I need some help

Dear Group,

In a previous letter, I had reported that I had learned that in the Catholic Church one does not get saved in the Protestant way of thinking because it is God that is looking for us and not us looking for God. Then I read this:


"The perfection of spiritual strength consists properly in a man's daring to confess his faith of Christ in the presence of anyone at all,and in a man'snot failing to do so from fear or confusion, for strength drives out inordinate fear. Therefore, the sacrement by which spiritual strength is conferred on the one born again
makes him in some sence a front-line fighter for the faith of Christ."

St. Thomas Aquinas
p. 43 Fr. Hardon's Catholic
Prayer Book

So, now we are again faced with the question of what is the diffrence between being born again in the Catholic Church versus being born again in the Protestant Churchs. That is what I need more clairification on please.

Well, from the Catholic perspective, to be born again is simply to be baptised. You see in John 3 from the beginning of the chapter and following, Christ instructs Nicodemus that we are to be born again of water and the Spirit:

5 Jesus answered: Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh, is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit, is spirit.
7 Wonder not, that I said to thee, you must be born again.

Some protestant groups have similar understandings as this to what being born again means, and some have differing understandings of being born again. Not sure which specific groups believe which teaching though.

As a non-denominational Christian, I believed that being "born again" happened when you prayed to ask Jesus into your heart, believing that Jesus is the Son of God and asking forgiveness for your sins. (This was synonymous with "being saved")

Baptism was just a symbol (though not all Protestants view baptism as a mere symbol) and had nothing to do with being "born again". Rather, it was merely an outward symbol of the inward change.

However, Catholicism teaches that one is "born again" at baptism because an indelible mark is made on the soul and the stain of original sin is washed away. Therefore, ALL Catholics are born again (Biblically speaking)... though many Protestants will not agree with this understanding.

Amber wrote:As a non-denominational Christian, I believed that being "born again" happened when you prayed to ask Jesus into your heart, believing that Jesus is the Son of God and asking forgiveness for your sins. (This was synonymous with "being saved")

Baptism was just a symbol (though not all Protestants view baptism as a mere symbol) and had nothing to do with being "born again". Rather, it was merely an outward symbol of the inward change.

However, Catholicism teaches that one is "born again" at baptism because an indelible mark is made on the soul and the stain of original sin is washed away. Therefore, ALL Catholics are born again (Biblically speaking)... though many Protestants will not agree with this understanding.

Hi Amber,

I was under the impression that you were a Catholic. Just wondering!

AngelRock wrote:

Hi Amber,

I was under the impression that you were a Catholic. Just wondering!

Indeed, I am... but, prior to my conversion, I was a non-denominational Christian... so I was explaining my formerly held view.

true.the verse reads born again of water and spirit.Not just born again.