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Born again

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"New Birth" redirects here. For other uses, see New Birth (disambiguation).

In Christianity, being born again represents a spiritual and metaphorical rebirth, accepting Jesus as the Messiah and receiving the Holy Spirit. The origin of the term "born again"[1] is the New Testament: "Jesus replied, 'Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born again.'"John 3:3 It is a term associated with Salvation in Christianity.

Origin

According to John 3:5, Jesus originated the term "born again" (alternately translated "born from above") while teaching Nicodemus, a rabbi of the Jewish sect known as the Pharisees. The traditional Jewish understanding of the promise of salvation was that being rooted in "the seed of Abraham" referred to physical (genetic) lineage from Abraham. A controversy existed in the primitive Church over the interpretation of the expression "the seed of Abraham". "It is the Apostle Paul's teaching in one instance that all who are Christ's by faith are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to promise. He is concerned, however, with the fact that the promise is not being fulfilled to the seed of Abraham (referring to the Jews).[2] Jesus explained to Nicodemus that this doctrine was in error—that every person must have two births—the natural birth of the physical body, the other of the regenerated spirit.[3] Jesus' discourse with Nicodemus established the Christian belief that all human beings—whether Jew or Gentile—must be "born again" of the spiritual seed of Christ.

The Apostle Peter further reinforced this understanding.1 Peter 1:23

Jesus Christ used the "birth" analogy in tracing spiritual newness of life to a divine beginning. Contemporary Christian theologians have provided explanations for "born from above" being a more accurate translation of the original Greek word transliterated anōthen.[4] Theologian Frank Stagg cites two reasons why the newer translation is significant:

  1. The emphasis "from above" (implying "from Heaven") calls attention to the source of the "newness of life." Stagg writes that the word "again" does not include the source of the new kind of beginning
  2. More than personal improvement is needed. "...a new destiny requires a new origin, and the new origin must be from God."[5]

Recent public stances

In recent history, born again is a term that has been widely associated with the Evangelical Christian renewal since the late 1960s, first in the United States and then later around the world. Associated perhaps initially with Jesus People and the Christian counterculture, born again came to refer to an intense conversion experience, and was increasingly used as a term to identify devout believers. By the mid 1970s, born again Christians were increasingly referred to in the mainstream media as part of the Born Again Movement.

In 1976, Watergate conspirator Chuck Colson's book Born Again gained international notice. TIME magazine named him "One of the 25 Most Influential Evangelicals in America."[6] The term was sufficiently prevalent that during the year's Presidential campaign Jimmy Carter described himself as born again, notably in the first Playboy magazine interview of a U.S. Presidential candidate. Modern musicians Rev. Little Richard Penniman,[7] Mark Farner, Dan Peek, Donna Summer, Bob Dylan,[8] Kerry Livgren, Dave Hope, Dave Mustaine, Nicko McBrain, Roger McGuinn, Johnny Cash, Brian Welch, Keith Farley, Cliff Richard, Randy Travis, Alice Cooper and Lou Gramm[9] were artists whose born again conversions had an impact on modern culture. Others such as James Cash Penney, founder of Chick-fil-A Truett Cathy, wrestlers Shawn Michaels and Sting, Jesse McCartney, Charlie Daniels, and Mr. T are also mentioned as being born again. Former Alabama governor and U.S. presidential candidate George Wallace became born again in the late 70s, which led him to apologize for his earlier segregationist views.

From Watergate conspirator to Born-again Christian

In his book Born Again (1976 and 2008), Watergate conspirator Chuck Colson describes his path to faith in conjunction with his criminal imprisonment and played a significant role in solidifying "Born Again" identity as a cultural construct in the U.S.

He writes that his spiritual experience followed considerable struggle and hesitancy to have a "personal encounter with God." While this is Colson's testimony of his own encounter with Jesus Christ, it is not to imply that any certain pattern or model must be followed by others seeking a "Born Again" salvation relationship with Jesus. There is no formula for what to say nor certain experience to be anticipated. It is one's own way of professing faith in Christ as "savior", placing the whole of one's trust in Christ for eternal salvation.

...while I sat alone staring at the sea I love, words I had not been certain I could understand or say fell from my lips: "Lord Jesus, I believe in You. I accept You. Please come into my life. I commit it to You." With these few words...came a sureness of mind that matched the depth of feeling in my heart. There came something more: strength and serenity, a wonderful new assurance about life, a fresh perception of myself in the world around me. In the process, I felt old fears, tensions and animosities training away. I was coming alive to things I'd never seen before; as if God was filling the barren void I'd known for so many months, filling it to its brim with a whole new kind of awareness.... I could not possibly in my wildest dreams have imagined what it would involve. How fortunate it is that God does not allow us to see into the future.

— Charles Colson[10]: pp.142-3 

Secular uses of the term

The term born-again was originally confined to the context of evangelical Christianity, to mean "converted", hence a born-again believer. Because of the recent popularization of that term in society at large stemming from its Christian roots, it is now often used generally to refer to a conversion to any cause or belief, particularly when accompanied by extreme enthusiasm or fervour, such as a born-again conservationist.[1]

Names inspired by the term

The idea of being "born again in Christ" inspired some common European forenames: French René/Renée (also used in the Netherlands), Italian and Spanish Renato, Latin Renatus/Renata, which all mean "reborn", "born again".

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "born-again." Good Word Guide. London: A&C Black, 2007. Credo Reference. 30 July 2009
  2. ^ Driscoll, James F. "Divine Promise (in Scripture)." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 12. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. 15 Nov. 2009 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12453a.htm>.
  3. ^ Emmons, Samuel B. A Bible Dictionary. BiblioLife, 2008. ISBN 9780554891088.
  4. ^ The New Testament Greek Lexicon. July 30, 2009. Online: http://www.searchgodsword.org/lex/grk/view.cgi?number=509
  5. ^ Stagg, Evelyn and Frank. Woman in the World of Jesus. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1978. ISBN 0-664-24195-6
  6. ^ http://www.time.com/time/covers/1101050207/photoessay/5.html The 25 Most Influential Evangelicals in America.
  7. ^ White, Charles (2003), p. 83 (see text under photo on opposite page). The Life and Times of Little Richard: The Authorised Biography. Omnibus Press.
  8. ^ Cott (ed.), Dylan on Dylan: The Essential Interviews, 279–285
  9. ^ http://www.cbn.com/media/player/index.aspx?s=/vod/AL24v2_WS
  10. ^ Colson, Charles W. Born Again. Chosen Books (Baker Publishing), 2008.
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