Posted on 09/24/2019 4:26:38 AM PDT by metmom
“Jesus answered, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, “You must be born again”’” (John 3:5–7).
Jesus answered Nicodemus’s objection by elaborating on the truth He introduced in verse 3: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” “Water” and “Spirit” often refer symbolically in the Old Testament to spiritual renewal and cleansing.
It was surely Ezekiel 36:24–27 that Jesus had in mind, which shows regeneration to be an Old Testament truth with which Nicodemus should have been acquainted. Christ’s point was unmistakable: Without the spiritual washing of the soul, a cleansing accomplished only by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5) through the Word of God (Eph. 5:26), no one can enter God’s kingdom.
Jesus continued by further emphasizing that this spiritual cleansing is wholly a work of God and not the result of human effort: “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” Just as only human nature can beget human nature, so also only the Holy Spirit can effect spiritual transformation.
Even if a physical rebirth were possible, it would produce only flesh. Thus only the Spirit can produce the spiritual birth required for entrance into God’s kingdom. Regeneration is entirely His work, unaided by any human effort (cf. Rom. 3:25).
Ask Yourself
What have you needed washing from your heart in the last several days or weeks? How have you gone about seeking the Lord’s cleansing and renewal? How have you experienced the reality of His refreshment?
Studying God’s Word ping
Born twice. Die once. Thanks God for your Son’s sacrifice. All of the problems in this world fall away when you know that you’re saved.
Without doubt, Nicodemus was acquainted with the passage from Ezekiel.
However, it would still have been highly enigmatic to him, IMHO.
God says He will cleanse with water. What? When? How? What does this actually look like when it comes to pass?
He says He will put in a new heart. When? When Judah is come out from among the heathen? Could that be following the return from Babylon? No, that had already happened, yet no new heart. What does that look like anyway, this new heart? When we dwell in our own land? REally, looks like the Romans are pretty much in charge.
God will put His Spirit inside people? Really? Something so holy inside something so profane? How does that work? What evidence would there be?
Like I said: enigmatic. Should Nicodemus have been able to discern all this? I don't think so.
Jesus' broaching of the term and concept of Born Again was a mystery to Nicodemus for good reason. The most important words ever uttered on planet earth, "Except a man be Born Again..." etc, remained an obscure mystery until Christ Himself deposited the currency of that transaction, His Blood, one gruesome-yet-sublime moment in actual time and space.
Praise God!
From the OP: “Even if a physical rebirth were possible, it would produce only flesh. Thus only the Spirit can produce the spiritual birth required for entrance into God’s kingdom. Regeneration is entirely His work, unaided by any human effort (cf. Rom. 3:25).”
From the context of John 3 Nicodemus had not experienced the new birth. Whose fault was it Nicodemus had not been born again? God’s fault? Holy Spirit’s fault? Nicodemus fault?
Very few Christians actually understand these scriptures.
When you come out of the womb, you are “born of the flesh” and begin to perceive reality through your 5 senses.
When you are “Born of the Spirit” your conscious awareness expands beyond your physical body and you begin to perceive a new reality directly from your consciousness beyond your physical body.
You realize that you are “one” with Jesus and exist within Him as He describes in John 14.
Your physical body is totally a manifestation of your soul. You are your soul that is using your physical body as a projection screen to experience this lower reality so the soul can grow.
Read Jesus’s explanation of the tales in the wheat in Matthew 13.
The earth is the field and mankind are the good seeds places here to grow.
Tales = tares
In many ways, the Holy Spirit is the sunshine that helps our souls grow.
What a load of crap ...
In general, when someone leads with "very few Christians actually understand these scriptures" ... what follows will not be biblical clarity.
Mark 1:15 ... Repent and believe the gospel.
Let those who have ears hear.
He thinks he's some kind of spiritual giant and spouts all kinds of unscriptural nonsense.
He's involved with demonic manifestations and bases far more on his experience than he does on Scripture.
Check out his posting history for a sampling of his nonsense.
Matthew 10: 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
When you die, if they cremate your body, what still exists?
When they bury your body in the ground and it completely decomposes, what still exists?
The soul is the life energy that enters the body at conception. It creates life itself and without it, the zygote would not form and your body would not exist.
When your soul leaves your body, you are dead and the physical body stops growing.
Thus your soul creates your body. Without the soul, your body is dead and will not grow. This is just common sense.
Thus your comment, “What a load of crap” is what you are if your soul does not provide life in your body.
You may not belong to the “Flat Earth Society” but you definitely belong to the “Flat Consciousness Society.”
metmom, you sound like the Pharisees...
What the heck is "life energy?" What is your source for this teaching? Is the soul created by God and then deposited into the body at conception? Is there a pre-existing soul collective that He grabs one from and then inserts it into a body?
When your soul leaves your body, you are dead and the physical body stops growing. ... Thus your soul creates your body.
There is absolutely no cogent reasoning behind this logic. You have simply jumped to your desired conclusion without any proof.
you definitely belong to the “Flat Consciousness Society.” ...
So you're a gnostic with the secret knowledge that ordinary people don't have (thus your leading comment about most not understanding the scriptures).
Something about "clouds without water ..."
Ron White was correct.
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