Born Again Christian Experience (For Catholics)

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That’s what I was trying to explain. As Catholics we are on lifelong journey of conversion. Our life, like that of St. Francis may be going in one direction when we are called to radically change. We come to know Christ on a personal level.
Our Baptism has left an indelible mark that cannot be erased. There is a moment at which we are called to make a deeper commitment.
Can we actually follow the words that we have saying all our lives? The priorities that we claim?
 
Learner1969 said:
Yes I am seeking feedback from fellow Catholics who have had the experience,
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Thank you for clarifying. 🙂
tad said:
I had an experience which one might call ‘born again’ but what the Catholics call ‘metanoia’. It’s that moment where you were living one life and begin to live another.
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Yes, I tend to refer to it as a metanoia experience, simply because some have wildly different views on what “born again” means.

I suppose I’ve had several such experiences (several of which sort of built upon each other). The main one was about 20 years ago while in college. I was having doubts about the Catholic faith and went to pray in front of the tabernacle one evening. I was sitting there wondering why I was even there and praying for faith when I became unmistakably certain that I was not alone—Jesus was right in front of me in the tabernacle. The Eucharist wasn’t just a symbol. I’ve never doubted it since that moment.
 
I haven’t heard the phrase “Born Again Christian “ since the 80s.
Most of them became evangelicals.
 
In my case I had been baptized in a Methodist church as an infant, but for some reason wasn’t raised with the Christian faith. Then, about 16 years ago to the day, I did a very protestant thing. I told Jesus that I gave up. He could have me if He wanted me. That was the day my life changed forever. If I had been coached by a protestant evangelist I’m sure they would have had me mark the day on my calendar as the day I became ‘born again’.

I don’t see it that way. I was born again when I was baptized as an infant and the charisma of that sacrament was stirred up once again at my confirmation. I guess one reason why I believe like I do is that my conversion experience is so consistent with the Catholic faith.
 
Yes. You were born again at Baptism. That is very much the Catholic teaching.
For many of us, there is a day when a deeper commitment is made. Protestant evangelists might mark that day as being “born again.”
Christ told Nicodemus that we must be born of Water and Spirit. That is Baptism.
Baptism leaves an indelible mark. Not everybody opens the gifts that we have received when we are Baptized and Confirmed in the Faith.
I was blessed to grow in a home where the rosary was prayed daily, but I know that is not true for everybody. For many, Baptism and even Confirmation are little more than social rituals. The gifts are set aside, not “stirred into action” as St. Paul tells Timothy. They remain latent.
Instead of being seen as a Sacrament of Initiation, Confirmation is seen as graduation.
For some, the experience, the call to conversion can be a dramatic change in direction. It was for St. Francis, as it was for many of the Saints.
I too have a particular day in my life, a time when I was going through crisis, when I was called to a deeper commitment. What I experienced was dramatic, although it is not for everybody. It is one more step along the journey.
As you read the lives of the Saints, you will read about this call for total submission to God.
There are many stories/testimonies of individuals going the wrong direction who turn to Christ. Some have been baptized, but never catechized. Others are completely new to the Faith.
 
I moved this over to Catholic Living and adjusted the title since it was so confusing for us Catholics. Maybe more can chime in now.
 
The term “born again Christian” is redundant. Every validly baptized Christian has been born again.

From the Gospel of John:
Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.”
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From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p2s2c1a1.htm
Baptism in the Church
1226 From the very day of Pentecost the Church has celebrated and administered holy Baptism. Indeed St. Peter declares to the crowd astounded by his preaching: "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."26 The apostles and their collaborators offer Baptism to anyone who believed in Jesus: Jews, the God-fearing, pagans.27 Always, Baptism is seen as connected with faith: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household,” St. Paul declared to his jailer in Philippi. And the narrative continues, the jailer "was baptized at once, with all his family."28
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1227 According to the Apostle Paul, the believer enters through Baptism into communion with Christ’s death, is buried with him, and rises with him:

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.29
The baptized have "put on Christ."30 Through the Holy Spirit, Baptism is a bath that purifies, justifies, and sanctifies.31
1228 Hence Baptism is a bath of water in which the “imperishable seed” of the Word of God produces its life-giving effect.32 St. Augustine says of Baptism: "The word is brought to the material element, and it becomes a sacrament."33
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In my experience, the non-biblical man-made doctrine of being “born again” by a thought process, phrase, slogan or emotion is simply a breathless recitation of the sinner’s prayer. Many of us have said it and been left wanting. Which lead us to search…

The Church which Christ founded has always and everywhere baptized in water (Matthew 28:19) and laid hands on for the reception of the Holy Spirit (Acts 10). Now that is being born again! Add the Eucharist - the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ (Matthew 26) - the absolute assurance that your sins are forgiven by hearing the words of absolution (Mark 2:5, Luke5:20, 7:48) from the priest who acts in the person of Christ (2 Corinthians 2:10), the ability to stand in the true Presence of our Lord (Matthew 26:26-28), the daily opportunity to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice to God (Romans 12:1) in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass (Malachi 1:11) and being able to find all of this in every nation on earth - even the South Pole - is the true born “from above” experience. Oh, and add true Apostolic teaching (Luke 7:16), and the complete bible from the only biblical authority (rather than the 91% Euro-edited version).

