When is One Born Again
Born from above,
New man, perfection, be perfect, be complete, resurrection, resurrected, spirit beings,
spirit being
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“Since you
have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere
love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, 23 having
been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word
of God which lives and abides forever” (1 Pet 1:22-23)
‘Jesus answered and
said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he
cannot see the kingdom of God.…5 Jesus answered, "Most
assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he
cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is
flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit”’ (John
3:5-6)
The vast majority of
those who consider themselves Christians claim to have been “born
again”. They connect this with their acknowledgement of Jesus Christ as
savior, His sacrifice and their own rebirth after baptism. Although
their assertion seems to be supported by Peter, Messiah seems to have a
different take on things. He seems to claim that one must be born of
the spirit and the one so born is spirit. Christians claiming to
be born again all readily admit to being flesh and blood.
So some have focused
on Messiah’s statements and refused to believe any physical human could be
born again. This goes against Peter’s statement that obviously
acknowledges his readers as being ‘born again’. We must assume his
readers were flesh and blood.
To begin to understand
what is being said, we must first understand that Messiah did not actually
say “unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God”. He said “unless one is born from above, he
cannot see the kingdom of God”. The
Greek word usually translated ‘again’ ‘anothen’,
(Str. 509) primarily means ‘from above, from a higher place’ (Thayer’s Greek
Lexicon, (TGL)). Obviously a
significant change of some sort is asserted.
“Nicodemus said to
Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time
into his mother’s womb and be born?” (John 3:4) Nicodemus obviously
thought Messiah was talking of a birth. Some have been confused,
because ‘born’, ‘gennao’ (Str. 1080) is
often translated beget. The distinction, if there is any, must be made
by context. Nicodemus understood a birth was necessary.
On the other hand, the
Jews of that time used ‘gennao’ when
referring to the conversion of a gentile. Since Nicodemus was not a
gentile, but a member in good standing in the Sanhedrin, the Jews governing
body, it is not a surprise that he might not quickly catch on that he needed
to be converted too.
Greek ‘gennao’, born, is not a technical word. It is a general word primarily used in human or animal birth, but can
also indicate something gotten or created by someone. It is
translated ‘begat’ in Matthew 1:2-16 simply because of the historical meaning
of beget. Historically beget meant ‘to obtain’, get. Also,
English doesn’t usually associate the product of a birth with the male.
The woman produces in the birth. So we would not naturally say someone
was born of a particular man. In this case, Matthew is simply
indicating the person credited as being responsible or obtaining the
offspring, not even necessarily the one that did the engendering as in the
case of Mary (vs. 16). The Liddell and Scott Lexicon indicates a
meaning of “produce from oneself, create”. Their secondary
meaning is “produce, grow, get”.
The word is also used
when Herod inquired where Messiah would be ‘born’ (Mat 2:4). He was
obviously not concerned about where the begettal or
conception would take place. He was interested in where He would be
born or produced.
Clearly the word can
be connected with the time before actual birth. Matthew 1:20 talks of
the unborn Messiah while still in Mary. Most translations in this case
refer to what is ‘conceived’ in Mary. It would be a bit more accurate
to say that which is ‘being produced’ in Mary. This particular case
happens to be aorist, participle. Aorist does not concern itself with
past, present or future. A participle tends to indicate an ongoing
condition. So the focus of ‘gennao’ in
this case is not the moment of conception, but what was ‘being produced’,
growing, in Mary.
Peter in 1 Peter 1:22
used the Greek ‘anagennao’, (Str. 313),
which primarily means ‘to produce again, be born again, born anew’
(TGL). He also includes the thought that they were born, “not of
corruptible seed but incorruptible” (Vs. 23b). The believer’s
‘birth’ was not of physical human origin, but incorruptible origin. It
is apparent Peter is talking of the involvement of the Creator by means of
the preaching of the Gospel. Is this birth involving the
‘incorruptible’ different from that mentioned by Messiah ‘from above’?
Even though worded
differently, it seems apparent that Messiah and Peter are talking of a very
similar thing. One talks of being born from above, the other from an
incorruptible source, which would also be from above. It is apparent
Peter thinks the event has already happened.
Paul also talks of a
similar change into the way of God. “and
that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true
righteousness and holiness.” (Eph 4:24) He is exhorting the
Ephesians to a new life of holiness, re-creating themselves
in accordance with the Creator. It seems this also could be considered
a re-birth, being born again. It is obviously a change that they were
to make, remaking themselves in the image of God.
