- Jan 14, 2012
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Born again can be understood on 2 levels.
Remember the story...a Christmas Carol?...the one where Scrooge changes into a "new" man. Scrooge repented and did what was right...this is what the OT is all about. salvation by doing what is right...righteousness. This recognizes the bad behavior and rectifies it by correcting those errors with good deeds.
Now many people would say that this is to be born again. There is an aspect of this that is true. the prodigal son came to his senses too and repented.
The other level of being born again, is the response of God.....the giving of a new life...the acceptance of the repentance and the response of the giving of the Holy Spirit.
So whereas the first level is on a righteousness level, the 2nd is on a holiness level...by grace. The first involves forgiveness, and the second involves empowering to be as Jesus in this world.
Both levels are necessary to fulfill the full plan of God (born from above). But even the first level will save you. God is merciful.
Now the full born again experience can only be maintained (at that level of intimacy with God) by forsaking all in order to retain the level of holiness required to cleave to God.
It reminds me of stories of privateers (pirates) who in order to outrun the navy ships sent out to arrest them, needed to throw everything overboard in order to be able to out sail their pursuers and get away. So the cannon (defenses) were heaved over the side...etc...
Unless we forsake ALL things we cannot remain long in the presence of the Lord. The world will catch up to us!!!!
Then we are only left with the humility of righteousness and the doing what is right in our own strength.
Of course if we pretend to be holy when we are not then we lose EVEN the benefits of a temporal righteousness.
Remember the story...a Christmas Carol?...the one where Scrooge changes into a "new" man. Scrooge repented and did what was right...this is what the OT is all about. salvation by doing what is right...righteousness. This recognizes the bad behavior and rectifies it by correcting those errors with good deeds.
Now many people would say that this is to be born again. There is an aspect of this that is true. the prodigal son came to his senses too and repented.
The other level of being born again, is the response of God.....the giving of a new life...the acceptance of the repentance and the response of the giving of the Holy Spirit.
So whereas the first level is on a righteousness level, the 2nd is on a holiness level...by grace. The first involves forgiveness, and the second involves empowering to be as Jesus in this world.
Both levels are necessary to fulfill the full plan of God (born from above). But even the first level will save you. God is merciful.
Now the full born again experience can only be maintained (at that level of intimacy with God) by forsaking all in order to retain the level of holiness required to cleave to God.
It reminds me of stories of privateers (pirates) who in order to outrun the navy ships sent out to arrest them, needed to throw everything overboard in order to be able to out sail their pursuers and get away. So the cannon (defenses) were heaved over the side...etc...
Unless we forsake ALL things we cannot remain long in the presence of the Lord. The world will catch up to us!!!!
Then we are only left with the humility of righteousness and the doing what is right in our own strength.
Of course if we pretend to be holy when we are not then we lose EVEN the benefits of a temporal righteousness.