Jesus  Was  Born  Again

    Jesus was born in a stable in Bethlehem. This was his first birth. Later, after his death on the cross, he was born again by being resurrected from the dead.
    The Apostle John called Jesus, "The first born from the dead" in Rev. 1:5.
    The Apostle Paul also called Jesus,  "The first born from the dead"  in Col. 1:18.
    "The Jews represented a resurrection under the figure of a birth...Isa. 26:19, 'The earth will again bring forth her dead" (The Theocratic Kingdom Vol. 2, page 259).   
    The Prophet Isaiah wrote, "Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? (Isa. 66:8 N.K.J.V.).  
    David, looking forward to his resurrection, wrote, "As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness, I will be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness" (Psm. 17:15 N.K.J.V.).
    Looking forward to our resurrection, John wrote, "We know that when he appears, we shall be like him,  for we shall see him as he is" (1 John 3:2 N.I.V.).
    Paul wrote, "Just as we have been born in the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven" (I Cor. 15:49 N.I.V.).
    Before we examine John,  Chapter Three, where the expression "Born Again" appears, it would be well for us to consider Paul's explanation of exactly what takes place when we turn to the Lord in repentance and faith.
    He wrote,  "You were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession" (Eph. 1:13-14 N.I.V.).
     Paul adds, "Do not to grieve the Holy Spirt of God, with whom you are sealed unto the day of redemption" (Eph. 4:30).
     John, Chapter Three, was written by the same John who called Jesus, "The first born from the dead". He begins with the night when Nicodemus, one of the rulers in Israel, came to have a private visit with Jesus. Rather than asking Jesus a question, Nicodemus said, "We know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him" (John 3: 1-2).
    Jesus, who knows our thoughts, was aware that many Jews assumed that he was  their Messah. They were wondering what he would do next. Would he now restore Israel back to its former glory? The Disciples thought so!  In their last moments with Jesus, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel"? (Acts 1:6 N.I.V.).
     What Nicodemus needed to understand and what we, today, need to understand, is that the Kingdom of the future will be an everlasting abode inhabited only by heavenly beings. Since God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ are there,  it is a heavenly kingdom!
    Moses wanted to see God, but he was told,  "No man can see God and live" (Ex. 34:20). Moses will have to become a heavenly being before he will ever see God!
    Remember, Jesus said, "I and my Father are one", (John 10:30). He also said that he would come "In the glory of his Father" (Math.16:27).
    Paul understood all this; he wrote of, "The King of kings and the Lord of lords...whom no man has seen or can see" (I Tim. 6:15-16).
    Jesus said that in the resurrection  we will all be, "Like the angels of God in heaven" (Matt. 22:30).
    To enter the kingdom of God and to actually see our Creator, will be possible only for those who have been transformed by their resurrection from the dead or an equivalent transformation for those still living when Jesus comes. This will be the real  born again experience! 
    That is what Jesus was explaining to Nicodemus when he said, "I tell you the truth, unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God...I tell you the truth, unless a man is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.  Flesh gives birth to flesh, but Spirit gives birth to spirit ...You must be born again" (John 3:3-7 N.I.V.).  The question is, when will we see and enter the kingdom of God?
    When flesh gives birth to flesh, an earthly being is produced; but when Spirit gives birth to  spirit, a heavenly being is produced! 
    Paul wrote, "The Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal  bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you" (Rom. 8:11 N.I.V.). That is how we will be born again!
     When will we be born again? Jesus said to his disciples, "In my Father's house there are many rooms...I am going there to prepare a place for you...I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am...No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:1-7 N.I.V.). That is when we will be born again!
   Those who call themselves "born again Christians", are claiming something that will not take place until Jesus comes for his own.
     Since no one can "see" or "enter" the kingdom of God unless he has been born again, what about  Abraham, Moses and David?  They, also, must be born again by their resurrection in order to enter the kingdom of God, and in order to see their Creator. 
     Paul explained that we are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  If you belong to Christ, then you are  Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise" (Gal. 3:26-29).
     When Abraham was concerned that he and Sarah were childless,  God said to him,  "Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them...So shall your descendants be...and he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it unto him for righteousness" (Gen. 15:3-6 N.K.J.V.).
     "When Abraham was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said...My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations...and I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants...for an everlasting covenant...I will give to you and your descendants...all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession..." (Gen 17:1-8 N.K.J.V.).
    The word "everlasting" is the key to a better understanding of the Scriptures. Abraham has been dead for thousands of years. The only way he can inherit God's promises to him, is to be raised from the dead. Abraham will be born again!  He will "see" and "enter" the kingdom of God, and so will David, who wrote, "The righteous will inherit the land,  And dwell in it forever" (Psm.37:29 N.K.J.V.).    
    You cannot inherit an everlasting promise unless you live forever, nor can you inherit the land forever unless the Promised Land is an eternal place. God's promise to Abraham was the promise of eternal life. We are heirs of eternal life!
    In Hebrews,  Chapter Eleven,  we find a roll call of the saints. Its all about the faithful ones of ages past and our connection to them.  These were all counted as righteous because of their faith. It begins with Abel then Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Joseph, Moses, David, Samuel and the Prophets. That chapter closes with these words, "All these won God's approval because of their faith; and yet they did not receive what was promised, because, with us in mind, God had made a better plan, that only with us should they reach perfection" (Heb. 11:39-40 R.E.B.).
    What does this mean? It means we will all be born again by being resurrected from the dead at the same time.   When Jesus returns in all of His heavenly glory,  He will say to all those who belong to Him,  "Come, blessed of my Father, inherit  the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" (Matt. 25:34). 
    There are some who say that  a believer is in the kingdom now.  Some who teach that concept suggest that we should claim our kingdom blessings now;  others teach a prosperity doctrine.  Does God want us to live like a  king?
     Jesus said,  "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him  deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me" (Matt. 16:24 N.K.J.V.).  He expects us to live a life of sacrifice and service like He did!
     When Jesus welcomes us into the Kingdom of God all our tears will be wiped away!  There will be no more sorrow,  pain or death! (Rev. 21:1-5).
    Then we shall live like kings!
    In  Heaven,  God the Father will reign supreme (I Cor. 15:28).   There will be one Nation--His. There will be one Kingdom--His.

SEE  YOU  THERE

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