As it turns out John
also has something to say about one who is born of God. “If ye know
that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born
[gennao] of him.” (1 John 2:29
KJV). Those who consistently do righteousness have experienced birth
from the Creator.
Can these be talking of
different experiences? Can someone who becomes a new man, made
according to the blueprint of the Father, righteous and holy, experience
something different from someone reborn of incorruptible origin, namely the
Father? Is this different than being born from above?
Consider also how Paul
described a believer.
5 " For those
who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh,
but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit."
(Rom 8:5)
A believer is to have
completely different values and mentality. He is not to be focused on
the cares and entertainment of this life, but on seeking the improvement of
his mentality. “but grow in
the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen” (II Pet
3:18). Peter here is describing the same focus of mind that Paul did
above. We are to expand our understanding of the Messiah and His
graciousness. By examining and pondering His example we can enable the
upgrading of our mentality.
John has more to say
about those who are born of God:
1John 4:7, “Beloved,
let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born (gennao) of God and knows God.”
1John 5:1, “Whoever
believes that Jesus is the Christ is born (gennao)
of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot (gennao)
also loves him who is begotten (gennao) of
Him.”
Unfortunately, there
is a lot of confusion in this world about what ‘love’ is and what believing
that Messiah is ‘born of God’ is. “By this we know that we love the
children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments.” (1 John
5:2) Love is not just an emotion we feel toward someone, but it is
accompanied by positive action to do what is best for the one loved and what
pleases them. Certainly believers have a strong emotional feeling
toward their Creator. They also show the evidence by living in accord
with the instruction the Creator gave us.
1John 5:4, “For
whatever is born (gennao) of God overcomes
the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world––our faith.”
The faith of the
believer overcomes the corrupting influence of this society. Those born
of the Father also overcome the world. The spirit of life that is in
Messiah lives in the believer and with the willing mind
of the believer frees him from the pulls of the flesh (Rom 8:2).
“And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and
desires” (Gal 5:24). “And everyone who has this hope in Him
purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:3). “and have put on the new man who is renewed in
knowledge according to the image of Him who created him” (Col 3:10).
All those scriptures
describe a spirit led believer that has overcome the world, follows the
example of our Messiah and is a new man reflecting the values of the Father
like Messiah did. These scriptures are not describing spirit beings,
but people who on the surface look like anyone else. The difference is
that their nature and values are not rooted in the care and feeding of
themselves, but in conduct properly representative
of the Creator.
1John 3:9 “Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for
His seed remains in him; and he cannot [continue to] sin, because he
has been born of God.”
When one’s values
reflect the Creator one lives as the Creator would live. The Father
does not sin. Neither should His Children.
II Cor
6:14-7:1) “Do not be unequally yoked
together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with
lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what
accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an
unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For
you are the temple of the living God. As God has
said: "I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God,
And they shall be My people." 17 Therefore "Come out from
among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And
I will receive you." 18 "I will be a Father to you, And you
shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty." 7:1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us
cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting
holiness in the fear of God.”
There is no agreement
or peace between darkness and light or sin and righteousness. We are
also His temple, His home. There should be no darkness in it. To
be the children of the Creator we should act like the Creator not
Satan. The Creator is not interested in sharing us with this world or
competing for our attention.
“And we are His
witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given
to those who obey Him” (Acts 5:32). Walk in the light as He is in
the light.
The gift of the spirit
of God is predicated on obedience to His instruction (John 14:15-16).
This author has been unable to find scripture that indicates the spirit is
given to those that usually or sometimes obey. “He who has My
commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me…” (John 14:21ab)
“…If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word” (John 14:23bc).
Proper consistent obedience is enabled by the holy spirit. We need to
clean ourselves (Jas 4:7-8). Once we have made that commitment He will
bless that effort with the added support of His spirit (Acts 5:32). He
expects us to overcome this world’s enticements and break off participation
in its ways, i.e., come out of it (Rev 18:4, John 17:15). This is not
impossible.
