Ritajanice
Born-Again
Well said...I would like to discuss more with you, but I promised EG, I will say no more on the subject....thank you for your reply to me.
John 3 Jesus discussion with Nicodemus
- Thread starter Eternally Grateful
- Start date
-
- Tags
- born again
-
Welcome to Christian Forums, a Christian Forum that recognizes that all Christians are a work in progress.
You will need to register to be able to join in fellowship with Christians all over the world.
We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!
Yes you did. I had nothing to add or say, so just "liked" your reply. :)
However, this verse came to me after:
Ephesians 5:18 KJV
18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
amigo de christo
Well-Known Member
When the flesh speakes death cometh forth .
But i do want to remind you of something .
TRUTH can be presented VERY GRAVELY , VERY SERIOUS . And its not hate to do so .
Look at peter , paul , look at JESUS , look at jude , at john . They were very direct about the TRUTH
and very direct towards those who opposed the truth .
There is something known as RIGHTEOUS anger . JESUS had it when he walked into the temple .
Peter had it when he rebuked simeone and said your money perish with you . YET , YET this approach
did good to simeon . HE got scared and repented .
THE THING IS when we speak , WHY do we speak . IS it for their good .
I warn a lot sister . I know that most who dont know me well , AT FIRST i can seem as some kind of hater .
But i am not . I warn because I LOVE .
Behold
Well-Known Member
Some call taking a stand , arguing.
Some who are full of the devil will insult you, berate you, attack you, mock you, and lie about you... 15 or 20 times in a row.... and if you respond as you should....., they'll say.. "you are not showing the love of Jesus". "you are not behaving like a real Christian".
See that Trick?
Stay tuned for it., as its coming again.
I can tell you, that the Holy Spirit in you, is going to become agitated when you are on a forum, and someone who is doing the devil's work of teaching lies against the truth, comes your way.
If you dont feel upset, then something is wrong in your spirit realm.
Notice that when the Pharisees accused Jesus of performing His miracles by the "power of Satan", .. He didnt hug them, and become a meek little sheep.
He told them that damnation is earned by the type MOUTHS they had ....
And a believer says..."but doesn't meek mean to be weak">? """Arent we supposed to just lay down and be run over by liars, who abuse because they come to forums just to do it?""" = Just to post "click bait" "insult a Christian's faith", Threads?
That's a no.
There is a difference between responding accordingly, Theologically speaking..... and being personally insulting.
And its not a personal insult to tell someone who is insulting the Cross and the Grace of God that they are doing so by teaching some type of Legalism.
I can only speak for myself, but what i think about most of all, is... What if a new believer comes to this forum.
How many here are going to ruin their faith, asap?
Its a good idea to try to see each post and each Thread, in that Light.
Its what i do.
Its a good thing to do.
Gods answer to the sin problem. Life, new birth,
How do we receive this new life?
Belief (faith) in the work of God..
15 that whoever believes in Him should [c]not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life
Notice here is the answer Jesus gave, to the question “how can these things be”
17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Jesus did not come to judge, but to save. (what does this tell us about God?)
More passages which confirm this
Eph 2: 2 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the [a]course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
We were dead. now we are alive = born again
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Again, we were dead, we are made alive, born again - how? By grace through faith.
Romans 6: 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The gift of God is life - born again.
1 Cor 15: 22 - For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.
in Christ are we who are dead made alive - Born again
John 10: 28 - And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.
Eternal life at new birth is given by God. those who have it will never die
1 John 2: 25 - And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life.
Again, the eternal life of John 3 is a promise of God. given to us (believers)
1 John 5: 11 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
Eternal life in Christ in John 3 is in his son, who died so we can have that life
1 John 15: 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
Knowing we have eternal life and will never die is the key to continue in the faith. because we are secure in Christ..
How do we receive this new life?
Belief (faith) in the work of God..
15 that whoever believes in Him should [c]not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life
Notice here is the answer Jesus gave, to the question “how can these things be”
- As the jews looked up. So we must look at the cross
- We are dead in trespasses and sins, if we look up, we will live, if not we will die the death we deserve
- Those who believe will look. Because they trust Jesus,
- Those who look will NEVER DIE, and they will LIVE FOREVER.. (this is where the plot differs. The jews died again, even though they lived.. We will never die
17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
- Jesus was not sent to condemn, but to save.
- Those who believe have passed from death to life. And their condemnation is removed.
- Those who continue in unbelief is still under condemnation.
Jesus did not come to judge, but to save. (what does this tell us about God?)
More passages which confirm this
Eph 2: 2 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the [a]course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
We were dead. now we are alive = born again
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Again, we were dead, we are made alive, born again - how? By grace through faith.
