Salvation Basics - Born of God

NewLifeInChrist

NewLifeInChrist

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John wrote...
11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 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. (Jn 1:10–13)​

Jesus said...
That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (Jn 3:6)​

What does it mean to be born of God?
When a person puts his full trust in Christ for salvation, Jesus not only forgives his sins, but He excercises his power of creation to create a life that did not exist before. God gives birth to that new living person from out of His Spirit, and the one who is birthed by God literally becomes God's offspring and joins the other children of God as a member of His household.

What is the nature of the children of God?
Jesus explained that the new life created when the Spirit gave birth to it is spiritual in nature, not physical. He contrasted the physical lives that we obtained when our mothers gave birth to us from out of their wombs with the spiritual lives we obtained from God when He gave birth to us from out of His Spirit. As we share the human nature of our earthly mothers who gave birth to us, so too we share the divine nature of our heavenly Father who gave birth to us. Peter extolled the glories of us sharing the nature of God when he wrote about the "exceedingly great and precious promises" that have been given to us for the purpose that we may be "partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust" (2 Pe 1:4).

Is it important to differentiate between our human nature and our divine nature?
Yes. Many aspects of our relationship with God and our walk with Him can not be properly understood without differentiating between what we inherited from Adam through physical birth and what we inherited from Jesus through spiritual birth. For example, when John wrote, "Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God " (1 Jn 3:9), he was not writing about the whole man (i.e., our human nature and our divine nature in one package), he was writing about the divine nature that we received as a result of God giving birth to us. Our divine nature is not corruptible by sin because He stays at the center of it and He cannot be corrupted. One day we will shed the flesh with its corruption, but our spirits which are right with God will continue with Him forever after our physical deaths.
 
NewLifeInChrist said:
John wrote...
11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 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. (Jn 1:10–13)​

Jesus said...
That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (Jn 3:6)​

What does it mean to be born of God?
When a person puts his full trust in Christ for salvation, Jesus not only forgives his sins, but He excercises his power of creation to create a life that did not exist before. God gives birth to that new living person from out of His Spirit, and the one who is birthed by God literally becomes God's offspring and joins the other children of God as a member of His household.

What is the nature of the children of God?
Jesus explained that the new life created when the Spirit gave birth to it is spiritual in nature, not physical. He contrasted the physical lives that we obtained when our mothers gave birth to us from out of their wombs with the spiritual lives we obtained from God when He gave birth to us from out of His Spirit. As we share the human nature of our earthly mothers who gave birth to us, so too we share the divine nature of our heavenly Father who gave birth to us. Peter extolled the glories of us sharing the nature of God when he wrote about the "exceedingly great and precious promises" that have been given to us for the purpose that we may be "partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust" (2 Pe 1:4).

Is it important to differentiate between our human nature and our divine nature?
Yes. Many aspects of our relationship with God and our walk with Him can not be properly understood without differentiating between what we inherited from Adam through physical birth and what we inherited from Jesus through spiritual birth. For example, when John wrote, "Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God " (1 Jn 3:9), he was not writing about the whole man (i.e., our human nature and our divine nature in one package), he was writing about the divine nature that we received as a result of God giving birth to us. Our divine nature is not corruptible by sin because He stays at the center of it and He cannot be corrupted. One day we will shed the flesh with its corruption, but our spirits which are right with God will continue with Him forever after our physical deaths.
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I understand, thank you.

