Hi again, sister GK!
 
There is a HUGE difference between "just being a Christian" and "being a Born Again Christian".  Both are saved, because to truly be a Christian and gain eternal life means what Romans 10:9 says:  "...that if you confess with your mouth Yahshua as Lord, and believe in your heart that Yahweh raised Him from the dead, you WILL be saved."
 
However, one becomes Born Again by giving your WILL and offering your LIFE to the Lord's service, in whatever capacity He chooses.  Then the Holy Spirit begins to change you from the inside-out.  The things that used to seem important to you (like partying, drinking, etc.), suddenly seem very UNimportant to you, and vice versa.  You begin desiring the things of God and desiring to do for Him.
 
We are baptized as a sign of repentance and obedience.  He said to be baptized, Yahshua Himself was baptized, so we should be baptized.  It's basically a "heart condition", and you begin displaying fruits of the Spirit, usually without even realizing you're doing so.  Not to mention, until you are truly Born Again, you miss out on so many "perks" of walking with Him, like feeling His touches, getting many Fruits of the Spirit, the knowledge that you're pleasing Him, the strong DESIRE to please Him, the giving up (with His help) of your old fleshly ways.  For instance, my TRUE walk with Him (I'd been baptized at 12 years old, and had always believed in Him and His sacrifice), in 2002 when I gave up a 30-year HEAVY drinking habit for good.  Then in 2006, I gave up a 35-year HEAVY smoking habit.
 
I still have habits, of course (like too much coffee, etc.), and God does not rate sins... to Him, a sin is a sin, period... all forgiveable except blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, but sins have different consequences in this life.  For instance, my heavy smoking habit.  By the time He convinced me that I'd best quit smoking, He had my hands going numb, I felt like an elephant was standing on my chest, and I coughed my head off.  I knew in my heart that I was very close to having a heart attack, stoke, or something equally as serious.  Within 2 weeks after finally bending my will to His and giving up smoking, the coughing stopped, the heavy chest stopped, and the numbness stopped... that fast!
 
Do yourself a favor and forward this entire email to Pastor Riley, because that is one knowledgeable man, and if I'm in error in this posting, he can tell you so.  But this is truly how I feel about the situation from personal experience.
 
Love from your sister in Yahshua!
Peggy
www.his-forever.com