Can You Be Reborn Again?
If you’ve ever heard the call to be “born again,” it might conjure up images of old-time tent revivals or TV preachers waving large Bibles around. It might even evoke memories of Sunday School classes from your childhood. Regardless of what the call may evoke for you, it is an important concept that has deep spiritual significance.
What does it mean to be “born again?”
Being born again is a process that takes place in the heart of someone who is truly committed to following Jesus. It involves the conversion of a person’s soul from sin to grace and is accomplished through trust in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
It is a gift that comes only from God and does not come through the power of works or good deeds, which are both the hallmarks of a life lived in rebellion against God. If you have never trusted in Christ as your Lord and Savior, please consider making a decision to follow him today.
The Bible says that you can be reborn again when you place your faith in Jesus as the Son of God who died for your sins and rose from the dead to give you eternal life. If you do so, your soul will be reborn again in a new body that is perfect for heaven.
What about the rest of us?
While the majority of the Christian world does not believe that people reincarnate, there are a few groups of Christians who do. Among these are the followers of the Cathars, Alawites, Druze and Rosicrucians, all of whom hold a belief in the doctrine of reincarnation.
Reincarnation was also a widely held belief in Medieval Judaism, primarily among Jewish mystics and some of their followers. It was taught in many of the classical mystical texts, and it is still an esoteric belief within some strains of Orthodox Judaism.
Some modern religious beliefs also accept reincarnation, such as Buddhism. Buddhists believe that after a period of suffering, one’s soul is reborn into a new body for a new lifetime. This rebirth is said to be an attempt to gain enlightenment and attain Nirvana, the state of total enlightenment that leads to freedom from samsara.
Another group of believers who embrace reincarnation are those who practice the religion of Scientology. It has long been the belief of Scientologists that there is a connection between past lives and present ones. They claim that reincarnation allows for a direct link between the human mind and the spirit.
The most common way that a person becomes reborn again is by being baptized in water. This act of repentance and faith transforms a person from a life of sin to a life of grace, whereby they become members of the church and are filled with the Holy Spirit. The Bible describes the transformation that occurs at baptism as being the first step toward rebirth in God’s kingdom (Romans 10:9-10). It is not only an act of repentance and faith, it is a commitment to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.