Yes! All of this is the seamless garment of being born from above (again, but from above). It is truly thrilling and wonderful to behold the Lamb of God (John 1:29, 1:36).

It is Christ made present, it is the scriptures, it is the Apostles, it is the cross, it is the empty tomb - it is everything.

Now, that is truly being born from above!

But, enough! Let’'s hear about what happened in your case…
 
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Learner1969 said:
As a born again Christian I will share my story someday but I was just wondering how many born again Christians use this forum and if they would like to share their story of how they became born again.
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I suggest you define ‘born again’ for the sake of clarity. I understand it is a terminology which means certain thing to you but you are in a Catholic Forum and most Catholics have not heard of this. Those that do would think ‘born again’ is simply Baptism to them.

Maybe we should not be fixated on the terminology but if we are not to talk passing each other, understanding what you try to mean would set the discussion to be more objective.

So what is ‘born again’? Is it Baptism? Is it a point where one experiences a turning point in life to leave the old life and begin with the new? Is it personal conversion?

You clarify it first. I think there are many Catholics who are on fire for God, whose faith has been revitalized, who have changed into new person in character and in life because of new found enthusiasm for their faith. They could share with you.
 
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Your profile says you are Catholic. You say you’re a born again Christian. So which are you, Learner1969? Catholic or born again Christian?

FYI, Catholics are Christians and we are born from above.
 
Reuben_J said:
So what is ‘born again’? Is it Baptism? Is it a point where one experiences a turning point in life to leave the old life and begin with the new? Is it personal conversion?
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Yes, I would say personal conversion.
 
Reuben_J said:
So what is ‘born again’? Is it Baptism? Is it a point where one experiences a turning point in life to leave the old life and begin with the new? Is it personal conversion?
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Sorry to confuse people, I meant a point where one experiences a turning point in life leaving our old life behind, due to my incarceration I have not yet had a chance to be baptised into the Catholic church.

St Paul had an experience in the Scriptures.😉
 
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Learner1969 said:
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Reuben_J:
So what is ‘born again’? Is it Baptism? Is it a point where one experiences a turning point in life to leave the old life and begin with the new? Is it personal conversion?
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Sorry to confuse people, I meant a point where one experiences a turning point in life leaving our old life behind, due to my incarceration I have not yet had a chance to be baptised into the Catholic church.

St Paul had an experience in the Scriptures.😉
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That is what I thought. If you talk to Catholics using the term ‘born again’, we would usually think about Baptism.

I would say that experience is valid enough, which many Catholics experienced too.

Being baptised does not guarantee a change of heart though of course many do. Baptism though a Sacrament, is often cultural to many and thus they never change to the better.

However, many non-practicing baptised Catholic or practicing lukewarm Catholics do experience some impact in their lives at some point in time that move them to be zealous of their faith. This can be attributed to the work of the Holy Spirit when a person understands that God really loves him/her and that Jesus died for our sins and therefore he/she needs to repent and live a life according to the will of God. A person can experience deep personal conversion which he/she did not experience before.

This is probably similar to what you call ‘born again’.

I am telling you this because this kind of experience is not confined to born again Christians only. It sound presumptuous when born again Christians boast about being committed and zealous for God as if Catholics are indifferent to their faith.

Catholics do not claim that Baptism does this but what Baptism does is forgiveness of sins. One can be validly baptised and yet does not know God. There are many factors to that but perhaps a major one is apathy.
 
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I trust, Learner, that you have enrolled in RCIA. Welcome home. What you wrote in your last post is what I understood as your meaning of being “born again.”
A few of us wanted to clarify the Catholic meaning of born again. We are born again through Water and Spirit, through Baptism.
You had a conversion experience while incarcerated. If you had been baptized at all in the past, regardless of denomination, what you experienced would be called “metanoia” by Catholics. Think about the development of a butterfly. It begins as a caterpillar. That is it’s old life. It no longer exists once it has been transformed into a butterfly. You have been transformed by your encounter with Christ.
St. Paul talks about how we die to Christ through Baptism.

Birth is just the beginning of a new life. Continue to grow through the reading of Scripture, prayer, and attending Mass. Once you have been fully initiated into the Church, through the regular reception of the Sacraments, of the Eucharist and Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Over time, you will discover how best to develop and use whatever gifts of the Holy Spirit you may have received.
 
I receive Holy Communion fortnightly from a Deacon, I was Christmated when I was an Orthodox but I don’t think that counts as baptism, I joined the Catholic church to join the Francisan Friars of the Renewal on my release (God willing)
 
Learner1969 said:
was Christmated when I was an Orthodox but I don’t think that counts as baptism,
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In the East, “Chrismation” is the term that is generally used for the Sacrament of Confirmation. And people aren’t Confirmed (or Chrismated) without being Baptized first. But I’m sure the priest(s) who are helping you along on your journey will help get all those details sorted out for you.

The CFR priests are awesome guys! I have met a few over the years. I’m happy to hear they are helping you out!
 
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