Born Again Of The Holy Spirit

[Squeaky]

BORN AGAIN OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

John 3:3-6
3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
4 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?"
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.
6 "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Mark 2:22
22 "And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins."
Eph 5:11-17
11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.
12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.
13 But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.
14 Therefore He says: "Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light."
15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,
16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
1 Pet 5:10-11
10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
11 To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Gal 2:20
20 "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
John 3:7-8
7 "Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'
8 "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."
Luke 5:36-39
36 Then He spoke a parable to them: "No one puts a piece from a new garment on an old one; otherwise the new makes a tear, and also the piece that was taken out of the new does not match the old.
37 "And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined.
38 "But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved.
39 "And no one, having drunk old wine, immediately desires new; for he says, 'The old is better.'"
1 Cor 15:1-3
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand,
2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you-- unless you believed in vain.
3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
Rom 6:8-10
8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,
9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him.
10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.
2 Cor 10:3-5
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
Heb 5:12-14
12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.
13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.
14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Heb 5:8-9
8 though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.
9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,
John 16:21-22
21 "A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.
22 "Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.
Matt 8:11-12
11 "And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.
12 "But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
James 1:22-25
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror;
24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.
25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.
II Jn 1:9-11
9 Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son.
10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him;
11 for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.
John 15:5-7
5 "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
6 "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
I Jn 2:6
6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
John 8:29
29 "And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him."
John 7:38-39
38 "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."
39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
John 8:28
28 Then Jesus said to them, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things.
John 16:5
5 "But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, 'Where are You going?'
John 16:7
7 "Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.
John 14:26
26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
Gal 5:24-25
24 And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
2 Cor 10:4-5
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
John 3:3
3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
John 3:5-7
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.
6 "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 "Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'
Matt 12:34
34 "Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
Matt 12:36-37
36 "But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.
37 "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."
John 3:34
34 "For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure.
John 3:33
33 "He who has received His testimony has certified that God is true.
Heb 12:24-25
24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.
25 See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven,
Heb 7:22
22 by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant.
Heb 8:13
13 In that He says, "A new covenant," He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
Matt 25:34
34 "Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

xxxx Born again means to die first to something. And that something is the carnality. And be born again to something else. And that something else is the Holy Spirit that only quotes new testament verses. He will guide you with one verse at a time in the meat to crucify all your emotions. Then when you start getting lots of verses Which are the revelations of Jesus Christ. Which I am showing the revelations I received.

 

[Squeaky]

Col 3:3
3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
(NKJ)

1 Pet 4:1-4

1 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,
2 that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.
3 For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles-- when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.
4 In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you.
(NKJ)

John 1:12-13
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
(NKJ)

Eph 2:1

1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,
(NKJ)

Eph 2:4-6
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
(NKJ)


Heb 10:38-39
38 Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, my soul has no pleasure in him."
39 But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.
(NKJ)

John 16:21-22
21 "A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.
22 "Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.
(NKJ)


2 Cor 4:16-18
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
(NKJ)

I Jn 3:14
14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death.
(NKJ)

xxxBorn of water is our water baptism symbolic of what the Spirit is going to do to us on the inside. Wash away all our sins. Born of the Spirit is being trained by the Holy Spirit to purge our carnality and emotions.


Rev 21:5
5 Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful."
(NKJ)

Mark 2:21-22
21 "No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; or else the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear is made worse.
22 "And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins."
(NKJ)

1 Pet 2:4
4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious,
(NKJ)

Gal 4:29
29 But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now.
(NKJ)


Rom 12:2
2 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.
(NKJ)

Rom 4:17
17 (as it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations") in the presence of Him whom he believed-- God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;
(NKJ)

Go To New Man And New Wine


Eph 4:17-32
17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,
18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their heart;
19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
20 But you have not so learned Christ,
21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,
23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
25 Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another.
26 "Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath,
27 nor give place to the devil.
28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.
29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.
32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.
(NKJ)
RO 6
22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.
23 For the wages of sin [is] death, but the gift of God [is] eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

[for_his_glory]

SALVATION – delivered from sin, promise of our welfare

Salvation means to be whole mind, body and soul as we surrender our will to God and allow his will to work in our lives by applying Gods word to every aspect of our lives. This allows us to know the mind of Christ and all the promises of God for our own well being so we can face anything that tries to come against us while here on this earth so we can triumph and be victorious through the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus. Grace pardons us and mercy loves us unconditionally. Let’s start with the conversation of Jesus and Nicodemus to get a better understanding of what it is to be born again and how to shed this old sin nature through repentance and then we will move on to learn how grace and mercy works in our lives.
(John 3:1-7)

