Born-again confusion

It's been over a week since I've blogged.  I had ministry training class in Seattle all last week (Re:Train at Mars Hill).  This week has been busy as I am preaching the next two Sundays and have a lot to prepare for.  Here's what's on my mind this morning...

I am doing a little study of the term "born again," sometimes called "new birth."  The theological term for this is "regeneration."  In my studying I came across a sermon series that John Piper did on the topic.  He makes a good point.  The term "born again" is often used by researchers to describe those who claim a personal commitment to Jesus.  These researches then publish results of their research concerning so-called "born again" Christians.  One such study found that born again Christians are just as likely to divorce as are non-Christians (Barna Group).  Another study uses the word evangelical instead of born again, but found similar results, “Twenty-six percent of traditional evangelicals do not think premarital sex is wrong. White evangelicals are more likely than Catholics and mainline Protestants to object to having black neighbors”  (Ron Sider in "The Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience").  

The point that Piper is making from this is that those who researches refer to as "born again Christians" live seemingly identical lives with non-born again Christians.  This is very concerning when we look at what the Bible says about born again Christians.  Most notably, the book of 1 John has much to say about those "born of God." 

-“If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him” (2:29).  
-“No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God” (3:9).  
-“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God” (4:7).

The big idea of the book of 1 John is that those "born of God" will live changed lives.  Being born again necessarily leads to living a different life.  It's not so much that you realize that you are born again and that you must work harder to be a better person.  It's not that you want to be a good Christian and go to heaven so you try real hard.  It's that God does a mysterious and powerful work in you that makes you a renewed person.  He changes your desires and will.  He gives you his Spirit to live in and with you.  He strengthens and equips you to obey, love, and worship him.  Being born again means that God "regenerates" you from the inside out and you live a new life as a result.  Does your life show evidence of this new birth?