Is it then impossible
for the believer to sin? A.T. Robertson, (a professor at Southern Baptist
Theological Seminary at Louisville, Kentucky and author of A Grammar of
the Greek New Testament in Light of Historical Research), examines this
thought in 1 John 3:9 that indicates a believer is unable to sin. “This
is a wrong translation…The present active infinitive hamartanein
can only mean ‘and he cannot go on sinning’…” (Word pictures in the New
Testament, Vol VI, p. 223)
So, John is not saying
it is impossible for a believer to sin, but that they must change. They
simply can’t allow themselves to continue to sin. Indeed, John says
this in 1 John 2:1. IF we sin Messiah is our advocate
with the Father. John does not say ‘when we sin’ or ‘every
time we sin’. He allows that believers might sin, but the
expectation is that they will not. (See ‘Death, Taxes & Sin’ for a detailed
examination of John and Paul’s statements on believers sinning.)
When Messiah did
miracles by the spirit of God He represented the Kingdom of God (Mat
12:28). The kingdom of God was in fact reaching out by means of Messiah
to make itself known to that place and time. When the things of the
spirit are our focus we are living in the spiritual realm. We represent
the kingdom of God as well. We are living as if in His realm, in the
spirit, even though we are still flesh and blood. Could Messiah’s
assertion distinguishing the spirit as “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell
where it comes from and where it goes…” apply to people that are still
flesh and blood?
John 5: 24 "Most
assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me
has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from
death into life.”
If they have passed
from death into life, have they not also passed from flesh into spirit?
“But you are not in
the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.”
(Rom 8:9ab)
“But the natural
man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are
foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually
discerned. 15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he
himself is rightly judged by no one.” (1Cor 2:14-15)
The essential elements
are the same. Those of the flesh perceive there is something there in
the believer, but they are unable to really put their finger on it.
They don’t understand what the spiritually minded person is really
about. Their experience forces them to assume that the person focusing
on the spirit has the same fleshly mentality that they do. This is not
the case. The one living in the spirit has the selfless mentality of
Messiah that gave up His glory with the Father and became human to be
ridiculed and brutally murdered in order to be able to purge our error.
Consider Messiah’s
statement “unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the
kingdom of God” in connection with Acts 2:38. ‘Then Peter said
to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of
Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the
Holy Spirit.”’ Baptism is picturing our death and rebirth, a
resurrection to a new life (Rom 6:4). If it is combined with true
repentance the gift of the spirit of God comes then as well. So it is
no stretch to say that being born of water and spirit was intended to happen
at baptism. The water is the baptism itself. The spirit gives new
life and focus to the mind producing a new man representative of the kingdom
of God.
Messiah indicated that
he was telling Nicodemus ‘earthly’ things (John 3:12). His use
of ‘born of the spirit’ then, is included in these earthly things. Are
spirit beings of the earth? Spirit beings are of heaven even if they
have fallen out of favor with the Creator. So it is much more likely
that Messiah was thinking exactly what Paul stated in Romans 8:9, quoted
above. One who has the spirit of God is in the spirit. He will
not be properly understood by the average person. He is not just flesh
and blood, but a product of the spirit of God, born from above.
1John 5:18 “We
know that whoever is born [gennao] of God
does not sin; but he who has been born [gennao]
of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.”
Again John tells us
that one born, produced, of God does not sin. This is describing human
believers. They keep themselves and are not influenced by Satan.
There is a change in mentality that allows them to toss off the enticements
that trap most people. “And those who are Christ’s have crucified
the flesh with its passions and desires.” (Gal 5:24) It’s not that
they are ascetics (although by this world’s standards it might seem that
way), but they are careful to represent the Creator in all their
dealings. Consequently they are not overly interested in the comforts
and pleasures of this world.
John 6:54 "Whoever
eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up
at the last day…56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in
Me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent Me, and I live because
of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me.”
Likely this refers to
the bread and wine memorial of Messiah’s death and the annual renewal of the
New Covenant (Luke 22:19, 1 Cor 11:24-26).
Anyone who has taken hold of that covenant should be living to the standard
Messiah expects. According to Messiah they have eternal life in them
now. With Messiah in them and eternal life in them can we say they are
merely flesh and blood? Because we can’t see a halo or the nail prints
in the hand does not mean it is not so.
What happens to our
mind at the return of Messiah?
‘Behold, I tell you
a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed–– 52 in a
moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will
sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be
changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this
mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put
on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be
brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in
victory."’ (1 Cor 15:51-54)
The mortal will become
immortal. Death will be eliminated. Our bodies will be changed at
the return of Messiah. Believers will be given a new body that will not
die. There is no mention of a change in the mind. The mind will
not be changed. It should have already been transformed. “And
do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your
mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of
God.” (Rom 12:2) Believers exchange their own priorities for those
of the Creator. They commit their conduct to the Creator, to live in
His ways.