Love, Walter
 
NewLifeInChrist said:
What does it mean to be born of God?
When a person puts his full trust in Christ for salvation, Jesus not only forgives his sins, but He excercises his power of creation to create a life that did not exist before. God gives birth to that new living person from out of His Spirit, and the one who is birthed by God literally becomes God's offspring and joins the other children of God as a member of His household.
Click to expand...
Yes I understand what you are saying, have you read? https://christianforums.net/threads/when-does-a-christian-become-immortality-born-again.98935/

Also: https://christianforums.net/threads/the-christian-hope.99582/

Love, Walter
 
WalterandDebbie said:
Yes I understand what you are saying, have you read? https://christianforums.net/threads/when-does-a-christian-become-immortality-born-again.98935/

Also: https://christianforums.net/threads/the-christian-hope.99582/

Love, Walter
Click to expand...
It is curious to me that even though you admit to not knowing what Jesus was telling Nicodemus, you say you are certain that He was not talking about the need to be born again in the here-and-now. Yet, the evidence you cite in support of your conclusion (i.e., part of a passage in 1 Corinthians that says flesh and blood cannot inherit the knigdom of God) actually supports the opposite conclusion. The passage clearly says only those who are heavenly (i.e., those who possess the life given by the "life-giving spirit") will bear the image of Christ after their physical deaths.

But the idea that being born of God is not for the here-and-now is put to bed by many verses, including the one I referenced in the OP... "Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God " (1 Jn 3:9) The language (which only employs present and perfect tense verbs) clearly points to the here-and-now, not to escatological fulfilment.

So, I will repeat the final point I made in the OP...

Many aspects of our relationship with God and our walk with Him can not be properly understood without differentiating between what we inherited from Adam through physical birth and what we inherited from Jesus through spiritual birth.​
 
NewLifeInChrist said:
In this OP... https://christianforums.net/threads/when-does-a-christian-become-immortality-born-again.98935/
Click to expand...
Yes, I do see what you are talking about now,
I have been thinking about the OP and the different posts, but have not received any revelation on what Jesus was talking about to Nicodemus. But I'm glad to have an understanding of these views on this thread and more on other site forums.

I was looking at: It is by scripture we as Christians are not Born Again until we are caught up to be with Christ 1 Thessalonians 4:17, and 1 Corinthians 15:51-58

But here are some views from Bing:
In Christianity, being born again means having a spiritual renewal or change of heart by accepting Jesus as the Savior and Lord. It is not about physical birth or external requirements, but about receiving salvation and becoming part of God’s family1.

The phrase “born again” is frequently misinterpreted. Looking at its primary reference, we see that its meaning is not about physical birth, but about experiencing a spiritual renewal. It is an expression used by many Protestants to define the moment or process of fully accepting faith in Jesus Christ. It is an experience when the teachings of Christianity and Jesus become real, and the “born again” acquire a personal relationship with God2.

Also, we will be in prayer about this process.

Love, Walter And Debbie
 
Salvation means the deliverance from sin and its consequences brought about by faith in Christ. It's only the work of grace at salvation that sets the believer apart as being separated from the world as this is what sanctification means. This was God's plan of salvation through Christ before the foundation of the world that through Him we are justified before God as we are made righteous by His righteousness found in us. Ephesians 1:4-7; 2:8-10; Philippians 3:9, 10


We are told in Philippians 2:12 to work out our own salvation with fear (reverence) and trembling (our weakness having dependence on God). This means that we are to continue to actively pursue obedience in the process of sanctification to be more like Christ.


Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

John 3:5 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.
John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
John 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
John 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
John 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Rom 10:11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
 
for_his_glory said:
Salvation means the deliverance from sin and its consequences brought about by faith in Christ. It's only the work of grace at salvation that sets the believer apart as being separated from the world as this is what sanctification means. This was God's plan of salvation through Christ before the foundation of the world that through Him we are justified before God as we are made righteous by His righteousness found in us. Ephesians 1:4-7; 2:8-10; Philippians 3:9, 10

We are told in Philippians 2:12 to work out our own salvation with fear (reverence) and trembling (our weakness having dependence on God). This means that we are to continue to actively pursue obedience in the process of sanctification to be more like Christ.

