How did the Born Again teaching be associated with one first believing in Jesus Christ?

Question

Many Protestant Christians believe that you become born again as soon as you believe on Jesus Christ. Many believe that this teaching is clear in the opening verses of John chapter 3. How did this teaching get developed? Who started it?

I'm not asking whether any church believes that a person becomes born again by believing in Jesus Christ. I want to know how the idea developed that born again was something that happened at one's first faith in Jesus, and not, for instance, at a later time in the spiritual journey.

I'm acutely aware that I've accepted this teaching without question, probably as a result of group-think and not from personal theological study. Jesus doesn't plainly say that born again happens when you first believe on Him, so where did that teaching come from?

An acceptable answer would be to say who developed the interpretation that Jesus' usage of born again takes place at the time when one first received Christ. Another acceptable answer would be to trace the development of the idea.

Answer 1

A common theme in the New Testament is rebirth in salvation through Christ. So the idea of being "born again" isn't all that cryptic. To specifically address your question of why we equate a new spiritual birth with the point of salvation, I'll direct you to a few scriptures.

First, we must clarify what the point of salvation actually is:

Romans 10:9-10

because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

So if a confession of faith and a belief in the Christ is what brings salvation, then we can now compare that language to other scriptures that speak of being born again.

John 1:12-13 ESV

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

Here we see a belief in the name of Jesus (point of salvation) being coupled with the idea of being born of God. We see this again in 1 John:

1 John 5:1 ESV

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.

...and again in verses 4 and 5...

1 John 5:4-5 ESV

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Again we see a tight coupling of two ideas: belief in Jesus and being "born" again into a spiritual family.

This same idea of "new life" is presented in several different ways throughout the New Testament. Paul tells us we are a new creation at the point of salvation:

2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Again we see the idea of a "rebirth" -- since we are "in Christ" the moment we confess and believe, then it is at the moment of our salvation that we become a new spiritual creation.

Something else we need to consider is that some scripture points to being "born again" as the starting point, with pursuit of holiness coming as a result of our initial rebirth. This seems to contradict the idea that being born again is something that comes later in one's "spiritual journey," as you put it. For example:

1 Peter 1:22-23 ESV

Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;

Peter calls us to love one another earnestly as a result of being born again. It seems clear from this passage that the rebirth was the starting point, and Peter is referring to this past event as the reason for why we should want to pursue love in this way.

As I mentioned earlier, a common theme in the New Testamanet is one of new life in Christ, and it seems clear that the idea of being born again fits with this new life we find in salvation through Christ. Sometimes this is referred to as being born of God or passing from death to life (John 5:24), but the message is quite clear that a life without Christ leads to death, and a life with Christ leads to a new life. Jesus even said it himself a few verses later in his conversation with Nicodemus:

John 3:14-16 ESV

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

It seems unlikely that Jesus would so strongly emphasize the belief in the Christ as the initial point of salvation right after telling Nicodemus that somewhere along your "spiritual journey" you have to have this other event of being "born again" to see the kingdom of God. It doesn't make sense unless being born again is the actual point of salvation.

Answer 2

What you are actually asking (but might not realize) is when was regeneration first associated with the moment of 'first' having faith, rather than at the time of baptism. 'Born again' and 'regeneration' have always been synonymous or at least the initial point of regeneration.

So unfortunately we have to trace attitudes of baptism with respect to regeneration for adults. Aside from entering into the doctrine as the Bible introduces it, for from that angle many will say the ideas was first introduced there, I am just going to trace the history. So let's keep the Apostolic age unknown as some believe the early church fathers immediately fell into superstition on the subject and did not maintain the Apostolic practice, while others think they did maintain it.

Regarding the church fathers, they generally associated regeneration with a magical sort of baptism. What I mean is that the baptism actually produced the regeneration state, so that one was justified, born again, forgiven, became a member of the body of Christ, died to sin, etc., at the moment of baptism.

Probably the first focus on faith rather than baptism is with Luther and then also various leaders of the reformation. Luther kept conservative about baptism and so for an adult one can see regeneration happening by faith but not really being a true regeneration or a completed one without the baptism. However, Luther sort of saw himself as unregenerate until having come to faith, but that faith combined with his baptism as a child, made the regeneration true and complete. Luther is kind of confusing on this matter because he was very intent on keeping any church tradition that was not directly opposed by clear scripture. As he wanted a theology to maintain infant baptism, in response to the anabaptists that wanted to re-baptize people after they first believed, Luther became more conservative than he originally seemed to be on the subject.

