“Christian” is a term with many meanings. I think it should mean one who has Christ living within. If someone has Christ living within, that person is actually two persons who don’t agree. An inner conflict exists. The flesh is contrary to the Christ. The two can’t be reconciled. The flesh can’t be reformed. It must die. It must be transfigured by the renewing of the mind.

If someone is born again, what happens in the process? We know, from Scripture, that we are created as spirit, mind, and body. Something changes, and it appears to be in the spirit and partly in the mind. We know that we are suddenly seated with Christ in the Heavenly Places. We’re pretty sure we aren’t there bodily, since the flesh is the enemy of God waiting to be redeemed. It appears that the present battle is over control of the human mind. As I said, these are good questions. While denominations are built on solid answers to these questions, denominations disagree because their solid answers depend on interpretations of Scripture. Interpretations of Scripture come from one of two sources. Either they come by extra-biblical revelation from the Holy Spirit or they come from human speculation. There are no other alternatives. Well, they could come from doctrines of demons, I suppose.

Being born again is the beginning of salvation. Some people teach that being born is all that God has for us. However, God tells us, through Scripture, that we are to grow to be adult sons of God, not just babes in Christ. When you are born, you are born a baby. The word, “saved,” is often used as a synonym for “born again.” It seems that it is sometimes used that way in Scripture and sometimes used to indicate a future state. I don’t know anyone who has had Jesus Christ fully formed within. Some people seem to think that when they learn a certain denominational doctrine they are then mature in Christ but that God has finished His work in them the moment they are born again.

I think part of your original question had to do with what it takes to be born again. I don’t think it takes too much. The thief on the cross was born again. The jailer who turned to Christ was born again. The eunuch was born again and then was baptized.

God has a process for righteousness. It’s simple, and He lays it out in Scripture.

The Father draws us in the first place. Hearing His Voice, whether through another Christian, a tract, the Bible, or the dreams and visions that are becoming commonplace in Muslim countries, causes God’s faith to come. Faith is belief, yes. It’s an imparted belief. God says it’s the gift of God lest anyone should boast. It’s the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. That’s a lot of information there. Substance is translated from a Greek word that means it’s part of reality as opposed to a concept. It’s not just a figment of mind. It is of substance, like a physical object. The Greek word from which “evidence” is translated indicates absolute proof and certainty.

We don’t have capability in ourselves to believe in this way. God must impart it. We can believe in things, but we make ourselves believe things. A simple way to think of human faith is that it is make-believe. That’s very different from imparted faith. We have a part in the process of faith coming. We have a will. We can acknowledge our own mind, the minds of others, or the mind of God/Christ. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths. Faith comes when we acknowledge God’s leading. God says, in Romans, that we go from faith to faith. There are levels of faith. Jesus spoke of greater or lesser faith.

“the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.” (Acts 5:32) Note that this doesn’t say that God gave the Holy Ghost to us because we obey Him. Does the Holy Ghost cause the obedience or does the obedience result in the impartation of the Holy Ghost? It could be that both of these are true in some sense, and I think that may be the case. I can only tell you what I know. Theology tends to go well beyond what God reveals, but that’s not fruitful.

First, we need to know the nature of obedience and righteousness. We know all about self-righteousness. We know what it is to have righteousness that consists of filthy rags. We know about dead works.

Righteousness leads to holiness. Holiness opens the eyes. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. The heart is the mind. In this case, it’s the Greek word, “kardia,” which seems to be a specific part of the human mind. It’s likely the innermost mind rather than the reasoning mind. I know that worldviews are impure and blinding. I’ve experienced this in myself and in others, and God has spoken to me and warned me about this a lot. Worldviews tend to keep us from dealing with reality as it really is. They act as filters in each person, and we each have a worldview.

The Holy Spirit is given to lead us into all truth. Truth is reality. Jesus Christ is the Truth. He leads us moment by moment. He reveals the way we ought to walk. When we acknowledge Him, He makes straight paths for our feet. We are to acknowledge Him in ALL our ways. He leads using many means. They are mentioned in Scripture. Perhaps, He leads through some that aren’t mentioned in Scripture. If He does, I don’t know about that.

So, for example, you say something that hurts someone, and the Holy Spirit immediately impresses you that you need to say that you are sorry and wrong and you are to ask for forgiveness. Your own mind justifies what you said. In a split second, you listen to the Holy Spirit rather than your self. You turn your eyes to Christ so to speak. When you acknowledge Him, He imparts His faith into your heart and you know for certain that this is the right thing to do. Satan tells you how you’ll look like a fool and your apology will be rejected. You again listen rather to the Holy Spirit. Faith gives you access into the grace of God, and you yield the members of your body to God’s righteousness that He does through you as you raise your eyes to look into the eyes of the person you hurt and you yield your mouth to the Holy Spirit Who says, “I was wrong to say that. I’m so sorry. Please forgive me.” He says this through you. You speak this by the Holy Spirit. You are just the vessel of God’s grace. The love of God is being shed abroad in your heart by the Holy Ghost.

You have obeyed God, but you have not done the work. God did the work. There’s none good but God. This is not self-righteousness. You have worked the work of God.

In this process, part of the fleshly veil dies within you. Christ is more fully formed in you. You have been transfigured to some degree by the renewing of your mind. Your senses have been exercised by reason of use to discern between good (the Holy Spirit’s leading) and evil (your own selfish desires). In this sense “obedience is the opener of eyes.”