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

John 3:5 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.
John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
John 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
John 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
John 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Rom 10:11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Click to expand...
My only objection to what you have written here is to the concept of progressive sanctification. To be sure, the New Testament has a large number of lengthy passages that call us to godly living. Included in them are four chapters in Romans (Rom. 12:1–15:16), two chapters in Galatians (Gal. 5:1–6:10), two chapters in Ephesians (Eph. 4:17–5:21), two chapters in Colossians (Col. 2:6–3:17), three chapters in Titus (Titus 1:5–3:11), three chapters in James (James 1:12–25; 3:13–4:10), and three chapters in 1 Peter (1 Peter 1:13–2:12; 4:1–11).

But when we read these passages carefully, we do not find even a single Bible verse that says our flesh may be trained to be good (i.e., that our flesh becomes more like Christ over time through progressive sanctification). And we do not find even a single Bible verse that says our redeemed spirits do anything wrong or need forgiveness for anything (as if the new man is not already completely sanctified). But we do see plenty of Bible verses that say: God has given us new life in Christ; He has made us one with Him in spirit; and to live successful Christian lives, we must turn from the evil desires that still exist in our flesh, and we must embrace the godly desires that exist only in our spirits. This is not progressive sanctification. It is making an identical choice every day to live out what God has created us to be by walking in lock step with Him as He leads, guides, directs, corrects, and comforts uf from the intimacy of our own hearts.
 
NewLifeInChrist said:
My only objection to what you have written here is to the concept of progressive sanctification. To be sure, the New Testament has a large number of lengthy passages that call us to godly living. Included in them are four chapters in Romans (Rom. 12:1–15:16), two chapters in Galatians (Gal. 5:1–6:10), two chapters in Ephesians (Eph. 4:17–5:21), two chapters in Colossians (Col. 2:6–3:17), three chapters in Titus (Titus 1:5–3:11), three chapters in James (James 1:12–25; 3:13–4:10), and three chapters in 1 Peter (1 Peter 1:13–2:12; 4:1–11).

But when we read these passages carefully, we do not find even a single Bible verse that says our flesh may be trained to be good (i.e., that our flesh becomes more like Christ over time through progressive sanctification). And we do not find even a single Bible verse that says our redeemed spirits do anything wrong or need forgiveness for anything (as if the new man is not already completely sanctified). But we do see plenty of Bible verses that say: God has given us new life in Christ; He has made us one with Him in spirit; and to live successful Christian lives, we must turn from the evil desires that still exist in our flesh, and we must embrace the godly desires that exist only in our spirits. This is not progressive sanctification. It is making an identical choice every day to live out what God has created us to be by walking in lock step with Him as He leads, guides, directs, corrects, and comforts uf from the intimacy of our own hearts.
Click to expand...
Never said we can train our flesh to be good as our own righteousness is as a filthy rag to God and flesh and blood can not inherit the Kingdom of God, Isaiah 64:6; Romans 10:5-18; Galatians 5:16-26; John 3:3-7.

Sanctification is a lifelong process of becoming more like Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit as we strive for holiness. No one will receive perfection in this life, but the Holy Spirit empowers us to grow in holiness and to overcome sin. It's the same as we are not yet saved, but only Spiritually born again as we will face many trials and tribulations during our life and it is those who endure until Christ returns that will be caught up to Him on the last day when Christ returns.
 
for_his_glory said:
Never said we can train our flesh to be good as our own righteousness is as a filthy rag to God and flesh and blood can not inherit the Kingdom of God, Isaiah 64:6; Romans 10:5-18; Galatians 5:16-26; John 3:3-7.

Sanctification is a lifelong process of becoming more like Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit as we strive for holiness. No one will receive perfection in this life, but the Holy Spirit empowers us to grow in holiness and to overcome sin. It's the same as we are not yet saved, but only Spiritually born again as we will face many trials and tribulations during our life and it is those who endure until Christ returns that will be caught up to Him on the last day when Christ returns.
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I know you didn't say it. And I shouldn'd have implied that you believe it. Sorry about that.

