THESE TIMES July, 1979
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THESE TIMES July, 1979 oz What being "born again" really -a special 10-page feature Cancer facts you need to know I'm preparing for immortality ake your prayers count the White House Hatchet Men IIWtt,tt Ito.illy I latItt•tiott to Again Charles W. Colson What beinc in to IN HIS COMPILED, AND I1A-1 AN INTRODUCTION BN G. PIPPERI ItZ Pi "born again" really means The most significant movement among Protestantism today—the born-again phenomena—has struck some 43 million Americans in all walks of life. Has it happened to you yet? Should it happen to you? And what does being born again involve? by Ralph Blodgett PRESIDENT Jimmy Carter confesses he is of faith healer Ruth Carter Stapleton. sponsibility associated with the experi- one. Senator Mark Hatfield and Con- "It's so much fun being saved." ence they say they have had? gressman John B. Anderson, of Illinois, Yet his $20 million annual profits from admit they are in this group. So does Hustler and other Flynt publications What are the facts about being born Dallas Cowboy's quarterback Roger have increased, not declined. And again? What does such an experience— Staubach, former world heavyweight church leaders more than a year and a if genuine—involve? How can we boxing champion George Foreman, half later are still awaiting the transfor- evaluate the credibility of someone who Heisman Memorial Trophy winner Ar- mation of his porno magazine that Flynt says he or she has been born again? And chie Griffin, and former Black Panther promised nationwide to Tom Brokaw on most important of all, how can I know if leader Eldridge Cleaver. Charles Colson, the NBC "Today" show. ("It's going to I've been truly born again? aide to Richard Nixon during the Water- be a complete, new magazine. In- These questions demand honest an- gate conspiracy, has written a book and stead of hustling for sex, we'll be hus- swers. Just saying you have been born produced a movie about his experience tling for the Lord," he declared.) again does not mean you are. Neither (see accompanying interview on page does claiming you are a Christian mean 6). Billy Graham recently wrote a book Born-again experiences questioned. you know Christ. Jesus plainly declared, on the topic—the 800,000-copy first As a result of these and other abortive "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, printing of which is the largest initial born-again experiences, people both in- Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of printing in the religious-book publish- side and outside of religion have begun heaven. Many will say to me in that ing world. to question the reality of the born-again day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophe- What do these nine well-known per- movement. sied in thy name? and in thy name have sonalities have in common? They all In fact, one person became so upset at cast out devils? and in thy name done have been "born again" and have be- the conversion of former Black Panther many wonderful works? And then will I come some of the approximately 43 mil- leader Eldridge Cleaver that he ran on profess unto them, I never knew you: lion Americans that have been swept up stage of the Orpheum Theater in Van- depart from me, ye that work iniquity" by a religious tidal wave that has appar- couver, B.C., and in front of two (Matthew 7:21-23). ently inundated America. Most of the thousand stunned onlookers hit Cleaver Apparently, in view of Christ's warn- experiences we read or hear about seem in the face with a cream pie. ing, we need to "give diligence to make genuine. Some do not. Others express their cynicism of the . [our] calling and election sure" Unfortunately, along with the genu- born-again phenomena in much less (2 Peter 1:10), to know positively that we ine, the born-again wave has washed up dramatic ways. "Nothing but a fad," have been born again and are walking some driftwood—counterfeit conver- they say. "Something people take up be- the path that leads to eternal life. No sions that bring a bad name upon reli- cause it's the 'in' thing to do." other question surpasses this one in im- gion. Like the convicted "Son of Sam" Such skeptics do have a point. Being portance or urgency. killer, David Berkowitz, who in New born again is becoming increasingly York City four years after being born popular. According to a Gallup survey What does "born again" mean? Not again murdered six people in cold blood not long ago, 34 percent of the Ameri- long ago a reader wrote in to the "Dear with a .44 caliber revolver and wounded cans contacted claimed to have been Abby" newspaper column with this seven others. born again. Among Protestants, nearly question: And like the infamous king of pornog- half (48 percent) admitted they had been Dear Abby: Please explain in easy raphy and publisher of Hustler maga- born again. Projected nationwide, these pool-hall language just what zine, Larry Flynt. "I feel I can influence figures indicate that some 43 million people mean when they say they millions of people for God," Flynt said adults in the United States classify are 'born again'—'twice born.' after his midair conversion at the hands themselves as born-again Christians. Thank you.—B. H., Clay City, Il- It is certainly popular today to be born linois. Ralph Blodgett is associate editor of "These again. But do these 43 million people She responded, "They mean Times." © 1979 by Ralph Blodgett. understand the full meaning and re- that they have accepted Jesus Cover by Gail Hunt. inside by Tim Menees THESE TIMES/July 1979 3 Four popular misconceptions about the new birth experience ACCORDING to a recent Gallup Poll survey, one out of every three adult Americans (34 percent) claims to have been born again. Yet many of these "twice-born" individuals fail to understand the full meaning of their second birth. Here are four incorrect thoughts that many Christians and the Christian life that some don't under- non-Christians harbor regarding the born-again condition: stand or prefer to ignore. 1. That a person can be born again and continue living in sin and So in the remaining portion of this disobedience to God's Word. Nothing is more plain in the Scriptures article let us attempt what "Dear than the idea that a son or daughter of God must cease living a sinful, Abby"—due to the lack of space—could disobedient life. More than six hundred times the Bible talks about never accomplish, and try to explain the sin—what it is, how to get rid of past sin, and how to avoid present sin. true meaning of being "born again" or Anyone who continues to live in obvious sin needs to reevaluate his "twice born." or her conversion experience and find out whether he has allowed God full reign in his life. Like the first birth. All of us understand 2. That a born-again person can change himself. Equally danger- the meaning of the word born. It's the ous as the preceding thought, this statement, if believed, will inevitably process by which each one of us arrived in this world—our departure from nine lead to a spiritual downfall. No person by direct, sustained moral effort months of life in a womb and the begin- can ever give himself new inner motives and direction. ning of a new life, with new thoughts "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots?" asked and new activities, in a new environ- Jeremiah. "Then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil" ment. (Jeremiah 13:23). With this in mind, think of Jesus' Before traveling very far in the Christian life, we will discover that reply to the Jewish ruler Nicodemus, everything which really needs to be changed in our souls can be who came one evening seeking informa- accomplished only by God. "For without me ye can do nothing," de- tion about salvation. Jesus told him, clared Jesus, "Except a man be born again, he cannot 3. That the newborn will display all the fruits of an established, see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3). well-matured Christian. Newborn Christians are similar in many ways to When Nicodemus questioned Jesus on the meaning of His strange state- a corn plant. Though it grows quite rapidly in warm sunlight and with the ment, Jesus added, "Except a man be proper nutrients in the soil, it takes many weeks before it develops ears born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot large enough to harvest. "For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first enter into the kingdom of God" (verse the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear" (Mark 4:28). 5). A newborn should not become discouraged if he has bad habits that This new birth that Jesus spoke of re- still fight for dominance in his life. That old man of sin doesn't die sembles in many ways our first birth. overnight. Many times he needs to be starved to death. We leave behind our old life with its 4. That good works can help our salvation process. It is easy to get familiar patterns of activities, thoughts, caught up in the "good works" syndrome—where we look upon our and interests, and we begin a new works as "our part" of the salvation formula.