However in Luther's own experience when it became clear to him that a man is justified and born again by faith only, apart from works, he actually describes this event as being born again himself:

Luther’s Own Testimony (1545) The most important statement of the mature Luther concerning his breakthrough is his so-called self-witness. It appears in the preface to the first volume of Luther’s collected works. The most significant portions read: Meanwhile, I had already during that year returned to interpret the Psalter anew. I had confidence in the fact that I was more skilful, after I had lectured in the university on St. Paul’s epistles to the Romans, to the Galatians, and the one to the Hebrews. I had indeed been captivated with an extraordinary ardor for understanding Paul in the Epistle to the Romans. But up till then it was not the cold blood about the heart, but a single word in Chapter 1 [:17], “In it the righteousness of God is revealed,” that had stood in my way. For I hated that word “righteousness of God,” which, according to the use and custom of all the teachers, I had been taught to understand philosophically regarding the formal or active righteousness, as they called it, with which God is righteous and punishes the unrighteous sinner. Though I lived as a monk without reproach, I felt that I was a sinner before God with an extremely disturbed conscience. I could not believe that he was placated by my satisfaction. I did not love, yes, I hated the righteous God who punishes sinners, and secretly, if not blasphemously, certainly murmuring greatly, I was angry with God, and said, “As if, indeed, it is not enough, that miserable sinners, eternally lost through original sin, are crushed by every kind of calamity by the law of the decalogue, without having God and pain to pain by the gospel and also by the gospel threatening us with his righteousness and wrath!” Thus I raged with a fierce and troubled conscience. Nevertheless, I beat importunately upon Paul at that place, most ardently desiring to know what St. Paul wanted. At last, by the mercy of God, meditating day and night, I gave heed to the context of the words, namely, “In it the righteousness of God is revealed, as it is written, ‘He who through faith is righteous shall live.’ ” There I began to understand that the righteousness of God is that by which the righteous lives by a gift of God, namely by faith. And this is the meaning: The righteousness of God is revealed by the gospel, namely, the passive righteousness with which the merciful God justifies us by faith, as it is written, “He who through faith is righteous shall live.” Here I felt that I was altogether born again and had entered paradise itself through open gates. There a totally other face of the entire Scripture showed itself to me. Thereupon I ran through the Scriptures from memory. I also found in other terms an analogy, as, the work of God, that is, what God does in us, the power of God, with which he makes us strong, the wisdom of God, with which he makes us wise, the strength of God, the salvation of God, the glory of God.

And I extolled my sweetest word with a love as great as the hatred with which I had before hated the word “righteousness of God.” Thus that place in Paul was for me truly the gate to paradise. Later I read Augustine’s The Spirit and the Letter, where contrary to hope I found that he, too, interpreted God’s righteousness in a similar way, as the righteousness with which God clothes us when he justifies us. Although this was heretofore said imperfectly and he did not explain all things concerning imputation clearly, it nevertheless was pleasing that God’s righteousness with which we are justified was taught. (MARTIN LUTHER’S THEOLOGY, Its Historical and Systematic Development, BERNHARD LOHSE, p91 )

Of course the Baptists at this time definitely held the view that regeneration / new birth occurred without the need for baptism and that baptism was just symbolic to show the past event. So in some sense you already have the answer. The usage of born again to first believing as already popular by many in the 1500s.

However to keep tracing the slow emerging separation of regeneration and baptism among the reformed leaders who opposed the re-baptism or infant baptism let's look at Calvin. Calvin though still putting a lot of emphasis on baptism, started focusing on regeneration clearly before baptism.

Calvin clearly associates 'born again' to initial conversion through repentance which is also the same as regeneration in his mind:

Repentance is preached in the name of Christ, when men learn, through the doctrines of the Gospel, that all their thoughts, affections, and pursuits, are corrupt and vicious; and that, therefore, if they would enter the kingdom of God they must be born again. Forgiveness of sins is preached when men are taught that Christ “is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption,” (1 Cor. 1:30,) that on his account they are freely deemed righteous and innocent in the sight of God. (Calvin's Institutes 2.173)

To Calvin, regeneration and being born again is really the immediate result of an irresistible call of God according to God's predestined plan justifying the sinner by faith and causing them to enter into a new life in the Spirit as a immediate subsequently result of being a justified sinner:

