There are many ways in which Jesus can be Lord. The message of Jn. 3 regarding being born again is that it's like the wind. We don't always understand how it works or what the Spirit is doing some place else. We know what we see right in front of us, but that's about it. When someone asked Jesus how to inherit eternal life, he said to "Love God (please note he was talking to a Jew so that had a particular meaning to him)" and "Love your neighbor as yourself." What if someone is taught to love his neighbor by someone who learned it from someone who learned it from Jesus himself? Isn't he still following the teachings of Jesus, so isn't Jesus his Lord, and isn't he doing what Jesus said to inherit eternal life so he is saved? I think we error in trying to narrowly define what it means to be born again or saved, and we end up making God a whole lot less gracious than he really is.
(Matthew 28:19-20 NIV) Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, {20} and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
There are many ways in which Jesus can be Lord. The message of Jn. 3 regarding being born again is that it's like the wind. We don't always understand how it works or what the Spirit is doing some place else. We know what we see right in front of us, but that's about it. When someone asked Jesus how to inherit eternal life, he said to "Love God (please note he was talking to a Jew so that had a particular meaning to him)" and "Love your neighbor as yourself." What if someone is taught to love his neighbor by someone who learned it from someone who learned it from Jesus himself? Isn't he still following the teachings of Jesus, so isn't Jesus his Lord, and isn't he doing what Jesus said to inherit eternal life so he is saved? I think we error in trying to narrowly define what it means to be born again or saved, and we end up making God a whole lot less gracious than he really is.
(Matthew 28:19-20 NIV) Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, {20} and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."