Conversion: Being Born Again, or What Does the New Life Imply?

Recently our men's group (which meets at the Sage Restaurant) discussed the second "affirmation" of the Evangelical Covenant Church, namely "the necessity of the new birth." Tonight it reminded me of a visit I had from a couple of men who were allegedly taking a survey that they promised would appear in our newspaper about religious views. One of their questions had to do with how does a person become a Christian. Honestly, I can't quite remember how I exactly replied, but I did mention that it started with God initiating through His grace, and our responding through faith.

One of my concerns arises from what I perceive is a legalistic understanding of conversion. I'm not a great fan of a step-by-step to salvation approach. Some evangelical groups train their troops to recite and propagate four spiritual laws, which supposes that an agreement with those formulations guarantees that a person has salvation wrapped up tidily in a bag, and they can get on with their lives in middle-class America because their "retirement plan=heaven" is a past tense done deal.

I have been asked: Are you born again? When I assure the asker that I am, or I have been, they smile and give me the equivalent of a spiritual high five, and they move on.... It is as Ken in our small group remarked: Too often the problem presents itself: We treat the starting line as if it is the finish line. I am far less interested in the question: "Are you born again?" I am far more interested in the question: "Are you following Jesus NOW, and what have you to show that Jesus is your Lord, and not merely just your Savior?" You see, if we ask the latter question, the former question is moot. There is no need at all to ask it, for only the truly born again can possibly follow Jesus. Yet if we ask the former, we may merely tap into a person's earlier experience at a Billy Graham Crusade, a tent revival or a teen-age altar call. What good does an inquiry into a past event accomplish if a person's present life, committment, faith and actions no longer have any connection with a former/previous "decision?" If we ask the latter question, and sincerely are concerned with discipleship, obedience, faith-in-action, viable-and-nutritious fruit of the Spirit, then we will truly show an interest in a person's spiritual health. No pat answer will turn the person away ignorantly satisfied. If a troubled frown creases the forehead, then you've hit home. You might need to compassionately backstep and ask about their new birth or relationship with Jesus, but at least you haven't begun the conversation with a blithe, formulaic and rather legalistic question that has reduced the person to a spiritual statistic. You've allowed the person in need to remain a person indeed, not become a religious project.

So what is conversion? What is meant by "being born again?"

First, it does not just mean "making a decision" or reciting a sinner's prayer. Decisions are a dime a dozen. To me it sounds like nothing more than a New Year's resolution. True decisions are only made at a time of action. You don't decide to go on a diet, for instance, until you have the donut in your hand, or cheese cake on your plate. Then you either act or fail to act. At that point a decision is being made. We don't decide to believe in Jesus until we are confronted with real temptations. There is no decision to invite Jesus into your heart, for instance, until you've been given too much change at the grocery store and you respond by giving it back promptly and humbly, kindly tell the clerk that they were overly generous. There is no decision to follow Jesus until you have an opportunity to tell the truth and lose an "advantage" over someone else. There is no "being born again" until you rise with gratitude in your heart, mercy in your attitude, joy in your trials, and patience in your dealings with your colleagues, clients and children.

The Covenant Church Affirmations are deliberately non-creedal in form. They read: "New birth is more than the experience of forgiveness and acceptance. It is regeneration and the gift of eternal life. This life has the qualities of love and righteousness as well as joy and peace... God's purposes entail the transformation of persons, as well as the transformation of God's world into a place of truth, justice and peace." To be born again means we are enlisted into God's service. We sign onto His agenda for life, forever. There is no salvation without following Him and doing what He tells you to do, discernable through the Holy Spirit's leading and invasion/intervention in your life. Regeneration affects every facet of your life: your relationships, taste in music (especially lyrics), choice of or abstinence from watching t.v., how your drive a car (and let others turn in front of you), what you buy, how you earn and spend money, whether you embrace your children or ignore them, how you vote and how you emote. Regeneration touches and transforms/reforms/ and rearranges every aspiration and acquisition; it electrifies and electrocutes you spiritually, consuming you like fire and leaving you gold and immortal diamond. Nothing Less.

Let me quote from a man's work that I admire greatly, namely Creation in Christ by George MacDonald: "Do you ask, 'What is faith in Him?' I answer, the leaving of your way, your objects, your self [and your agenda], and the taking of His and Him; the leaving of your trust in men, in money, in opinion, in character, in atonement itself [or any other formulated doctrine or plan of salvation], and doing as He tell you. I can find no words strong enough to serve the weight of this necessity--this obedience. It is the one terrible heresy of the church, that it has always been presenting something else than obedience as faith in Christ." (CIC, p.98)--brackets mine.

Being Born Again implies that we have been and are continuing to be transformed, from a sin-filled or sin-oriented, broken, rebellious, self-serving life to a sin-rejecting, God-embracing, gracious, trusting, obedient, neighbor-loving life. Sometimes when I'm asked, "Are you saved?" I choose to respond that I haven't so much been saved, as I am being saved. Salvation is not a static event, it is a dynamic relationship with the Lord of Life, Creator of the Cosmos, the Advocate of Mercy, the Chief Instigator of Joy. Salvation does not end with, nor is it summed up in, our Justification. It only is worthy of the name "Salvation" if indeed we are daily being saved-- made safe--from our sins or even the temptation to sin. For that reason Jesus teaches us to pray that we should be delivered from evil and lead from temptation while we also are continually forgiving others their debts and trespasses. Salvation is all about the destruction of sin: the ending or even annihilation of brokenness, alienation, rebellion and disobedience. Sinners are forgiven; sins aren't forgiven: they are destroyed. Now that is a salvation worthy of the name.