The special election which otherwise would remain hidden in God, he at length manifests by his calling. “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son.” Moreover, “whom he did predestinate, them he also called; and whom he called, them he also justified,” that he may one day glorify, (Rom. 8:29, 30.) Though the Lord, by electing his people, adopted them as his sons, we, however, see that they do not come into possession of this great good until they are called; but when called, the enjoyment of their election is in some measure communicated to them. For which reason the Spirit which they receive is termed by Paul both the “Spirit of adoption,” and the “seal” and “earnest” of the future inheritance; because by his testimony he confirms and seals the certainty of future adoption on their hearts. (Calvin's Institutes 2.580)

The next stop, of a conservative reformed theologian, is John Owen around 100 years after Calvin. As with most things Owen is very clear, leaving little room to misunderstand his refined distinctions:

Thirdly, Our conversion is a “new creation,” a “resurrection,” a “new birth.” Now, he that createth a man doth not persuade him to create himself, neither can he if he should, nor hath he any power to resist him that will create him,—that is, as we now take it, translate him from something that he is to what he is not. What arguments do you think were sufficient to persuade a dead man to rise? or what great aid can he contribute to his own resurrection? Neither doth a man beget himself; a new real form was never yet introduced into any matter by subtle arguments. These are the terms the Scripture is pleased to use concerning our conversion:—“If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature,” 2 Cor. 5:17. The “new man after God is created in righteousness and true holiness,” Eph. 4:24. It is our new birth: “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God,” John 3:3. “Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth,” James 1:18. And so we become “born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever,” 1 Pet. 1:23. It is our vivification and resurrection: “The Son quickeneth whom he will,” John 5:21, even those “dead,” who “hear his voice and live,” verse 25. “When we were dead in sins,” we are “quickened together with Christ by grace,” Eph. 2:5; for “being buried with him by baptism, we are also risen with him through the faith of the operation of God,” Col. 2:12. And “blessed and holy is he that hath part in that first resurrection; on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. (John Owen's Works 10.136)

I have not mentioned that the Baptists who were originally more Arminian but have largely become reformed Calvinists, have become mainstream since the reformation and probably have partly influenced the average evangelical to have even more clear distinction of original faith, regeneration and the born-again state, as opposed to mere outward baptism. The methodists also would have had an influence on the same. In the end, for over a hundred years, outside of Catholic or very traditional branches of Lutheran and Anglican, the born again experience is synonymous with regeneration and happens before baptism in water. The focus started in the reformation in the 1500s.

Although regeneration is imagined a momentary event by faith, apart from works, a personal assurance of the event or clear identification of when it happened is a different subject. Many people are not sure when it really happened. Also most churches feel that one must prove to themselves that they have the Spirit by a renovated life before assuming that they have ever yet been born again.

Answer 3

John 8:44

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Let's begin TL;DR version.

According to popular protestant church teaching, a person must say the Sinner's Prayer to become born again. Understanding the origin of the sinner's prayer will tell you when born again doctrine was founded in the modern church.

The short prayer of salvation was invented in the early 20th century by evangelists. As Christian belief soared towards the end of the 19th century in the era of Billy Sunday, the big tent revivalist methodology began. Crowds of people came to "receive Christ" and gave vast sums of money over time to the evangelist to support further expansion of "God's work". In reality, these were largely confidence artists who leached money from religious types by using the unsuspecting believers in gospel truth's faith for monetary gain. The apostle, Peter, knew this would happen one day and even warned about it by saying that in past times liars came as there will be in the future but the ones in the future will come pretending to be believers but inwardly are thieves come to destroy the flock of believers. He was 100% correct.

2 Peter 2:1 — 3 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them —bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories...

End of tl;dr

For the searcher...

Origins of the Sinner's Prayer Another historical look at the prayer version

For the seeker of truth Scriptural explanation of "born again meaning.

I will explain what Jesus said by using prophecy and original language translation with Strong's Concordance. I use prophecy because it is not my words but those given by God himself. We should trust the apostles as eye witnesses to Christ's testimony with the understanding that even they, being men not angels, were occasionally confused by what Christ meant at times (e.g. John 3:1-13, 13:36).

2 Pet 1:20 — 21 First of all, you should know this: No prophecy of Scripture comes from one’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by the will of man; instead, men spoke from God as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus explained a prophecy but con artists twisted the explanation to make money from it.

2 Peter 2:1 - 3 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you {in the future}. They will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, and will bring swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their unrestrained ways, and the way of truth will be blasphemed because of them. They will exploit you in their greed with deceptive words. Their condemnation, pronounced long ago, is not idle, and their destruction does not sleep._

Until you take the time to understand prophecy explanations you will probably continue to believe the twisted truth instead of what Jesus taught.