I should have made it clear that fact that the flesh cannot be trained to be good and the fact that the regenerated spirit cannot be corrupted by sin leaves no room "progressive sanctification" because neither our new nature nor our old nature is becoming less sinful. Certainly we mature spiriutally as we faithfully walk in the Spirit, but I do not see that as becoming more like Jesus over time (i.e., progressive sanctification). I see it as making an identical choice every day to put off the old man and put on the new man (i.e., separating ourselves to God) and walking in the newness of life.

And I just noticed your signature that says you're an author. I'm hunting for that book now :).
 
NewLifeInChrist said:
I know you didn't say it. And I shouldn'd have implied that you believe it. Sorry about that.

I should have made it clear that fact that the flesh cannot be trained to be good and the fact that the regenerated spirit cannot be corrupted by sin leaves no room "progressive sanctification" because neither our new nature nor our old nature is becoming less sinful. Certainly we mature spiriutally as we faithfully walk in the Spirit, but I do not see that as becoming more like Jesus over time (i.e., progressive sanctification). I see it as making an identical choice every day to put off the old man and put on the new man (i.e., separating ourselves to God) and walking in the newness of life.

And I just noticed your signature that says you're an author. I'm hunting for that book now :).
Click to expand...
Col 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Col 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Col 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Col 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

To find my book in the sub forum Revelation you will have to scroll down until you find all the chapters.
 
for_his_glory said:
Col 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Col 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Col 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Col 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

To find my book in the sub forum Revelation you will have to scroll down until you find all the chapters.
Click to expand...
I found it in the CF.net Wordpress site. Didn't even know that was a thing. I read a little of it (mostly in Chapter 5). That seems like quite an undertaking.
 
NewLifeInChrist said:
I found it in the CF.net Wordpress site. Didn't even know that was a thing. I read a little of it (mostly in Chapter 5). That seems like quite an undertaking.
Click to expand...
Thank you for finding my book. It took me around forty years of studying the word of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit comparing scripture with scripture and studying the history in order to collect all the facts that led me to complete my book.
 
NewLifeInChrist said:
I should have made it clear that fact that the flesh cannot be trained to be good and the fact that the regenerated spirit cannot be corrupted by sin leaves no room "progressive sanctification" because neither our new nature nor our old nature is becoming less sinful. Certainly we mature spiriutally as we faithfully walk in the Spirit, but I do not see that as becoming more like Jesus over time (i.e., progressive sanctification). I see it as making an identical choice every day to put off the old man and put on the new man (i.e., separating ourselves to God) and walking in the newness of life.
Click to expand...
As per the Spiritual renewed inner man we no longer walk in fleshly ways and the sin we might commit becomes less everyday as we walk in the Spirit. Colossians 3:1-17 explains all of this.
 
for_his_glory said:
As per the Spiritual renewed inner man we no longer walk in fleshly ways and the sin we might commit becomes less everyday as we walk in the Spirit. Colossians 3:1-17 explains all of this.
Click to expand...
I mentioned above that Colossians 3:1-17 is part of one of many lenghty passages that call us to godly living. If we want to relate it to sanctification, then it must be self-sanctification (i.e., us setting orselves apart from sin and the sinfulness of our flesh to God, and serving Him in the newness of life). The reason for this is that virtually all the forward looking verbs (mostly imperatives) are actions we must take (e.g., "seek those things which are above (Col 3:1)", "Set your mind on things above (Col 3:2)", "put to death your members which are on the earth (Col 3:5)", etc). And all the past tense (or perfect tense) verbs that relate to God's sanctification of us are completed and not ongoing (e.g., "you were raised with Christ (Col 3:1)", "your life is hidden with Christ in God (Col 3:3)", and "the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him (Col 3:10)".

You said, "we no longer walk in fleshly ways". But we do walk in fleshly ways when we fail to walk in the Spirit. That is why there is an imperative for us walk in the Spirit. It is the only way to avoid walking in fleshly ways.

You said, "the sin we commit becomes less every day as we walk in the Spirit". This is true only if we walk in the Sirit more consistently every day because the only way to avoid sin is to walk in the Spirit. If we walked in the Spirit all day every day we would not be committing any sin.
 
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