Phil 3:20-21, “For
our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior,
the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body that
it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which
He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.”
Rom 8:23, “Not only
that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the
Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the
adoption, the redemption of our body.”
II Cor 5:1, “For we know
that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from
God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”
Although many think
their mind will be ‘fixed’ as a spirit being there is simply no scripture
that indicates this. Certainly those changed will not sin, but this
doesn’t mean their mind is ‘fixed’ at the resurrection. The person born
again, born from above, born of God, the new man has already been living in
the spirit according to the ways of His Creator. There is no need to
tinker with their mind at the resurrection. They are diligently seeking
to improve their mentality in accord with Messiah and the Father. It is
their nature to walk in His Ways and keep His Laws.
"For this is
the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says
the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts;
and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” (Heb 8:10)
Once someone keeps His
laws as a matter of his nature the Creator has made him in His image.
By their own hand and action He has made a people for Himself in His
image. Experience will produce better understanding, but the
fundamental mentality of the children is molded in the pattern of the
Father. They keep themselves from evil. There is no need to fix
them so they don’t sin. They have already proven themselves. They
willingly submit themselves to support the Creator’s cause. Neither
will the Creator need to constantly check up on someone who actively seeks
His will.
Only having our body
changed at the return of Messiah does not make that change a non-event.
It is really a monumental event worthy of great celebration. It is the
culmination of the whole purpose for which the creation was made to be.
It is though a mechanical event, a physical change. Apparently
something Messiah will be able to take care of in an instant (1 Cor 15:52). It is also a birth of sorts. It’s
just not likely the particular one to which Messiah was referring in John 3.
In Colossians 1:15-18,
Messiah is called the firstborn of creation and the firstborn of the
dead. In neither of these births is
Paul talking about a change of the mind or something that allowed Messiah to
finally “see” the Kingdom. Messiah
knew what the Kingdom was about. He
was never rebellious as humans have been.
Being firstborn from the dead did not make Him anymore a child of the
Creator than He had been before. It
did enable Him to fully participate in the inheritance the Father wished Him
to have. It also indicated the
completion of His preparation to be our judge, High Priest and Savior.
The remaking of the
mind is truly the greater of the two. That is evidently something the
Creator cannot do instantaneously. Certainly that makes sense since we
must be a willing and knowledgeable participant. As of that event the
believer has the tools necessary to understand the mind, purpose and cause of
the Creator. They have been made in the image and likeness of the
Creator, just not of the same material. They are the special
product, born of God and misunderstood by the world.
1John 3:1 “Behold what manner of love the Father has
bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world
does not know us, because it did not know Him.”
Eph 1:13-14 “In
him you also, who have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation,
and have believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14
which is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it,
to the praise of his glory.” (RSV)
The receipt of the
spirit of God is a guarantee of the ultimate inheritance. It is just a
matter of time before the final receipt of our inheritance. One who receives the spirit of God, lives a new life focused
on the spirit. He is able to do so because he “sees”, the Kingdom of
God. He understands and supports in action what the Creator is doing
with this creation. This is not to say it is impossible for Him to fall
away, but it is highly unlikely.
The final change to
spirit enables the Creator to give us “all
things” (Rev 21:7). Our physical
body and power is obviously limited now.
He can give us this power because He knows that we will care for it as
He would. He doesn’t want the sin of Lucifer to be repeated.
Eze 28:16 "By
the abundance of your trading You became filled with violence within, And you
sinned; Therefore I cast you as a profane thing Out of the mountain of God;
And I destroyed you, O covering cherub, From the midst of the fiery stones.”
There are evidently
things in the spirit realm that one can accumulate and
acquire. Lucifer evidently became focused on those things.
They became his god. He lost sight of what was right and good in order
to promote himself. If we can overcome his influence in this world
controlled by him, we should have no trouble rejecting his way in favor of
the right ways of the Creator in the Kingdom of God.
Now is the time to
humble ourselves to serve Him. Our mind is us. We will take our
mind into His kingdom. If our mind does not reflect the mentality of
the Creator, He will not give it immortality. Sin separates us from the
Creator (Isa 59:2). “He who overcomes shall inherit all things,
and I will be his God and he shall be My son” (Rev 21:7). “But
as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered
into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love
Him" (1Cor 2:9). The Creator will not give us power over all
things if we cannot be trusted to share and care for it the way He
does. He wants His realm to reflect Him, not this world and Satan.