Jesus was teaching Nicodemus that it was a Spiritual rebirth or renewal of our spirit that through Gods spoken word we can reconcile our past sins through repentance to be made sinless again before God. We are all born with a sin nature because of sin being introduced into the world through Satan’s deceit when he told Eve it was alright to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil even though God forbid them to eat of it. Our flesh will always sin because the flesh is never in obedience to God.
(John 9:31; Romans 8:6-8)

Sin separates us from God because God is a spirit and can only recognize his own children by what spirit is living in their hearts. We have to renew, rebirth - born again, Gods Spirit within us in order to be called a child of God and see the kingdom of heaven. We now put off the old man (flesh) and put on the new man (Spirit). We are renewed by the word of God and through the Holy Spirit teaching us of all things.
(John 14:26; Colossians Chapter 3)

We now have an intercessor (Jesus) who sits at the right hand of the Father and hears our confession that we are sinners and need his salvation as we believe in our heart that he was truly sent from God as the living word that we can indeed become righteous again not of our own righteousness, but that righteousness that is God whom through his Spirit is promised to dwell in us. All we have to do is believe and confess that we are sinners and allow Gods righteousness to cleanse us and renew our spirit man. Jesus wants us to come as we are and allow him to make the changes that need made in our hearts. People want to clean the fish before they catch them, but Jesus says come as you are I will clean you from the inside out.
(John 10:9; 1:14; 14:6; Romans 10:9, 10)

It is not by our works or good deeds that save us for if that was all it would take then Gods word would be made void in our lives and Jesus would have died in vain, but because we are all sinners, it is by Gods grace and mercy that forgives our sins and washes us clean by the atoning blood of the Lamb (Jesus) so we can be made renewed again and free from our old sin nature.
(Ephesians 2:8, 9; Titus 3:5-7)

Satan is always there to try and steal the word of God from us and tempt us to sin and sometimes we will sin because we still live in this flesh, but now when we do sin we can be quick to repent of it and grace will forgive us every time. Grace does not give us a license to sin, but if you are sinning unknowingly then God will forgive you, but even though you have been forgiven of a particular sin and still continue in that sin then you will pay the consequences for whatever that sin will bring about in your life as you were already forgiven, but are continuing in that sin. It doesn’t mean that God has forsaken you, but will allow the consequences of that continued sin to happen to you.
(John 10:10; Hebrews 10:26)

If a person says they have never sinned then they are lying to you and their selves because God said all have sinned. There are no little sins or big sins, for sin is sin. Same with white lies as a lie is a lie, even though your intention is to try and not hurt a person, but in all reality you are deceiving them even though they need to hear truth in order to rectify their lives.
(Romans 3:23)

REPENT - change, transform, transfigure, reconsider

Repentance gives us that opportunity to receive a new beginning in our life as God wipes away all our past sins and remembers them no more. Repentance allows the door to be opened for Christ to come into our lives so we may receive his Holy Spirit to help guide us in our walk with the Lord and to show us a life that is pleasing to the Father. It’s through the Holy Spirit that we come into a better understanding of Gods word by allowing His Spirit to teach us all things we need to know for the purpose and time of ministry to ourselves and to others.

There is only one way for God to recognize who are his and that is by us opening our heart and confessing we are sinners and knowing that we need to make a change in our lives in order for us to have eternal life with the Father. It’s not our will anymore to make decisions in our lives, but is now we allowing Gods will to make a betterment in our lives. As we follow in the footsteps of Christ we are now dead to self and alive now through the grace of God who wants nothing more than to shower us with his blessings as we surrender all to him through the transfiguration of our heart through repentance of our sins.

When we ask for our sins to be forgiven they are not only forgiven, but they are also forgotten. Our hearts become renewed again and we are given the Holy Spirit, which is the that Spirit of God made flesh in Jesus and given to us for comfort and learning. We receive the Holy Spirit at the time of repentance by asking Jesus into our hearts. Some like to be baptized in actual water, which there is nothing wrong with that as it is an outward appearance to others that you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior.
(Acts 2:38, 39; 3:19; John 14:26)

Now that we have been transformed from the old man to the spiritual man of God we now become as a newborn baby and our spirit needs nourishment from the word of God and the only way to get the nourishment we need is to get into the word and study it by allowing the Holy Spirit teach it to us for truth and understanding. The way I study is to take a verse at a time and allow the Holy Spirit to give me understanding of that verse before I move on to the next one. This helps me to understand the whole of whatever chapter I am studying.