Romans 6: 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The gift of God is life - born again.
1 Cor 15: 22 - For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.
in Christ are we who are dead made alive - Born again
John 10: 28 - And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.
Eternal life at new birth is given by God. those who have it will never die
1 John 2: 25 - And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life.
Again, the eternal life of John 3 is a promise of God. given to us (believers)
1 John 5: 11 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
Eternal life in Christ in John 3 is in his son, who died so we can have that life
1 John 15: 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
Knowing we have eternal life and will never die is the key to continue in the faith. because we are secure in Christ..
amigo de christo
Well-Known Member
We are secure IN JESUS CHRIST . but many are not secure , because the jesus they believe in and follow , well
that is why i didnt captilize that jesus .
We must get into the bible and learn and embrace THAT CHRIST , HIS words
embracing the scriptures , embracing and BELIEVING in them words . GOD INSPIRED it . RIGHT .
SO my advice is we BELIEVE What is written and not try and twist or omit what is written .
Too many are following the image of a jesus MEN created . A love of men , NOT GOD .
WE ARE SECURE IN JESUS CHRIST but we will never be secure in another version of JESUS CHRIST which is NOT CHRIST .
amigo de christo
Well-Known Member
TRUSTING IN JESUS CHRIST . that be the KEY .
DO we truly TRUST IN JESUS CHRIST , or are we trusting in the version men teach us OF HIM .
You see JESUS , HIS EVERY WORD IS TRUTH . HIS EVERY WARNING and REMINDER To CONTINUE IN HIM IS TRUTH .
DO we trust HIM . OR are we trusting in something else .
I TRUST JESUS . for example when he taught YE must continue in me . I BELIEVE HIM . HIM . not what men try and say
BUT I BELIEVE HIM . HIS EVERY WORD is for my good . HIS every promise i take as TRUTH , <HIS EVERY WARNING I TAKE AS TRUTH .
AND ITS HIGH TIME WE ALL DO . cause men cannot be trusted . THEIR Words cannot be trusted . BUT JESUS HE CAN .
CadyandZoe
Well-Known Member
amigo de christo
Well-Known Member
Them two were the all inclusive . NO ARK for those . RUN TO JESUS CHRIST and run fast and dont look back .
CadyandZoe
Well-Known Member
The topic of discussion is John chapter 3, so I think we should derive our understanding from the text itself.
John 3:1-3
Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
These signsThis key phrase helps us understand the dialogue between Jesus and Nicodemus. Nicodemus was seeing or witnessing events whose occurrence, in his view, indicates that Jesus has come from God. No one can do these signs, he says, unless one has come from God.
Unless God is with him.
Signs need to be interpreted. Only those who know what the sign means can gain knowledge from them. When Nicodemus saw what Jesus was doing, he understood why this was significant. They indicated that God was with Jesus.
he cannot see
Since Nicodemus raised the subject of the signs he saw, we understand that Jesus and Nicodemus are discussing one's ability to interpret the signs. Jesus tells Nicodemus that one must be "born again" in order to properly interpret the signs. One cannot "see" the meaning of the signs -- that the kingdom of God is in their midst -- unless one has been "born again." In this way, Jesus strongly implies that Nicodemus is one such individual. The reason why Nicodemus understands that the signs Jesus performs is evidence that God is with him is because Nicodemus himself has been born again.
On a side note, after my study of John's gospel, I have concluded that John's main reason for writing his gospel is to explore why some people believe in Jesus while others don't. What is belief? How does one come to believe? What does it take for some to believe? He explores all these questions and others associated with belief.
I'll remind you of one famous example.
John 20:26-29
After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus *came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” Then He *said to Thomas, “Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.” Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus *said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”
Because you have seen me . . .
Here we see Thomas ask for physical evidence of Jesus' resurrection. Thomas was not wrong to ask for evidence. Jesus was more than willing to offer Thomas evidence, and frankly, Thomas didn't get any more evidence than the other Apostles. This situation allows Jesus (and John) to explore why people believe. He wants us to know how blessed we are that we believe, even though we weren't offered the same empirical evidence they received. "Blessed are they who did not see and yet believed," he says.
Jesus tells Nicodemus that he believed because he was born again. Not only did Nicodemus understand the meaning of the miracles, but Nicodemus acknowledged the significance of them and believed in Jesus.
VictoryinJesus
Well-Known Member
- Jan 26, 2017
- 10,580
- 8,428
- 113
- Faith
- Christian
- Country
- United States
OT ark …! Made with hands.
NT Ark …made without hands. if you see your brother in need and are not moved with the compassion then how does the love of God dwell in you?
