Jesus says in John 3:3, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” A few verses later, Jesus says, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’”
From these statements, salvation is predicated on being born again or born through God’s Spirit. Unfortunately I rarely hear, in the ELCA, about the need to be born again. Jesus tells us we need to be born again, yet it is seldom addressed.
Being “born again” is a traditional Lutheran understanding. The Solid Declaration of the Formula of Concord, VI, which was written in 1577 talks of being “born anew.”
So it seems strange to me that the ELCA goes out of it’s way to not talk about being “born again.”
From these statements, salvation is predicated on being born again or born through God’s Spirit. Unfortunately I rarely hear, in the ELCA, about the need to be born again. Jesus tells us we need to be born again, yet it is seldom addressed.
Being “born again” is a traditional Lutheran understanding. The Solid Declaration of the Formula of Concord, VI, which was written in 1577 talks of being “born anew.”
So it seems strange to me that the ELCA goes out of it’s way to not talk about being “born again.”
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