There is no dispute with Paul, as Paul also penned Ephesians 1:4 According as He hath chosen us (election) in Him *BEFORE* the foundation (casting down/overthrow) of the world (age), that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love"
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself,
according to the good pleasure of His will,
I am NOT ignoring the rest of the 'whole' Scripture, but for sake of time and space now stopped typing...
This 'flesh' age has a time clock on it, and once that last soul/spirit that is willing to take this flesh journey, to 'see' the kingdom of God, this flesh age ends. Nowhere does Christ say those that take this flesh journey enter the Kingdom of God, just that those that willingly take this flesh journey pass the first requirement to 'see' the kingdom of God.
I did not write what Christ said, or what Paul wrote, but, I am NOT going to put blinders on and ignore the whole story.
Be easier to carry on the conversation if you would believe what the bible actually says instead of what you want it to say...We have a body, a soul, and a spirit... All people are born with a body, a soul, and a spirit...Christians however must be born again from above with the Spirit of God...Pretty simple, and true...Why do you have this fixation with the word 'again'???
These are the WORDS of Christ...... John 3:1 (set the stage) There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
2 The same came to Jesus by night, (in secret) and said unto Him, "Rabbi, we know that Thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that Thou doest, except God be with him."
Now the stage is set with a man in a position of power with the religious beliefs of the Pharisees. Secretly seeking a one on one conversation with Christ. To ignore who Nicodemus was, and what 'religion' he believed misses the whole point that Christ then taught.
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born from above (I refuse to type the wrong word) he cannot see the kingdom of God."
What Christ told Nicodemus was against the belief of the Pharisees, and has not one thing to do with a new doctrine, as demonstrated by verse 10 and 13 in particular.
All souls/spirits regardless of their religious beliefs come from the MAKER and they return to the MAKER once their flesh bodies die. That is Written, Solomon penned it in Ecclesiastes 12, as the book of Ecclesiastes is about the two bodies, the flesh and the spirit. IT was not a new doctrine that Christ taught Nicodemus.
Ecc 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
Surely Solomon knew about the existence of man's flesh and his spirit...That however is not the conversation Jesus is having with Nicodemus...
While Nicodemus clearly understands the makeup of the human, Nick was completely clueless about the the Spirit of God indwelling the believer in the New birth...
Nicodemus was acutely aware of his first birth but was shocked to hear and learn that he must also be born from above without the aid of his mother...Nicodemus had to become born 'again'...The first time from his mother in the flesh, and the second time with the indwelling of the Holy spirit which was not given to Nicodemus or anyone at their first, natural birth...