What is the difference in the Ark Noah’s made? And the Ark God builds? It is like comparing the temple made with hands or the Temple made without hands. What is the difference in that “made with hands” and “made without hands”?
The one made with hands 0 saved two of each animal. And they staed saved until delievered, no matter h9ow they acted.
the one made without hands does the same, only to everyone who is drawn in and enters. They will be saved, until delievered to the promised land .
One is physical, the other spiritual.
Jesus said apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5
1 Corinthians 2:13
“Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.”
Behold
Well-Known Member
If that was true, if Nico was born again, then Jesus would not have told Him that.... "you must be born again".
And regarding SIGNS.
The reason that Jesus was always doing them... (miracles), is because the God man wanted to heal His suffering Creation, but also, its because, Jesus came to the "house of Israel".
This is : JEWS / Hebrews.
And : "Jews require a sign" and "signs are for the Jews".
Notice that the Jewish Apostles had the "signs of an Apostle"...
This is one of the ways the Nation of Israel, were to understand that their Messiah has come.
He would be performing SIGNS.
Yes, the signs Jesus performed verified He was who He claimed to be, the Son of God who is The Messiah the prophets foretell would come. None of the Old Covenant saints could be born again through the Holy Spirit in them until Christ went to the cross and resurrected from the dead. The Holy Spirit would not be IN us until Christ sent Him after He ascended to heaven. I believe Nicodemus showed evidence that he believed Christ is the promised Messiah. Nicodemus, like all who were of faith before the first advent of Christ were saved by grace through faith and they received the indwelling Spirit at/after Pentecost. They had faith to believe the prophecy through the Spirit WITH them, and after Christ sent His Spirit He is now IN whosoever believes.
John 14:17 (KJV) Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Behold
Well-Known Member
Christ the God man, gave the Holy Spirit to the 11, before the Jewish feast of Pentecost. (Shavuot).
= John 20:22.
Jesus told the 11, "receive you, the Holy Spirit".
Notice that God did this same with Adam, in Genesis 2.
In both Cases . GOD, "breathed".. .as the breath of life is the Holy Spirit.
(Only God can give the Holy Spirit).
= proof verses you might want to use when trying to help someone understand the Trinity.
Another is......"Let US make man in OUR image"..
Father and Word.
John 1
face2face
Well-Known Member
- Jun 22, 2015
- 8,243
- 1,203
- 113
- Faith
- Christian
- Country
- Australia
Yes, its symbolically however Jack in another thread said he only reads the Bible literally...I was making the point to him the Bible rarely is Literal and that it takes a spiritual mind to unpack what is being said. The point I was making with Jack is he picks and chooses what he wants to be literal like someone who has a bias to a certain belief. The Pharisees did this with the Masters teaching because they didn't possess a spiritual mind i.e "they could not hear", they could only interpret as their natural minds allowed them to see.
F2F
face2face
Well-Known Member
- Jun 22, 2015
- 8,243
- 1,203
- 113
- Faith
- Christian
- Country
- Australia
Just the Word of God teaches us.
New birth was the result of “incorruptible seed” 1 Pet 1:23-25
For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
As I said, the development of this mind must be renewed day by day, forming in us that mind that constantly set its focus on things above and not on things below (earthy) - only that person/mind will see the Kingdom of God.
It's not different to the developement of the Lord Jesus Christ who grew in favour with God and men. All God's children must "seek" first that Kingdom and His righteouness if that desire to see it and be in it.
F2F
face2face
Well-Known Member
- Jun 22, 2015
- 8,243
- 1,203
- 113
- Faith
- Christian
- Country
- Australia
Being "born" of the Spirit is a process.
If a Christian believes in instantaneous transformation (being placed in a bubble) in the Spirit they haven’t a clue about the "born again" process...yes water covers you and provides the spiritual metaphor of a "new live" in Christ, but being born of the Spirit is much harder - life long!!
Paul speaks a lot about this in his Epistles, here when he writes "But I, brothers (& Sisters), could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 1 Cor 3:1
All these are Baptised in Christ, but are juveniles - those who have not had their minds exercised in the Spirit. These type of believers struggle to discern between good and evil and need guidence in the Spirit.
My example of Jack who only reads the Bible literally is an example of this - somehow he was led to believe that is how you discern the Spirit, however that is a slavish mindset - Nepios is the word Paul uses to show immaturity in mind.
- an infant, little child
- a minor, not of age
- metaph. childish, untaught, unskilled
The Word of God requires very careful handling and if you don't possess the skills to handle it, seek them, ask, seek and find and they will be given to you.
F2F
