If we are not saved as sinners before we die (all sins forgiven, past, present, future), there was no point in God sending His one and only son to die for us, it's that simple.
Atheist Richard Dawkins On Babies With Ds
- Thread starter Flavio
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If we are not saved as sinners before we die (all sins forgiven, past, present, future), there was no point in God sending His one and only son to die for us, it's that simple.
PeaceLikeaRiver
Inactive
Of course. I'm not a Baptist, Evangelical, Pentecostal, Fundamentalist styled Christian, all of whom use the expression "saved" and "born again".
But I'm Catholic and I'd considered myself born again.
PeaceLikeaRiver
Inactive
100 years ago there was no such thing as a "born again Christian". It is new terminology. I was technically "born again" at the time of my baptism as a baby, if you prefer to think of it that way, but I am uncomfortable calling myself "saved" when I haven't died yet. This is hardly uncommon.
John 3:7
"Marvel not that I said unto thee, You must be born again".
You have not problems with me my friend, but you certainly might want to do some serious reading of the Bible. That is an encouragement, not a derogatory rebuke.
PeaceLikeaRiver
Inactive
Yes, as I just explained we see it as something that happens at the time of our baptism, but it's not usual to see most Catholics calling themselves Born Again Christians, or would you disagree? It's certainly not something I see where I live.
HisManySongs
Passed on, February 28, 2022
I beg to differ.
Jesus' own words:
John 3 (NLT)
3 There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. 2 After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.”
3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God."
4 “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”
5 Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. 7 So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again' 8 The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”
You are not saved? Like not saved from death? Did Jesus not die on the cross so that we may be saved from death and have everlasting life?
PeaceLikeaRiver
Inactive
Your issue isn't with me, it's with entire sects of Christians who don't call themselves Born Agains.
Praise the Lord. Now how do you explain our friend Peace like a River who says that he is a Christian but "Not of the saved variety"????
It has always been my understanding that one becomes born again, they are then in fact a Christian. Help me out here Larry.
PLR is saying something that is totally without Biblical merit.
PeaceLikeaRiver
Inactive
We consider ourselves, as I said, to be "born again" but not by making a public confession of it...it is something that happens in our baptism. We are getting caught up in labels I think more than anything else. Yes, I was "born again" but I don't call myself a Born Again Christian because it suggests the polar opposite style of Christian to what I was raised to be.
PeaceLikeaRiver
Inactive
Let me die first, then we can talk about whether God saved me. For now I do my best to strive towards it.
Haha, I originally wrote a somewhat long statement after my post that commented on how poorly worded that was before I erased it thinking people would know exactly what I meant. Perhaps I should have left it in. To "sell" them is misguiding and sounds like we're trying to con them into something -- trick them into falling for something. Nor are they to "buy" or even "buy into it." But of course that's not what I meant. What I wrote was a poorly worded statement.
You knew what I meant, Major
Yes I did, but I need to let every one else who is not a Christian know that.
Strive? How? It is not by works my friend.
PeaceLikeaRiver
Inactive
I've explained it several times. I don't call myself "saved" just like many, if not most, Christians I know, because I'm not comfortable anticipating what God is going to do with me.
Unless you're suggesting that only Fundamentalists are true Christians, is that what you mean?
No sir. I have no problems with anyone at all.
I just have never heard anyone say that they were a Christian..."But were not of the saved variety". I have always considered the Biblical record that one must be born again to be saved.
Never ever heard that and do not agree with your explanation.
PeaceLikeaRiver
Inactive
Of course it is. A combination of grace by faith and good works.
If you disagree, that's your right, but it doesn't mean I'm not Christian.
HisManySongs
Passed on, February 28, 2022
Romans 10:9 (NLT)
9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
I have no idea what you are referring to when you say "Fundamentalists". All I quoted was exactly what Jesus Christ said and nothing more or less.
PeaceLikeaRiver
Inactive
You are in effect saying that Catholics, Lutherans, Episcopalians, Methodists and others are not Christians. That suggests to me that you are saying something far more shocking. During my entire Christian upbringing I was never taught to call myself Born Again, but to humbly strive to be born again.