Born again without a new you? 

'Born again' is about reinventing yourself. Lots of folks don't change much after professing salvation. Their expectation seems to be that if God wanted them to change, He would change them...

I must confess that I don't care much for the term 'Born Again.' So many of those people of my acquaintance who hold to that term have very little credibility in the real world. Lots of the 'born again' folks whom I have known are negative, non-relational folks who contribute little to the world around them and are often quick to bring condemnation rather than assistance.

I understand the conversation of Jesus and Nicodemus that John recorded in which Jesus said, "You must be born again."

I also understand the world of piety in which Nicodemus was struggling. The conversation Jesus brought to Nicodemus, from which the term 'born again' has been lifted, dealt with nuances of piety in the realm of orthodox, post-Maccabean Judaism.

The Apostle Paul framed the substance of the conversation a little better for those of us whose socio-religious-cultural backgrounds are 20th Century western civilization...he spoke in terms of 'grace' and 'faith.'

The Apostle Paul spoke in terms of being "transformed by the renewing of (our) minds." He spoke in terms of being changed by thinking on these things: "...whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy..." (Philippians 4:8)

He spoke in terms of change from the old person to a new creation. Guess who bears the responsibility for that change? It appears that neither Paul, John, Peter, James, or Jude had any use for someone who professed a relationship with God but whose life hadn't changed to reflect that relationship.

So are you claiming to be 'born again?' Then this present carcass better look, smell and act differently from your old carcass. A re-invention should be taking place. According to Paul's letter to Philemon - you better now be profitable to the world around you!