To be born again

The question before us today is one that is filled with presupposition, assumption and myth making on a grandiose stage to enhance the popularity or not of a spiritual misunderstanding. We are aware of the movement of the Spirit in many denominational churches that occurred during the birth and rise of the Charismatic movement. In many respects the archetypal stories of people approaching men and women in the streets asking the question "have you been born again?" or similar sends shudders down the spine of many. If it is not the invasion of privacy it is the assumption of no understanding of faith or spiritual growth that creates the aversion to this incursion into our life. So what does our faith journey say with regards our re-birth and our being born in the Spirit? (Jn  3.8)

There is only one baptism during which we accept that we are born into Christ through the Spirit. We are named at that time with our "Christian" names. If we are to remind ourselves of history at this point it is at baptism that the name of the person was changed in life as they accepted the presence of Christ into their lives. It is this acceptance of God's presence that is being spoken about in John's gospel and the faith that goes with it that is exemplified by the journey of Abraham. Abram begins his journey with an act of faith. He steps out into a wider world to follow where God leads not knowing where and not knowing how such things will come to be. How many of us would blindly pick up and go on such a journey? This is the epitome of faith in God. To give up everything and move towards a total unknown in our lives. During this journey Abram is born again as he is re-named and becomes a new person in Abraham. This renaming or rebirth is a direct result of his giving himself to God. Not only does it represent a change in the meaning of his name it becomes a change in in his entire person which in a manner of speaking utterly changes from that point on.

We accept God into our hearts to bear Christ's light to the world

Perhaps, this does not resonate with our view of baptism or the view of those who say that they are "born again" and yet if we look at the other suggestion of this name change in scripture this view becomes more resonating as its referral is to the acceptance of Christ (God) into and changing that life once again seen in a name. Saulos is a name that conjures royalty and power within the Hebrew texts and scripture. The name creates an image regality and handsomeness of form as recorded in the historic books of the testaments. Yet the substitution of a pi for a sigma has a tremendous effect on the recipient. The regal is replaced by the humble as Saul becomes Paul transiting from the grand to the insignificant in the dash of a pen. The heart accepts the new reality as God enters in and changes everything that was known as we can see in his writings particularly in Romans. So is there significance in what we undertake when we are baptised and are accepted into Christ / God? We must bear this distinction clearly in mind (and be explicit rather than leave it to implication) as we are accepting God who is Christ, not Jesus, but Jesus the Christ who is one with God. Does a name mean so much?

The answer to the questions is yes and that responsibility for those who are baptised as infants falls upon those who sponsor / are Godparents of the infant. The change in this case is implicit within the sacrament and is called upon to be enacted by the parents / Godparents / sponsors. This is where our faith journey begins and it is to this point that we need to return to within our faith journey during Lent to re-connect with the call that God has placed upon our lives that has impressed a change away from societal beliefs towards what God calls us to. Not just in prayer but also in the practical measure of justice within the societies in which we live. We become God-bearers not people who require to be in the shadows of night but rather those who can stand firm in their faith within the light.