What is a Born Again Christian?
Understanding the Concept of Being Born-Again in Christianity
Apr 16, 2009
The phrase "born again" sounds quite bizarre. How can an adult be re-born? - it is a physical impossibility. For Steve Rawlins who was strongly anti-Christian, he found out the answer through an experience he had when he was in prison.
In Conversation with Gordon Pettie
Steve Rawlins was recently interviewed on Genesis Television Station's In Conversation programme hosted by Gordon Pettie. He spoke about how he became a born again Christian whilst he was in prison for gang related crime.
He told the story behind his transformation from a drug abusing gangster to a born again Christian who now works to help ex-offenders.
Steve Rawlins' Troubled Past Led to a Life of Crime
Steve Rawlins spoke about his life and how he ended up in jail. The son of a single mother, life was tough and they often found themselves struggling to survive.
He soon came to understand that lack of money equated to hardship and homelessness. He vowed that he would never be poor and as an adult getting money - by any means - became his main motivation.
As a young adult he fell into gangland culture, drug dealing and crime in order to fulfill this need. Eventually, he was sent to prison.
How Steve Rawlins Got Born Again
Steve Rawlins described that when he was in prison for the third time for drug dealing he would attend Bible Study meetings and Evangelical meetings in order to disrupt them by asking the questions "they couldn't answer." He was an anti-Christian, but admitted to being a spiritual seeker whose quest had taken him down various avenues, including the occult.
After one Bible Study meeting he had a conversation with two men who gave him some scriptures from the Bible that would give him answers to "impossible" questions. Each time after the discussions he went back to his cell and read the scriptures and thought about them.
The third time it happened he had "a supernatural experience." He was suddenly filled with guilt that he had wandered so far away from God and at the same time he knew he had been totally forgiven. Steve fell to his knees and wept copiously as he was flooded with the Holy Spirit. He says he felt his heart had been opened to the truth.
Now, completely transformed, he works in London managing a project that helps ex-offenders and gang members to become rehabilitated into society.
What is the Meaning of Being Born Again?
Being "born again" means being convinced that God is real and Jesus is real. Being filled with the Holy Spirit brings a feeling of peace - "the peace that passeth all understanding" as it says in the Bible. Whatever one's external circumstances, difficulties, crimes, etc., born again Christians feel that one can ask for this, since the mercy of God is given freely, independent of one's merit or lack of it.
The Victory Prayer to Become Born Again
Praying In Victory, an organization that teaches the way to pray, offers the following Victory Prayer to say out loud:
"Heavenly Father, in Jesus' name I repent of my sins and open my heart to let Jesus come inside of me. Jesus, You are my Lord and Savior. I believe you died for my sins and you were raised from the dead. Fill me with your Holy Spirit. Thank You Father for saving me in Jesus' name. Amen."
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