Through repentance which brings transformation and renewal of mind, body and soul through Gods Spirit we now have to learn that we also have Gods power and authority to be able to stand against Satan who wants nothing more than to destroy our relationship with Jesus who is our mediator to God. That power and authority comes by Gods grace that has brought salvation to our renewed spirit man.

 

[tdidymas]

BORN AGAIN OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
...
xxxx Born again means to die first to something. And that something is the carnality. And be born again to something else. And that something else is the Holy Spirit that only quotes new testament verses. He will guide you with one verse at a time in the meat to crucify all your emotions. Then when you start getting lots of verses Which are the revelations of Jesus Christ. Which I am showing the revelations I received.

1 John 5:1 "Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God."
1 Pet. 1:23 "for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God."

Let's get the cause first, then the effect after it. First we are born again, then we die to self. It is a common confusion to think that dying to self causes us to be born again, but it is not what the Bible teaches. Paul wrote in Eph. 2:5 "even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)." Note he says "even when we were dead..." That is, dead to God, dead to spiritual things, lacking understanding, not willing to die to carnality. So then, in that sad plight, he says God "made us alive" - that is, God made us born again, as we heard the gospel. Then we began to pay attention to the words of Christ, as Paul writes further in Eph. 4:22 "in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self..." which he exhorts after telling them they already had been born again, since they were taught the gospel and they believed. Note also that this is how he defines "saved by grace."

I get the idea that what you are describing above is not rebirth, but sanctification in which the Holy Spirit purifies us and makes us holy and Christlike. This, of course, comes after being born again.

Hope this helps.
TD

 

[JohnDB]

I'm from the group that believes that the expression "born again" is a mis-translation by (either Tyndale or Wycliffe) perpetuated over the centuries by various people... especially Billy Graham (who didn't know) especially in the 1960's.

But at the same time scholars fixed the error and put it in the foot notes of the newly translated Bibles.

"Born from above" is a classification of people who God created to perform a task for Him. Nicodemus certainly fit that description. Nicodemus didn't feel special...he felt like he was ordinary. He felt like he needed a complete life "do over" in order to be "born from above". He could never live up to the class Jesus said he belonged to.... which is an example of true humility. (Uncommon then and today)

Nicodemus was interested in becoming Jesus' friend which is why he came at night after the day was over...(social time in Israel)

 

[tdidymas]

I'm from the group that believes that the expression "born again" is a mis-translation by (either Tyndale or Wycliffe) perpetuated over the centuries by various people... especially Billy Graham (who didn't know) especially in the 1960's.

But at the same time scholars fixed the error and put it in the foot notes of the newly translated Bibles.

"Born from above" is a classification of people who God created to perform a task for Him. Nicodemus certainly fit that description. Nicodemus didn't feel special...he felt like he was ordinary. He felt like he needed a complete life "do over" in order to be "born from above". He could never live up to the class Jesus said he belonged to.... which is an example of true humility. (Uncommon then and today)

Nicodemus was interested in becoming Jesus' friend which is why he came at night after the day was over...(social time in Israel)

Although it is true that the Greek word "anothen" is translated "from above" 5 times in the NT (compared to "again" 2 times), it is the context in which we see the accuracy of the translation. The fact that Nicodemus replied "shall I go back into my mother's womb..." tells us that the context suggests an event that is similar to original birth. We do get that this 2nd birth is "from above" by the fact that various other places in the NT it speaks of being "from God" and "sons of God" and other such terms and phrases. But in this context, if the primary meaning of the term "anothen" meant "from above" in the local vernacular, then Nicodemus would have given a different response if he were coming from that understanding. His response makes perfect sense for the meaning "born again." Keep in mind that Jesus often spoke in figurative language, and it would apply here also. The term "born again" is a literary figure for a spiritual event.
TD

 

[chessman]

The term "born again" is a literary figure for a spiritual event.

Ditto

Additionally, to enter the kingdom of God, someone must be born twice (once of water and once of the Spirit)

Jesus responded, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he is not able to enter into the kingdom of God.​

John 3:5 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=John 3:5&version=DLNT

 

[JohnDB]

Although it is true that the Greek word "anothen" is translated "from above" 5 times in the NT (compared to "again" 2 times), it is the context in which we see the accuracy of the translation. The fact that Nicodemus replied "shall I go back into my mother's womb..." tells us that the context suggests an event that is similar to original birth. We do get that this 2nd birth is "from above" by the fact that various other places in the NT it speaks of being "from God" and "sons of God" and other such terms and phrases. But in this context, if the primary meaning of the term "anothen" meant "from above" in the local vernacular, then Nicodemus would have given a different response if he were coming from that understanding. His response makes perfect sense for the meaning "born again." Keep in mind that Jesus often spoke in figurative language, and it would apply here also. The term "born again" is a literary figure for a spiritual event.
TD

Right...you believe in the mis-translation as it currently reads...but like I said before...I'm from the other group.

