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To: editor-surveyor
You offered, "Verse 8 makes it abundantly clear that nobody is yet “born again” in the sense that Yeshua is explaining to Nicodemus. Can you move invisibly like the wind? Can people hear you but not see where you’re going? Those that are born again will have that capacity, Yeshua said so!"

I cannot move invisibly like the wind, but The Holy Spirit of God can and that is what Jesus was explaining to Nicodemus when he asked 'how can this being born again be?'. As Paul said clearly, it is God Who is in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. At the stoning of Steven, what did Steven see before he gave up the ghost? Did Jesus tell the Disciples to wait for Pentecost? Why do you suppose that is?

Nicodemus had trouble with that 'You must be born again.' So much so that he reverted to what earthly thing he knew, about being born from his mother's womb. Jesus explained that you must be born again, by the Spirit. The transformational life is God in you, the Hope of Glory.

I again say being Born Again is in the here and now, something which is accomplished by the Spirit of God invisible to your eye but gradually evidenced in the transforming He does in you whereby you begin to evidence the character of God in the soul of man. What transformed the sons of thunder, the doubting Thomas, the denying Peter, etc? No less than God as the Holy Spirit in them.

The Salvation Jesus gives is not pie in the sky in the by and by, it is a new life now, by the Power of His Holy Spirit in the born again believer. Can you behave godly by your efforts? Without the character of God in the soul of man, godliness is beyond your ability. His nature comes into your human spirit when you are born again, and he transforms from the inside out. I have witnessed His work so often in men and women that I will not and cannot deny it is His power, His presence. Thanks be to God it is not of human works lest any man boast of his 'worthiness' to be born again.

254 posted on 04/23/2015 4:03:48 PM PDT by MHGinTN (Is it really all relative, Mister Einstein?)
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To: MHGinTN
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>> “The Holy Spirit of God can and that is what Jesus was explaining to Nicodemus” <<

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No, he was explaining what kind of changes being born again would be for Nicodemus. He was not explaining anything at all about the Holy Spirit. He didn't need to explain anything about the Holy Spirit to Nicodemus; he was the High Priest. He had studied spiritual things for his entire life. He was much like the apostle Paul in terms of knowledge.

He wanted to know about being literally born again into a new incorruptible body that could exist in the realm of the Father.

We all must experience the same changes that Yeshua spoke of. Paul said it too, to the Corinthians, in chapter 15:

[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.
[55] O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

This change is what actually "saves" us. That is why the apostles always spoke of salvation as future. They were not doubting our dedication to Yeshua, they were preparing everyone for the total reality of salvation.

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255 posted on 04/23/2015 4:57:04 PM PDT by editor-surveyor (Freepers: Not as smart as I'd hoped they'd be)
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