gift" would entitle you to a crown of jewels, and a room in Heaven, where the streets were paved in gold, and you would join a chorus of angels singing praises to the Godhead (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) forever and ever, Amen.
Not accepting this "free gift" would guarantee that you would spend eternity in Hell. At the time (I was raised Baptist), I believed that Hell was a physical place somewhere beneath the Earth's surface where lakes of fire (As a teenager, I imagined it as Magma) would burn the unrepentant for ever and ever.
Is this what you, dear Christian, think?
On the other hand, there are many people - Christians included - who understand the "Born Again" question of Nicodemus as more of an intellectual query rather than a magical formula. In other words, what Jesus was really saying was that you need to accept a turn about in your heart of hearts, and act in a way that embodies the intent of The Law. The Sermon on the Mount has Jesus turning familiar commandments made by Moses into a more modern interpretation.
For example:
And so on.
In other words, what is the purpose of the more apocalyptic version of Christianity? Why is that preferable to the more "down to earth" version of simply following Jesus' lead in how we live, think and relate to others? Do not both ways lead to a closer walk with G-d?
Also, why is there the need to be threatened with eternal punishment? If Jesus was intended to be a sacrifice for sins:
, why didn't it take for everyone?
NORM
Years ago, I would have told you that being Born Again meant asking Jesus into your heart: a spiritual acceptance of Jesus as Messiah and Savior through his sacrifice on the Cross. Accepting such would invite The Holy Spirit to dwell within us. This, of course, must be preceded by repentance for past and present sinfulness, which I understood was innate - born into us because of Adam's "fall" from grace. Sometimes this is referred to as Original Sin.
Accepting the "free gift" would entitle you to a crown of jewels, and a room in Heaven, where the streets were paved in gold, and you would join a chorus of angels singing praises to the Godhead (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) forever and ever, Amen.
Not accepting this "free gift" would guarantee that you would spend eternity in Hell. At the time (I was raised Baptist), I believed that Hell was a physical place somewhere beneath the Earth's surface where lakes of fire (As a teenager, I imagined it as Magma) would burn the unrepentant for ever and ever.
Is this what you, dear Christian, think?
On the other hand, there are many people - Christians included - who understand the "Born Again" question of Nicodemus as more of an intellectual query rather than a magical formula. In other words, what Jesus was really saying was that you need to accept a turn about in your heart of hearts, and act in a way that embodies the intent of The Law. The Sermon on the Mount has Jesus turning familiar commandments made by Moses into a more modern interpretation.
For example:
"You have heard that it was said, 'AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH.' "But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.…
In other words, what is the purpose of the more apocalyptic version of Christianity? Why is that preferable to the more "down to earth" version of simply following Jesus' lead in how we live, think and relate to others? Do not both ways lead to a closer walk with G-d?
Also, why is there the need to be threatened with eternal punishment? If Jesus was intended to be a sacrifice for sins:
By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
NORM
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