2 Peter 2:3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

The twisted truths are taught as gospel truth to make money from your belief in their lies. What better way to twist the truth than to explain it with apparent confirmation in scripture. The longer you believe the lie the more money they can make from you. If this continues for many generations and each generation follows the belief of the former then all become tales in the age old deception. This is not to say scripture is stopping but that false teaching accepted as truth may be a culprit.

The only verses in scripture that use "born again" phrase.

John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

John 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

An entire doctrine has developed from these three verses alone. Using these verses and prophecy we have a more sure word as to their meaning.

1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

According to that, Being born again means being made again by a spoken word from God.

Examine word in this context.

g3056. **λόγος logos;

something said (including the thought)**; by implication, a topic (subject of discourse), also reasoning (the mental faculty) or motive

Being born again will happen not by anything man says or does but by what God will say. That is essentially explained by prophecy alone and therefore we need to seek prophecy that came before the born again teaching to discover who, why, what, how and when being born again occurs. Peter could not have come up with this on his own but was taught by Christ himself and therefore we look to Christ's words on the subject.

g2316. θεός theos; of uncertain affinity; a deity

scholars (known to not usually be Bible believers as they are language scientists rather than theologists) follow traditional language meaning. We know that ancient languages developed with the integral religious theology of that time (not modern times as is often misunderstood during exegesis). Greek word related to their pagan beliefs long before Christ arrived with the truth. Any translation of Greek works by scholars was done with pagan theological understanding applied to Christ's teaching. I cannot warn you enough that this corruption of understanding was intentional and according to Satan's will but you are forewarned and thereby forearmed.

John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

John 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

Looking at 3v3 Christ was talking about seeing the kingdom of God not entering it.

The reason nobody can see the kingdom of God is because it is not on earth. It is in heaven.

Rev 21:1 — Rev 21:5

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

This event occurs after the great white throne judgement.

Rev 21:7 — Rev 21:8 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

So understanding the foregoing, being born again happens by a word from God. After the great white throne judgement, those who still will still be alive after judgement will physically see the kingdom coming down from God out of heaven.

Here's the kicker: only those who are resurrected in the first resurrection do not face judgement and therefore being born again must logically have occurred before the great white throne judgement. That is the latter part of when. Now looking at 1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed we know that until we die we were born of corruptible seed and ate able to be corrupted. We must also die because of the curse.

Gen 3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Adam was begotten by God.

Gen 2:7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Here comes a word comparison between Greek and Aramaic:

John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

g4151. πνεῦμα pneuma; from 4154; a current of air, i.e. breath (blast) or a breeze this is where translation by church tradition is murky because the original word was BREATH not spirit. The Greek word for spirit is phantasma.

g5326. φάντασμα phantasma; from 5324; (properly concrete) a (mere) show (“phantasm”), i.e. spectre: — spirit.

this word only appears, correctly, twice in scripture: Matthew 14:26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. Mark 6:49 But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out:

Here we discover that Christ was talking about the first man, Adam (pronounced Awdam meaning "from dust").

The original language text said γεννάω ἐκ σάρξ ἐστίν σάρξ καί γεννάω ἐκ πνεῦμα ἐστίν πνεῦμα

Explaining the understanding of John 3:6 as translated directly, Jesus literally said: I give birth to a soul and I give birth to a breath.

That which is born of the flesh is flesh {and must die and return to dust} and that which is born of the breath {from God} is breath {from God} ***.

Is Christ not the word of God?

Jn 1:1 — Jn 1:3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Christ was giving a prophecy to Nicodemus about the first resurrection in John 3v3 and 7.

Christ literally explained that when he returns the dead will be born again by his shout and become immortal.

Peter knew this and wrote 1 Peter 1:23 Being born again {raised from the dead} , not of corruptible seed {like Adam's children} , but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

Here we see exactly what being born again means because prophecy explains it.

2Pe 1:20 — 2Pe 1:21 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

Prophecy explains that being born again happens when Christ returns. In that day people whose name remains written in the Book of Life will burst out of their grave and will be born again as Christ is: immortal and alive. They will ascend into the sky to meet Christ as he descends to earth in the clouds. Together they will come down to the ground.

Contrary to popular opinion that people go to heaven, Jesus said it is impossible. Check it out for yourself in John 3:11-13; 7:33, 34; 8:21-27; 13:33 & 36; 14:1-3.

We know this is true because of what Christ said:

John 11:21 — 27 Then said Martha unto Jesus, "Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother would not have died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee."

Jesus saith unto her, "Thy brother shall rise again."

Martha saith unto him, "I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day."

Jesus said unto her, "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live {again}: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?"

She saith unto him, "Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world."