Eternally-grateful
Member
- Mar 31, 2025
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I was born in the flesh when my mother gave birth to meOr, more rightly, repenting = being born of the flesh.
see abovePaul says the old covenant (the covenant of law) births sons "born according to the flesh", and "born by the flesh". Keeping the law is what it means to be "born by the flesh". It's unmistakable. That's what he says:
22For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman.b 23His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born through the promise.
24These things serve as illustrations, for the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children into slavery: This is Hagar. 25Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present-day Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. 26But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.
28Now you,d brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29At that time, however, the son born by the flesh (through the covenant of law-vs. 24) persecuted the son born by the Spirit. It is the same now. Galatians 4:22-26,28-29
And that's what Jesus is telling Nicodemus. Being born by the flesh through the law is not good enough to see and enter into the kingdom.
30But what does the Scripture say? “Expel the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son (born by the flesh) will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.”e
The son 'born of the flesh' through the effort of repentance and obedience to the law does not inherit the kingdom. You must also be born from above, by the Spirit.