 

[tdidymas]

Right...you believe in the mis-translation as it currently reads...but like I said before...I'm from the other group.

This is where our paths diverge. I believe in the context of scripture.
TD

 

[JohnDB]

This is where our paths diverge. I believe in the context of scripture.
TD

Right...what exactly is the true translation of scripture is, and has been, a point of contention for decades. Popular belief has kept it from being corrected for a long time. The resulting theologies aren't a salvation issue from either position.
I just mentioned it because both sides of the issue ought to be fairly explored and available to those who are interested in exploring it for themselves.

It's similar to the notion that Jesus was a carpenter. When actually he worked with rock. The term meaning "general construction labor" was translated at the time as a carpenter because a stone Mason was a higher trade skill...but the ruins and other writings from the time period show all construction was done in rock.

 

[for_his_glory]

Born again is not that hard to understand. In the simplistic form of being Spiritually born again is being born from above as it is by Gods grace that allows us this regeneration by His Holy Spirit. It's a gift we can not work for, Ephesians 2:8-10, but given to all who will believe and confess Jesus is the Son of God, Romans 10:9,10. No one can come to the Father except through Christ as He is the way, the truth and the life, John 14:6.

 

[JohnDB]

Born again is not that hard to understand. In the simplistic form of being Spiritually born again is being born from above as it is by Gods grace that allows us this regeneration by His Holy Spirit. It's a gift we can not work for, Ephesians 2:8-10, but given to all who will believe and confess Jesus is the Son of God, Romans 10:9,10. No one can come to the Father except through Christ as He is the way, the truth and the life, John 14:6.

There's a good bit of anthropology studies that show that "born from above" was an expression of a classification of some of the patriarchs in the Old Testament. These include David, Samuel, Sampson, Moses, Jacob, and others.
One of the main qualifications for this was God's ordination of the person before they were born...which was very much in Nicodemus' mind as he was speaking with Jesus.

What many of us who believe such believe that God is timeless and knows what we will choose to do long before the question was ever put before us.

 

[for_his_glory]

There's a good bit of anthropology studies that show that "born from above" was an expression of a classification of some of the patriarchs in the Old Testament. These include David, Samuel, Sampson, Moses, Jacob, and others.
One of the main qualifications for this was God's ordination of the person before they were born...which was very much in Nicodemus' mind as he was speaking with Jesus.

What many of us who believe such believe that God is timeless and knows what we will choose to do long before the question was ever put before us.

All those patriarchs including Nicodemus before the time of Jesus ministry would not know anything about being born again, but only that of what was written by Ezekiel in Ezekiel 36:25-27. Nicodemus, being a ruler of the Jews, was a member of the Sanhedrin being the legislative body of Israel and an expert of the law. He came to Jesus in secret of the night to talk with Him so he would not be caught by the other Pharisees. The question on his mind was if Jesus was going to deliver the Jews from the bondage of Rome's authority over the Jews. Jesus already knew what Nicodemus was going to ask Him and avoided his question and went on to explain that which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Jesus was trying to teach Him about the kingdom of God and how to enter this kingdom that is from above. This is where we are set free from all bondage here on earth.

 

[JohnDB]

All those patriarchs including Nicodemus before the time of Jesus ministry would not know anything about being born again, but only that of what was written by Ezekiel in Ezekiel 36:25-27. Nicodemus, being a ruler of the Jews, was a member of the Sanhedrin being the legislative body of Israel and an expert of the law. He came to Jesus in secret of the night to talk with Him so he would not be caught by the other Pharisees. The question on his mind was if Jesus was going to deliver the Jews from the bondage of Rome's authority over the Jews. Jesus already knew what Nicodemus was going to ask Him and avoided his question and went on to explain that which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Jesus was trying to teach Him about the kingdom of God and how to enter this kingdom that is from above. This is where we are set free from all bondage here on earth.

Same thing that I was taught and am fully familiar with. What you have explained is the most common teaching coming from the flat reading of the section in John.

What I have been explaining is stemming from including the anthropology of the day and time with the scriptures and making that little note at the bottom have relevance.

Wycliffe or Tyndale (one of the first translators into English) translated "anothen" from the Latin/Greek texts into "again" instead of "above" as they did elsewhere because they didn't understand the anthropology of the expression.

It's a different opinion...not salvific in theology. Definitely not the common understanding like you and others have explained. Like I said, I'm fully aware of the common understanding but that's not a belief that I share.

