What does it mean to be born again? Are we God's favourites without responsibility? Or are we become the people of God equivalent to the Jews?...and with the same risk of being cut off for lack of bearing the right kind of fruit?
Hey, great picture of you on the video!
Most consider the idea of being "born again" from way down in the weeds of this world and get confused with the details (where the devil resides)...rather than at the core of God.
A better understanding comes from understanding that "
the One new man" that all of scripture comes to in the end, was once the one old man.
The same One new man that all men in effect fold into in the end, is first simply unfolded...and just like "
the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world", before unfolding He was One. The matter, therefore, is simpler to understand within the One. The fact that the One then is unfolded or born of water, again and again and again as if piece by piece, is the point of confusion--which it need not be. On the contrary, each piece or part of the One being born to be as it were, their own person, simply makes it personal to all who are involved, all who are "
in Christ", the One.
Jesus' announcement of the need to be born again, is simply an announcement of a "do over." Kind of, but not really. You see, the first man, was not really a "do" that we must "do over"--but, just as it is written the first man was an "
image." Then came God's announcement saying, "
And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”— In other words, Jesus' announcement was an announcement of the fact that we were actually not first born of life, but born unto death, even as a mere "
image" of life--a preview--which could only and actually come by being born [again] of the spirit of God. Without which...it's just a horror movie, and the revealing of the man of sin.