What does "born again" really mean? Christ answers this question in his discussion with Nicodemus.
John 3:3 :4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 5 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. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 8 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. KJV
Christ taught Nicodemus that being born again means to be born into the spirit. It is not a fleshly birth but a spiritual birth. When does this spiritual birth occur for Christians?
1 Thessalonians 4:14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. KJV
This is the same verse describing what happens when the Feast of Trumpets is fulfilled. The Day of Atonement foreshadows the coming return of Christ when Christians will be born again into the spirit. Paul describes this future event in 1 Corinthians 15:
1 Corinthians 15:42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: 43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body…49 And as we have borne the image of the Earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. 50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I shew 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 trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall 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 shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. KJV
IMHO, What born-again means is between you and Christ. What is immediately apparent is that you actually see him as part of your life. Part of it is knowing that God is watching everything you do, and may want you to answer for it.
The "event" has nothing to do with anyone, but you and God. It happens when you have read the Bible, given thought to who Jesus was and what he is trying to accomplish, and have decided to follow him.
I "thought" I was Christian, but it turns out my faith was weak... years passed, and one morning I woke up and realized that I hadn't gotten it at all. Well I got it that morning, and I gave everyone on my block a Christmas gift.
Consider this: without Christ, at best humans would reincarnate over and over again into a world where anything goes, and evil has power over them. In the days of Jesus things were a lot worse. Jesus came into an adulterous world that had gone astray where there was a lot of suffering.
Neither Jesus nor his Apostles sought wealth. Jesus came to turn the tide and balance things so that it would not pay in the long run to be greedy.
The person who goes after riches in this world already has their reward, but what of the person who does the opposite and gives everything away?
See, if God doesn't step in then the person who gave everything away was just an ignorant fool who made life hard on himself. Why should anyone bother to give when taking will always pay off?
Yes there are whole orders and synagogues dedicated to worldly greed, why does God let them rule the earth? God is very loving. He is granting them their time and even holds out hope for their repentance, but when the time comes the life that exalts itself above God which soweth greed, shall reap complete and total eternal damnation. Not even one single shred of compassion will be left for them, but the people who choose to give will then be given the earth. Only then will Justice have been served.
In other words, he is come to balance the world and bring justice. Without him, there is only evil, and only evil rules over men. That God chose to become a man, and die an agonizing death for all of us, and that many have followed him and died for their beliefs, they are among the saints.
But what does he want you to do? Don't stop asking him, and don't give up, and if you are born-again be committed to living without sin. That would be my humble advice, at least.
John 3:3 :4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 5 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. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 8 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. KJV
Christ taught Nicodemus that being born again means to be born into the spirit. It is not a fleshly birth but a spiritual birth. When does this spiritual birth occur for Christians?
1 Thessalonians 4:14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. KJV
This is the same verse describing what happens when the Feast of Trumpets is fulfilled. The Day of Atonement foreshadows the coming return of Christ when Christians will be born again into the spirit. Paul describes this future event in 1 Corinthians 15:
1 Corinthians 15:42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: 43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body…49 And as we have borne the image of the Earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. 50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I shew 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 trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall 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 shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. KJV
IMHO, What born-again means is between you and Christ. What is immediately apparent is that you actually see him as part of your life. Part of it is knowing that God is watching everything you do, and may want you to answer for it.
The "event" has nothing to do with anyone, but you and God. It happens when you have read the Bible, given thought to who Jesus was and what he is trying to accomplish, and have decided to follow him.
I "thought" I was Christian, but it turns out my faith was weak... years passed, and one morning I woke up and realized that I hadn't gotten it at all. Well I got it that morning, and I gave everyone on my block a Christmas gift.
Consider this: without Christ, at best humans would reincarnate over and over again into a world where anything goes, and evil has power over them. In the days of Jesus things were a lot worse. Jesus came into an adulterous world that had gone astray where there was a lot of suffering.
Neither Jesus nor his Apostles sought wealth. Jesus came to turn the tide and balance things so that it would not pay in the long run to be greedy.
The person who goes after riches in this world already has their reward, but what of the person who does the opposite and gives everything away?
See, if God doesn't step in then the person who gave everything away was just an ignorant fool who made life hard on himself. Why should anyone bother to give when taking will always pay off?
Yes there are whole orders and synagogues dedicated to worldly greed, why does God let them rule the earth? God is very loving. He is granting them their time and even holds out hope for their repentance, but when the time comes the life that exalts itself above God which soweth greed, shall reap complete and total eternal damnation. Not even one single shred of compassion will be left for them, but the people who choose to give will then be given the earth. Only then will Justice have been served.
In other words, he is come to balance the world and bring justice. Without him, there is only evil, and only evil rules over men. That God chose to become a man, and die an agonizing death for all of us, and that many have followed him and died for their beliefs, they are among the saints.
But what does he want you to do? Don't stop asking him, and don't give up, and if you are born-again be committed to living without sin. That would be my humble advice, at least.
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