?? BORN AGAIN ??
(John 3:2-8) Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mothers womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
It's very clear here that Jesus says we must be born again before we can enter the kingdom of God. He also makes another statement that many people sometimes over look. He says, Except you be born of the water and the spirit , you cannot enter the kingdom of God. We know that when the baby is in the mother's womb it is surrounded by water to protect both the baby and the mother. When the child is being born this water breaks and gushes out. All flesh is born this way. This is what Jesus means when he says we must be born of the water and the spirit. Spirit beings have only one birth. God created them to be spirits. But mankind must have two births. One, into the flesh by water and the other, into the spirit by the grace of God, in order to enter the kingdom of God. Spirit beings will not be called the Kingdom of God. Only the body of Jesus Christ will be known as the kingdom of God. Jesus, their Head, was also born by the water and the spirit just like they are.
This writer once had a person get angry because he said this. They said that being born of the water meant baptism. But the scriptures say that baptism in water is unto death. It has nothing to do with birth. (Collossians 2 : 12) Buried with him in baptism wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the dead. Also (Romans 6: 4,5) Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death. Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death that just as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. It's very plain that baptism is a burial into death not a birth.
Jesus also goes on to give an illustration of what it's like to be born of the spirit in verse 8 above. He says that those that are born of the spirit are like the wind; it comes and goes, we hear the sound but we can't see it. It's invisible! Are those who say they are born again able to disappear at will and appear somewhere else? By Jesus's definition, they should and if they can't they are not born again. It's just as simple as that !
Now, using the bible, I'm going to show you exactly what I mean. (Luke 17- 30) And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son? And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country. And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country. But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian. And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong. But he, passing through the midst of them, went his way.
Jesus, a man who grew up in Nazarath, one the people all knew as Joseph's son, shows by scripture that he is the promised one. He also says that just as Elijah was sent to a Gentile leper and a Gentile widow he too will not be accepted by them and his words will be sent to the Gentiles. It was bad enough for Joseph's son to claim to be the messiah but for him to infer that he would not be accepted and be sent to the Gentiles really infuriated them so they tried to throw him off a cliff. But the scriptures say he passed through their midst. God closed their eyes that they couldn't see him. He didn't just disappear. Also, the following scripture shows a similar situation like the above. (John 8 :56-59) Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by. Again, still in his flesh body, he passed through the midst of them and passed by.
Now let's see what happened after the resurrection. Jesus had been talking with two of his disciples from Jerusalem that were on their way to Emmaus. Jesus was showing them by the scriptures that his first visitation with men would end with suffering and death on the cross in order to establish an everlasting priesthood. (Numbers 25:11) Now, go to (Luke 24: 25-31): Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us; for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. Do you see the difference? Now he no longer passed from among them he disappeared from their sight. Now he was in a NEW BODY. It was both flesh and spirit. He was born again. He had not yet put on glory but he was in a spirit body. He could now fulfill the definition that Jesus gave concerning the wind.
But what about appearing right out of invisibility like the wind, Are there any instances of that after the resurrection? Yes, in Luke 24 : 35-37:And they (The men of Emmaus) told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread. And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. He appeared out of nowhere.
Also in (John 20:19) Then the same day at evening being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews came Jesus and stood in the midst, and said unto them "peace be unto you". You can surmise from this that the doors were locked. Then also in the same chapter of John 26th verse; After eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then, came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Twice the apostles were gathered together and John emphasized that the doors were shut yet he came and stood in their midst. You see, Jesus appeared miraculously right into their midst. When people say they are born again they are misrepresenting the facts that Jesus gave us about the new birth. Some may say that this writer is "knit picking", but, when we say we are born again, we deprive the little ones who look to us for truth of what the new birth really is. If you can't come and go like the wind you are not born again.
The first good example of the new birth is found in: (Mark 9:1-3) And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power. And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them. And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them. This is a perfect preview of the coming new birth when flesh will put on the glory of God. What a wonderful vision of what it will be like to enter into Jesus Christ and put on the very glory of God. Just like the Israelites came out of Egypt with great riches, so will the overcomers enter into the Kingdom of God with great riches.
The bible also speaks of an inheritance in Christ Jesus. (1st cor 4: 1-7) Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. Also in Romans it speaks of an inheritance.(Romans 8: 17 22 29) The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and jointheirs with Christ; For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. now see (1st Corinthians 15:22,2324,25,26) For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christs at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule, and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. Do you know of anyone who doesn't die? If they die they are not born again. John says: (John 3:9) Those who are born of God cannot sin. Do you know anyone who doesn't sin? If they sin then they are not born again. John also says in (John 3: 2) Beloved now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him. He says we don't yet know what we will be like in that day. We are still looking for it but, those who are wise know that it is near. (1Corinthians 15:40-53) There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written. The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. Those who have put on immortality cannot die they are BORN AGAIN.
Many people say that they are born again when they received the Holy Ghost. This Holy Ghost experience is evidence to them that they have truly been born again. Is this true? Let's look again to the scriptures and see what they say about the holy Ghost experience. Ephesians 1 :13,14 ; In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also, after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest (pledge) of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory. It definitely states that the Holy Ghost is a seal (confirmation) of a promise of an inheritance (new birth) that is yet to come.
The bible is a text book about God. Before the resurrection, we saw that when Jesus was threatened by death God closed their eyes and he passed through the midst of them. But after the resurrection he vanished from their sight. This was a confirmation that the one who is born of the spirit comes and goes like the wind. They're invisible. We should not misrepresent the definitions we find in the bible. The definition of the new birth is plainly given in John 3: 2-8. If we misrepresented the definitions in a mathematics text book, we pretty soon wouldn't be able to add two and two. Think about this! Find out what the bible says about the manifested Sons of God. This is the new birth. This great vision will help you to run the race to the end that you might obtain the crown of life and really be born again. Those of us who have committed ourselves to Jesus Christ and have received the Holy Ghost have been conceived of an incorruptible Seed. Like a baby in it's mothers womb we have not yet come to term, but, the time is near at hand.
This tract was not written to cause anyone to loose confidence in their salvation in Jesus Christ. It was written to show that the inheritance of the riches in Christ Jesus is what being born again really means. May God bless you and allow you to see the truth in his word.
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