Catholics Born Again?
The Answer is Yes!

Have you ever had an Evangelical come up to you and ask, "are you born again?" Then this same person will read from their Bible: "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3). If a Catholic knows what to say in such a situation they can make the Evangelical speechless or maybe even a convert. In order to discuss this subject one must first know what being born again means? When a Catholic says they have been born again, they are referring to the forgiveness of sins and grace bestowed upon their soul during the sacrament of baptism. The Evangelical means that all one has to do is accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior and they have been "born again." They now think they are saved and will go to heaven no matter what. But is the Evangelical view of being born again what the Bible teaches? The answer is No!

One key Scripture verse ignored by the the Evangelicals is (John 3:5) where Jesus states: "Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and spirit." This verse is ignored on purpose because it throws a monkey wrench into the Evangelical hersey. Jesus is clearly talking about baptism in this verse. In order to defend their claim, Evangelicals will say the water is the preached word of God, but read (John 1:32) just before Jesus teaches Nicodemus about being born again. In this verse Christ, Himself was baptized by John the Baptist. Jesus goes down into the water and is baptized, the heavens open and the Holy Spirit descends upon him in the form of a dove. Christ did not have to be born again but He showed us what we must do in order to inherit the kingdom of God. The only logical conclusion one can make from the Biblical evidence is being born again is when one is properly baptized.

A Catholic must remember that an Evangelical thinks baptism is only a symbol. They do not believe baptism forgives sins or permanently marks the soul with a sign of God's grace. It seems funny that these so-called Bible Christians that pride themselves for following the Holy Scriptures to the letter ignore the verses that clearly state the saving grace of baptism.

Catholics must never forget the following text because they clearly refute the Evangelical position: "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he that does the will of the Father who is heaven, he shall enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matt 7:21),"What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life." (Rom 6:1-6), and "Rise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name" (Acts 22:16)

So the answer to the question, Are Catholics born again? is YES! Since all Catholics have been baptized. Doesn't it make sense to follow the Roman Catholic Church with almost 2,000 years of knowledge and insight than some Evangelical sects that has been at it only a few years. So Catholics should ask Evangelicals, "Are you born again according to the Bible?" If they have not been properly baptized, then they have not been born again according to the Bible, no matter what they may think.