Prior to the election of Jimmy Carter, 1977-80, rarely (outside of Church) did one hear the term “Born Again”. Then it appeared all over the place. In sports if a player who had been playing poorly and now was much improved it was said “it’s like he’s been born again”. Anytime an individual improved, comments were “They’ve been Born Again”. And the trend continues even today. It’s amazing that this term is only used three times in the scripture. Twice by the Lord Jesus as he spoke to Nicodemus, (John 3) and then by the Apostle Peter as he wrote, “to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia”, to believing Jews.
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.
As we understand the term, we believe it means to get right with God and have eternal life after death. But we only find it in the above scripture.
Matthew, Mark and Luke, when speaking of being right with God and eternal life uses the word SAVED. And the majority of these were words spoken by the Lord Himself:
Matthew 1:21, 10:22, 16:25, 18:11, 19:25, 24:13
Mark 8:35, 10:26, 13:13, 13:20, 16:16
Luke 8:12, 9:24, 9:56, 17:33, 18:26, 19:10
John also quoted the Lord Jesus using the term saved.
John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
John 5:34 But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved.
John 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
John 12:47 And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.
Even after the resurrection the term saved was continued by the Apostles:
Acts 2:21, Acts 2:47, Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Acts 15:11, Acts 16:30-31
And as they wrote their epistles to believing Jews, they continued to use saved both for a relationship with God in this life and eternal life.
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