by Todd Clippard
It is not uncommon to hear the term “born again Christian” in religious discussions today. Such language reflects a misunderstanding of the Scriptures and what it means to be “born again.” In truth, when one is born again, he is a Christian. If one is a Christian, he became one by being born again. Conversely, one cannot be a Christian without being born again, and one cannot be born again without becoming a Christian. Thus, the term “born again Christian” is a redundancy. (A redundancy is unnecessarily saying the same thing twice.)
In like fashion, one does not anywhere read in the New Testament of an unbaptized Christian. Obedience to the gospel requires baptism (immersion in water) to receive remission of sins (Mark 16:15-16; Acts 2:38; 22:16). Disciples are made by the means of baptism (Matt 28:19-20). Acts 11:26 says “the disciples were called Christians at Antioch.” So, when one finds disciples, he finds Christians, and when he finds Christians, he finds those who have been baptized to receive the forgiveness of sins. When one finds different terms used to describe a similar or identical result, it should be assumed the terms are synonymous. The following examples are noteworthy:
Jesus said, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Jesus clarified in verse 5, “Except a man be born of water and Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” This being the case, two things need to be understood: 1) being “born again” is the same as being “born of water and Spirit.” There is not one birth in verse 3 and two in verse 5. “Born” is singular in both verses; and 2) to “see the kingdom of God” is the same as to “enter the kingdom of God.” However, this does not fully answer what is meant by being born again / born of water and Spirit. We must further search the Scriptures for clarity.
In Titus 3:5, Paul declared our salvation is according to God’s mercy “by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit.” The word regeneration literally means “new birth.” So we find similar terms used in the two passages, “water (John 3:5) and “washing” (Titus 3:5); we also see born again (John 3:3) and new birth (Titus 3:5). Thus, the results are also to be considered the same; seeing / entering the kingdom of God is equal to being saved by God’s mercy.
In 1 Peter 1:22, God says our souls are purified by obedience to the truth through the Spirit. In verse 23, that process is described as being “born again” by the incorruptible seed, which is the word of God (cf Lk 8:11). Likewise, Ephesians 5:26 says that Jesus sanctifies and cleanses His church “with the washing of water by the word.” Mark 16:16 says we must be baptized in order to be saved, and Acts 2:38-47 teaches that only those who are baptized for remission of sins are saved and added to the church by the Lord.
In understanding these texts in harmony with one another, we can know that being born again is the same as: (1) being born of water and Spirit; (2) the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit; (3) the washing of water by the word; (4) purifying our souls by obeying the truth through the Spirit; and (5) baptism (immersion) in water to receive remission of sins.
Have you truly been born again?
Todd Clippard
Hamilton AL
Todd’s Bio: Todd Clippard is married to the former Rhonda Bridges of St Louis, MO. They have two children, Shelby and Jeffrey. Todd has served as the preacher for the Burleson Church of Christ near Hamilton AL since February, 1996.
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