 

[ezra]

xxxBorn of water is our water baptism symbolic of what the Spirit is going to do to us on the inside. Wash away all our sins. Born of the Spirit is being trained by the Holy Spirit to purge our carnality and emotions.

actually the Blood cleanses with out the shedding of BLOOD there is no remission of sin. read1 john 1:7 the spirit transforms us born of the spirit creates a new creation in Christ changed .you got some it partially right

 

[ezra]

Born again = a new creation in Christ but two things had to happen before this is possible the cross-payment for our sins .the resurrection the ABILITY to have the new life in Christ

 

[for_his_glory]

Same thing that I was taught and am fully familiar with. What you have explained is the most common teaching coming from the flat reading of the section in John.

What I have been explaining is stemming from including the anthropology of the day and time with the scriptures and making that little note at the bottom have relevance.

Wycliffe or Tyndale (one of the first translators into English) translated "anothen" from the Latin/Greek texts into "again" instead of "above" as they did elsewhere because they didn't understand the anthropology of the expression.

It's a different opinion...not salvific in theology. Definitely not the common understanding like you and others have explained. Like I said, I'm fully aware of the common understanding but that's not a belief that I share.

Born from above - born again is both being renewed/regenerated in the Spirit if it is taught that it all comes from God by His Holy Spirit. It's like tomatoe tomatoe with the emphasis on the a.

 

[JLB]

BORN AGAIN OF THE HOLY SPIRIT


Gal 2:20
20 "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
John 3:7-8
7 "Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'
8 "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."
Luke 5:36-39
36 Then He spoke a parable to them: "No one puts a piece from a new garment on an old one; otherwise the new makes a tear, and also the piece that was taken out of the new does not match the old.
37 "And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined.
38 "But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved.
39 "And no one, having drunk old wine, immediately desires new; for he says, 'The old is better.'"
1 Cor 15:1-3
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand,
2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you-- unless you believed in vain.
3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
Rom 6:8-10
8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,
9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him.
10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.
2 Cor 10:3-5
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
Heb 5:12-14
12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.
13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.
14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Heb 5:8-9
8 though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.
9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,
John 16:21-22
21 "A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.
22 "Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.
Matt 8:11-12
11 "And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.
12 "But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
James 1:22-25
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror;
24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.
25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.
II Jn 1:9-11
9 Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son.
10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him;
11 for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.
John 15:5-7
5 "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
6 "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
I Jn 2:6
6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
John 8:29
29 "And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him."
John 7:38-39
38 "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."
39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
John 8:28
28 Then Jesus said to them, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things.
John 16:5
5 "But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, 'Where are You going?'
John 16:7
7 "Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.
John 14:26
26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
Gal 5:24-25
24 And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
2 Cor 10:4-5
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
John 3:3
3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
John 3:5-7
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.
6 "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 "Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'
Matt 12:34
34 "Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
Matt 12:36-37
36 "But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.
37 "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."
John 3:34
34 "For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure.
John 3:33
33 "He who has received His testimony has certified that God is true.
Heb 12:24-25
24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.
25 See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven,
Heb 7:22
22 by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant.
Heb 8:13
13 In that He says, "A new covenant," He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
Matt 25:34
34 "Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

xxxx Born again means to die first to something. And that something is the carnality. And be born again to something else. And that something else is the Holy Spirit that only quotes new testament verses. He will guide you with one verse at a time in the meat to crucify all your emotions. Then when you start getting lots of verses Which are the revelations of Jesus Christ. Which I am showing the revelations I received.

He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 1 John 2:4-5




JLB

 

[JLB]

Like I said, I'm fully aware of the common understanding but that's not a belief that I share.

Could you clarify for us a little, about what you mean by
“that's not a belief that I share.“


What belief is it you don’t share?



JLB

 

[JohnDB]

Could you clarify for us a little, about what you mean by
“that's not a belief that I share.“


What belief is it you don’t share?



JLB

That "born again" is a viable theological princple. It's only mentioned in this one place.
"Born from above" however is much more congruent with other sections of scripture in the Old Testament and Paul's dissertation to the Romans.

That being said I have personally witnessed people truly repenting of their poor relationship with God and going the opposite way of what they once did. They do seem to change and sometimes drastically. I understand that this is what people refer to as being "born again" but to me, it seems more of them having firmly made a choice and never looking back.
The "born again" crowd makes it seem supernatural in effect or as a needed affect to become a Christian. God doesn't need a flash-bang and smoke to perform miracles...He has used them for signs and wonders but they simply aren't common...or else they wouldn't be effective as a sign or wonder.