Regular readers of my blog would notice that I often mention John1:12-13. I don't ever imagine that I can explain it wholly but I am ever grateful to God for slowly revealing His heart and wisdom which I shall share with you.
Now let us go to John Chapter 3 and read the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus the Pharissean leader of the Jews.
He came to Jesus by night and said to him, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.’ Jesus answered him, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.’ Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?’ Jesus answered, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you, “You must be born from above.”
Here we read the words of Christ where he clearly talks of 'being born from above'. He talks of 'being born of water' (when you repent and recieve Christ) and 'of the spirit'. He goes on to explain that what is born of flesh is flesh and what is born of spirit is spirit. In the second part Jesus focusses more on the birth in the spirit for it is this birth in the spirit that makes us the son or daughter of God. It is this birth that kills our life in the flesh, the life of humans without humanity, the life of selfishness and self preservation.
If we imagine that since we believe in Jesus and have taken a water baptism, we are handed a passport and flight ticket into the Kingdom of God we are mistaken. Passport may be. But flight tickets? I don't think so - for our Lord clearly says "NO one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above" and "what is born of the spirit is spirit".
So until and unless the lives we live our lives in the spirit we can not enter the kingdom of God. BUT when we are born of the spirit we become the son and daughter of the most High God and co heirs with Christ to the Kingdom of God.
Some Christians would like to believe that this birth in the spirit is purely a supernatural event wherein you are overcome by the power of the Holy Spirit. I would beg to differ. The word of God clearly says that 'he gave power to become children of God'. There is most definitely an element where each individual needs to use this power bestowed on him or her to become ready to die in the flesh and take on the spiritual life that comes with becoming the son or daughter of God. Paul the Apostle talks of this great war of the flesh in Romans Chapter 8 which we can read here.
In John 1:12-13, John the dearest disciple of Jesus tells us that to all those who received Jesus and believed in His name Jesus gave the power to become children of God - then he goes on to clarify that this was a rebirth where the person ceases to be of the flesh but truly born of God.
John 1: 12-13 But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.
He came to Jesus by night and said to him, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.’ Jesus answered him, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.’ Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?’ Jesus answered, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you, “You must be born from above.”
Here we read the words of Christ where he clearly talks of 'being born from above'. He talks of 'being born of water' (when you repent and recieve Christ) and 'of the spirit'. He goes on to explain that what is born of flesh is flesh and what is born of spirit is spirit. In the second part Jesus focusses more on the birth in the spirit for it is this birth in the spirit that makes us the son or daughter of God. It is this birth that kills our life in the flesh, the life of humans without humanity, the life of selfishness and self preservation.
If we imagine that since we believe in Jesus and have taken a water baptism, we are handed a passport and flight ticket into the Kingdom of God we are mistaken. Passport may be. But flight tickets? I don't think so - for our Lord clearly says "NO one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above" and "what is born of the spirit is spirit".
So until and unless the lives we live our lives in the spirit we can not enter the kingdom of God. BUT when we are born of the spirit we become the son and daughter of the most High God and co heirs with Christ to the Kingdom of God.
Some Christians would like to believe that this birth in the spirit is purely a supernatural event wherein you are overcome by the power of the Holy Spirit. I would beg to differ. The word of God clearly says that 'he gave power to become children of God'. There is most definitely an element where each individual needs to use this power bestowed on him or her to become ready to die in the flesh and take on the spiritual life that comes with becoming the son or daughter of God. Paul the Apostle talks of this great war of the flesh in Romans Chapter 8 which we can read here.
Romans 8:5-17 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 set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law—indeed it cannot, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.
So then, brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.p
If we then live according to the flesh, wallowing in our own selfishness and congratulating ourselves on our selfrighteous and pious lives, without understanding what it is to be living as a son or daughter of God, then we are doing ourselves the greatest disservice of all time. We are robbing ourselves of what could be a glorious and empowered life lived spreading love and relieving pain around us and instead we live a life of penury, worry, fear and begggarliness, taking comfort in the material riches we surround ourselves in and stockpile for the future.
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