Greetings, all:
From my Bible study I have an entirely different perspective of "born again" than what the churches teach. Before I explain that, let me say that I was "born again" twice before becoming a Jehovah's Witness; first time at the conclusion of a summer series of Bible studies for kids sponsored by Baptists (age 10), and later in an off-shoot of the Church of Christ (age 14) which believed they were "the true religion". I later thought I was doomed for backsliding, beginning with going to a movie (Walt Disney?s Cinderella) and then later getting a job as usherette at a theater. So I came to Jehovah's Witnesses (age 18) with a concept of Christ as savior that was with me through my several years of JW experience.
JT said:
the bible teaches and its followers accept that if you don't have the classification of Born Again, God is going to Kill you-
Only certain fundamentalist denominations teach that doctrine.
You also asked how many Christians do not believe this. Well, first we should define what Jesus meant by ?born again?. In my opinion the Bible teaching is something very different from what the churches of the ?born again? doctrine teach. If you do a Bible search of the term ?born again? (exact phrase) it reports three occurrences: twice in John 3 when Jesus was talking to Nicodemus, and once in 1Pet.1:3. All three occurrences appear to simply be referring to resurrection imo.
Remember, the Jewish culture uses symbolism to a great degree. (e.g., Jesus is bread and wine.) Also, the Jews were expecting the coming of Messiah to be a literal king who would conquer Rome and reestablish the throne of David to the temple in Jerusalem and the nation of Israel. That is likely what Nicodemus was inquiring about in John chapter 3. Jesus was trying to explain that his kingdom would not be of this world, so he said: ??no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.? This baffled Nicodemus, and he asked how one could be born a second time. Jesus replied: ?no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. (Remember, baptism symbolizes being put to death in flesh and coming to life in spirit?death and resurrection imo.) In fact Jesus goes on to say quite explicitly: ?What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.? Later in the conversation, Jesus referred to it as understanding ?heavenly things?. (Also noteworthy, when Jesus speaks of ?wind? in the 8 th verse, it is from the same Greek word as ?spirit?.
The only other occurrence of ?born again?: ?Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. (1 Pet.1:3--NRSV) ("born again" in the NIV and KJ versions.)
It goes right along with ?flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God? (1Cor.15:50).
So if that be the correct understanding, then, of course, one would have to be ?born again? (i.e., resurrected a spirit) to enter the kingdom of God.
But it's not an earthly, dramatic, momentary, Holy-Spirit experience of getting "saved". I find no scriptural support for that doctrine, and it never happened to me in my preJW religious experience.
As for getting re-baptised: Some Christians feel they should be rebaptised because since 1980-something the dedication was to the Watchtower Organization. Baptism generally is understood to mean faith in Christ's redemption. If that was your understanding and intent, then why should you need to be rebaptised?
~Ros
