As most of us know, it was Jesus who "made it up." Jesus spoke the words. "Truly, truly, I say to you," He said to Nicodemus, "unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3) He went on to say, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." (John 3:5) So, if "Christian" is related in any way to "Christ" and Christ said, "Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God," it is actually not possible to be a Christian without being "born again." "Born again" is fundamental to "Christian," and you can't have one without the other. That's not according to Billy Graham or Oral Roberts or somebody like that. That's according to Christ.
But, look, let's be kind. Let's throw the above fellow a rope. Maybe he is born again and just doesn't know it. So what is this thing called "born again"? According to Jesus, without it you can't even see the kingdom of God let alone participate. Without it you "cannot enter the kingdom of God." I would think, then, that we'd need to be clear on what it is. First, let's settle a salient point. The actual Greek text doesn't quite say "born again." It is most literally "born from above." That means that this is not Nicodemus's version (John 3:4). It's not physical (John 3:6). It's from above and not simply a rebirth. It's an act of God. So, what clues can we find about what it is?
Jesus made a parallel between "born again" and "born of water and the Spirit." Scholars have argued about just what this "born of water and the Spirit" means, in particular, the water part. Does it mean being physically born? ("Her water broke.") Does it mean baptism? Maybe, but Jesus asked Nicodemus, "Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?" (John 3:10) What did Nicodemus know of baptism? Not much, so not likely. And it is somewhat silly to suggest, "You have to be born physically before you can enter the kingdom" because Duh! "Born through baptism" doesn't seem likely since Nicodemus wouldn't have known and "born physically" doesn't seem likely because it doesn't add anything to the conversation. What then? Well, if Nicodemus was supposed to know this, how about something in Nicodemus's Bible? In Ezekiel we read of God saying,
"I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes and be careful to obey My rules." (Ezek 36:24-27)Well, look at that. Now, of course, God was talking to Israel in exile and He planned to return them, but what about all this other stuff -- cleansed with clean water and new spirit and all that? "I will put My Spirit within you," He said. He had gathered them from exile, but this hadn't happened. That's because it was waiting for Nicodemus's time or, more accurately, Jesus's time. That's because it was describing something much bigger than "returned from exile" and something much bigger than "My people, Israel." So this would be the water and the Spirit required. The water that cleanses from sin and the Spirit which inhabits these who are born again. Well, then, this explains more clearly what's in view here. It requires 1) a cleansing from sin and 2) the presence of the Spirit. It's interesting, then, that we read, "He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit." (Titus 3:5) Well, would you look at that! Water and Spirit. What is the water? The "washing of regeneration."
That makes it pretty clear, then. This "born again" is what the New Testament calls "regeneration" which cleanses from sin plus the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. It is "from above" and not accomplished by us, our works, our faith, anything from our end. How can it? Before this occurs we can't even see the kingdom. Before this happens we are unnwilling and unable to accept the things of the Spirit of God (1 Cor 2:14). Before this happens we are "enemies of God" (Rom 5:10), hostile to Him (Rom 8:7). There isn't merely an unwillingness; there is an inability. It must then be from above.
Is it possible to be a Christian without being born again? Not according to Jesus. The two are antithetical. You cannot have one without the other. Is it possible to be born again and not know it? Sure, I think it is. It is from above, remember? It may not have been part of your consciousness. Then can you know if you are? Sure. One of the first signs is belief (John 3:15-16). One of the first signs is turning from darkness (John 3:20-21). Paul said that the result of salvation (not the cause) is good works (Eph 2:10). John said that the one born of God does not and cannot make a practice of sin (1 John 3:9). Peter said being born again offered a "living hope" (1 Peter 1:3). John wrote that if we believe, that means we have been born of God and that status causes us to love God's people (1 John 5:1). He went on to say, "Everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world." (1 John 5:4) So, yes, there are hints, clues, signs, evidence. So you should check into that. However, if you're going to stick with "not one of those 'born again' kind of Christians," you might want to drop the "Christian" part since Christ disagrees with you on that point.
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