Regeneration

[Webers.Home]

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I should think it's to be expected that regeneration wouldn't be all that
noticeable in someone who's been attending church since childhood;
whereas it would be very evident in a stalwart atheist like Christopher
Hitchens as regeneration would almost immediately effect his disgust
with religion.
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[ForestGreenCook]

I'm just now seeing the replies to this thread. Thank you all who took the time to share your insights. It's still very confusing when it comes to the when and how of being "born again" but I am trying not to focus too much on that but rather Jesus and his word. However, sometimes I question IF indeed I have the Holy Spirit because when it comes to reading the Word (NKJV or NIV), I just don't understand a lot of what it says unless I take a peek at commentaries and I would rather rely on the Holy Spirit and what He shows me through his word.

So I guess my next question would be: What are some signs or evidence that someone has the Holy Spirit? Biblically
I ask this because I read that you would know them by their fruits (fruits of the spirit) but unbelievers can be kind, patient, loving, etc...

The evidence that you have been born again, is your interest in wanting to understand about spiritual things of God. The natural being has no interest in knowing the things of a spiritual God (1 Cor 2:14).

 

[The_old_guy]

Hi,

I have a question regarding receiving the Holy Spirit or regeneration (I believe this is when God's grace falls upon someone so that they are able to believe and receive the Holy Spirit. In scripture, there are implications in multiple passages that it is God who initiates the "rebirth" such as in John 1:12-13 - But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

Now here is where I get confused. In my personal instance, I grew up going to church as a kid, got baptized, and even did communion BUT I was a kid and didn't understand much. I knew there was a higher power (GOD) and Jesus but that was about it. In my teen/early adult life, I lived life as normal (sinning and not thinking twice about it) and only called out to GOD when I was in trouble or needed something.

Fast forward to the middle of this year and I get hit with guilt like I've never experienced before.....out of nowhere. How can this be? You need to have the Holy Spirit to even be convicted of sin right? How did I get the Holy Spirit if I hadn't took the Christian life seriously my entire life? I have said the sinners prayer before, read a few pamphlets and said I accepted Jesus at one point in my early adult life but still continued on in sin.

I'm puzzled because I thought you had to read the gospels, confess your sins and put your trust in Jesus. My experience wasn't really like this. It was after the conviction (of a particular sin which led to coming clean with other sins) that I repented, asked for forgiveness and decided to learn more about Jesus so that I can put my trust in him and be genuine in my faith. Any thoughts?

My thoughts are, praise the Lord that your life has now changed; I call what happened to you recently the new birth by the Holy Spirit from the Father through Jesus by his resurrection. Many kids grow up in church without REALLY accepting Jesus as their Rescuer.

I followed the 12-year-old herd into a class, to be immersed, and to say that I believed in Jesus; but, four years later, God convinced me that he was real, Jesus died and rose from the dead for me, and the Bible was God's Word, which he then gave me a hunger to read and seek his power to make spiritual progress, which is still happening now at my age of 81!