Born again : Born-again Christian
Born again is a common term in contemporary religious dialogue, referring to a transcending personal experience - or the experience of being spiritually reborn as a "new" human being. In psychological terms, its analogous to a state and post-state of hyper-salience[?]; where the brain experiences a extreme and jarring change of perceptions, causing a re-awakened and renewed sense and understanding of oneself and the outside world
Christian concepts
To be born again in Christianity is synonymous with spiritual rebirth and, in many denominational traditions, salvation. A large number of American Christians call themselves born-again Christians, including Al Gore. They claim that being born again is essential for salvation. The term is used somewhat differently in different Christian traditions.Born Again Christians claim that there is no other way of becoming a Christian but by being born "from above". The Christian use of the term is said to be derived from the third chapter of the Gospel of John, where Nicodemus[?] asks Jesus what he must do 'to be saved"
- 3:2 Nicodemus: "Rabbi, we have known that from God thou hast come; a teacher, for no one these signs is able to do that thou dost, if God may not be with him."
- 3:3 Jesus: "Verily, verily, I say to thee, If any one may not be born from above, he isn't able to see the reign of God."
- 3:4 Nicodemus: "How is a man able to be born, being old? Is he able into the womb of his mother a second time to enter, and to be born?"
- 3:5 Jesus: "Verily, verily, I say to thee, if anyone may not be born of water, and the Spirit, he isn't able to enter into the reign of God. That which hath been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which hath been born of the Spirit is spirit."
- "Thou mayest not wonder that I said to thee; it behoveth you to be born from above. The Spirit, where he willeth, doth blow, and his voice thou dost hear, but thou hast not known whence he cometh, and whither he goeth. Thus is every one who hath been born of the Spirit."
- 3:9 Nicodemus: "How are these things able to happen?"
- 3:10 Jesus: "Thou art the teacher of Israel - and these things thou dost not know! Verily, verily, I say to thee: What we have known we speak, and what we have seen we testify, and our testimony ye do not receive. If the earthly things I said to you, and ye do not believe, how, if I shall say to you the heavenly things, will ye believe?"
- -From John 3, (Young's Literal Translation)
These relate to baptism, and of the difference between the realms of the Holy, Immortal Spirit and crude, mortal flesh. Baptism is the ritual revealing of the cleansing power of the word of God.
In Christainity, regeneration isn't a natural forward step in man's development; it is a supernatural act of God; it is a spiritual crisis. It isn't evolution, but involution -- the communication of a new life. It is a revolution--a change of direction resulting from that life. Herein lies the danger in psychology, and in the statistics regarding the number of conversions during the period of adolescence. The danger lies in the tendency to make regeneration a natural phenomenon, an advanced step in the development of a human life, instead of regarding it as a crisis. Such a psychological view of regeneration denies man's sin, his need of Christ, the necessity of an atonement, and the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit.
See also:
All the graves are
erected. I copied the three nearest to the landing-place:--
IN MEMORY OF
MARK SHELDON,
_Who was drowned in the Skeena. River, Aug. 15th, 1870,_
AGED 30 YEARS.
"Be ye therefore ready also."--LUKE xii. 40.
* * * * *
IN MEMORY OF
LOUISA STAVELY,
_Who died May 2nd, 1877,_
AGED 32 YEARS.
* * * * *
IN MEMORY OP
PAUL LEGAIC,
(Head Chief of the Tsimshean Indians),
_Who died May 6th, 1869,_
AGED 55 YEARS.
"Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?"
* * * * *
On 2nd July I left Metlakahtla in a large canoe.html">canoe, paddled by five.html">five
of the scalps," Naas River, established by the Rev. R. Doolan, in July,
the entrance of the Portland Canal, beautifully situated, hedged in by
good farming land, and many native villages, with souls thirsting for
houses were visible. Flags were run up, and as we approached the
hastening to welcome us, dressed in their best, some in very bright.html">bright
floating in the bright sunshine. "WELCOME TO KINCOLITH," in large
(_sic_), WE ARE ALL VERY HAPPY TO SEE YOU, SIR"--their own
welcomed at the Mission House by Mrs. Tomlinson and her five children.
address.
_July 4th_.--Visited the sawmill, which is romantically situated
high cliffs, and their snow-capped tops, betoken a severe winter
calves were grazing. In the meanwhile my invitation to a feast had been
the coffee and biscuits as at Metlakahtla. During the feast, a canoe
by all the leading men that the strangers should be invited to.
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