The Term "Born Again Christian" Is Redundant!

     There is a term that has been around for quite a while now -
      "Born Again Christian."

     The first time I remember hearing it was in the 1976 presidential
     campaign, and Jimmy Carter announced that he was a "Born Again
     Christian."

     Since then, the world has trivialized the term "born again."  This term began to
     be used to describe not only Christians, but also it seemed, almost
     anyone who had fallen on hard times, committed a crime, or just had
     messed up his life in general, only to make a great "comeback."

     These people now had a "new lease on life."  Entertainers, athletes,
     businessmen, and others who had turned their life around after suffering
     through hard times, were being called "born again" fill in the blanks.
    
     Sports Illustrated even got in on the act, with a cover story on Bjorn Borg,
     the tennis great from Sweden.  When he won several Wimbledon tournaments
     in a row, the headline was "Bjorn Again."


     While watching the game show Jeopardy, years ago I heard some words that surprised
     me.  The category was Christianity (if I recall correctly), and the answer given
     (the response, of course, had to be in the form of a question) was "when a
     Christian rededicates his life to Christ."

     The correct response (according to the Jeopardy producers) given by the contestant
     was "what is being 'born again?"  When host Alex Trebeck said, "that's correct,"
     I replied out loud, "What?  No! No! No!  That is NOT correct, Alex!"

     If that were true, then any time a Christian rededicated his life to Christ,
     he would be "born again."  So, a person could be "born again" over and over
     and over.


     That is not what the Bible describes as being "born again."   The term goes back
     to the New Testament, when Jesus used it, as recorded in the gospel of John.  He
     was talking about a different kind of "born again"  - a spiritual type.


     In Hebrews 9:28, we see that "Christ was sacrificed
     ONCE to take away the sins of many people;  and he will appear a second time,
     not to bear sin, but to bring salvation, to those who are waiting for him."


     Just as Christ died ONCE for sinners, so are sinners who repent and trust
     in him alone for salvation, "born again" only ONCE.

     In John 3:3&7, Jesus made it plain that a person MUST be "born again" to be
     saved or see the kingdom of God.  "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born
     again he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3).

     "Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again'" (John 3:7).

     Therefore, according to the words of Jesus, we can safely conclude that the
     term "Born Again Christian" is redundant.  The word "Christian" is unnecessary,
     because if a person is "born again," (biblically speaking) he IS a Christian!


     We can also conclude that anyone who is not "born again" is not a Christian.
     That may be politically incorrect to say today, but based on the words of Jesus,
      it is the truth.


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     Much more on being "born again" next time.