What Does "Born Again" Mean in the Bible?
INTRODUCTION:
Many use the term "born again" as found in John 3:3-7. Some give it almost mythical proportions, and even refer to Acts the Tenth Chapter and Acts the Second Chapter in a vain attempt to back-up their incorrect understanding. Now let's look at the facts.
UNDERSTANDING JOHN 3:3-7:
Many do not comprehend what 'born again' in the contest of John 3:3-7 really means, but first let's look at the scripture itself and then the explanation, "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again, " (Authorized King James Bible; Av). First as Nicodemus mentioned it does NOT mean a rebirth from a women in a physical sense. It means to be reborn in a spiritual sense and/or new relation to God (YHWH), and a remaking of your mental set and/or manner of thinking, feeling, and acting with respect to spiritual things, i.e., an undergoing a fundamental and permanent change with regard to how you view the world around you and your Creator (YHWH) and his Son, Jesus (Yeshua) whom he has put in charge of judging all of us per John 5:22, "For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son" (AV).: In other words, it is a necessary change to be considered worthy to enter the Kingdom of God (YHWH) that we pray for at Matthew 6:9-10, " After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." (AV). But remember, the Kingdom of God with respect to governing the earth as it is in heaven has not yet come as should be readily apparent to all thinking individuals as the fulfillment of the conditions mentioned at Revelation 21:1-4 has not yet taken place, "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." (AV)
One well known scholar, John Darby had this to say on this scripture, John 3:3-7,
"John Darby's Synopsis of the New Testament
John Chapter 3
But there was a man (chap. 3)-and that a Pharisee-who was not satisfied with this inoperative conviction. His conscience was reached. Seeing Jesus, and hearing His testimony, had produced a sense of need in his heart. It is not the knowledge of grace, but it is with respect to man's condition a total change. He knows nothing of the truth, but he has seen that it is in Jesus, and he desires it. He has also at once an instinctive sense that the world will be against him; and he comes by night. The heart fears the world as soon as it has to do with God; for the world is opposed to Him. The friendship of the world is enmity against God. This sense of need made the difference in the case of Nicodemus. He had been convinced like the others. Accordingly he says, "We know that thou art a teacher come from God." And the source of this conviction was the miracles. But Jesus stops him short; and that on account of the true need felt in the heart of Nicodemus. The work of blessing was not to be wrought by teaching the old man. Man needed to be renewed in the source of his nature, without which he could not see the kingdom
The things of God are spiritually discerned; and man is carnal, he has not the Spirit. The Lord does not go beyond the kingdom-which, moreover, was not the law-for Nicodemus ought to have known something about the kingdom. But He does not begin to teach the Jews as a prophet under the law. He presents the kingdom itself; but to see it, according to His testimony, a man must be born again. But the kingdom as thus come in the carpenter's Son could not be seen without a wholly new nature, it struck no chord of man's comprehension or Jews' expectation, though testimony to it was amply given in word and work: as to entering and having a part in it there is more development as to the how. Nicodemus sees no farther than the flesh.
The Lord explains Himself. Two things were necessary-to be born of water, and of the Spirit. Water cleanses. And, spiritually, in his affections, heart, conscience, thoughts, actions, etc., man lives, and in practice is morally purified, through the application, by the power of the Spirit, of the word of God, which judges all things, and works in us livingly new thoughts and affections. This is the water; it is withal the death of the flesh. The true water which cleanses in a christian way came forth from the side of a dead Christ. He came by water and blood, in the power of cleansing and of expiation. He sanctifies the assembly by cleansing it through the washing of water by the word. "Ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you." It is therefore the mighty word of God which, since man must be born again in the principle and source of his moral being, judges, as being death, all that is of the flesh.
But there is in fact the communication of a new life; that which is born of the Spirit is spirit, is not flesh, has its nature from the Spirit. It is not the Spirit-that would be an incarnation; but this new life is spirit. It partakes of the nature of its origin. Without this, man cannot enter into the kingdom. But this is not all. If it was a necessity for the Jew, who already was nominally a child of the kingdom, for here we deal with what is essential and true, it was also asovereign act of God, and consequently it is accomplished wherever the Spirit acts in this power. "So is every one that is born of the Spirit." This in principle opens the door to the Gentiles." [source - John Darby's Synopsis of the New Testament, originally written in French and completed in 1867].
To read remainder, go to:
http://www.network54.com/Forum/thread?forumid=392643&messageid=1125359196&lp=1125359196
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
INTRODUCTION:
Many use the term "born again" as found in John 3:3-7. Some give it almost mythical proportions, and even refer to Acts the Tenth Chapter and Acts the Second Chapter in a vain attempt to back-up their incorrect understanding. Now let's look at the facts.
UNDERSTANDING JOHN 3:3-7:
Many do not comprehend what 'born again' in the contest of John 3:3-7 really means, but first let's look at the scripture itself and then the explanation, "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again, " (Authorized King James Bible; Av). First as Nicodemus mentioned it does NOT mean a rebirth from a women in a physical sense. It means to be reborn in a spiritual sense and/or new relation to God (YHWH), and a remaking of your mental set and/or manner of thinking, feeling, and acting with respect to spiritual things, i.e., an undergoing a fundamental and permanent change with regard to how you view the world around you and your Creator (YHWH) and his Son, Jesus (Yeshua) whom he has put in charge of judging all of us per John 5:22, "For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son" (AV).: In other words, it is a necessary change to be considered worthy to enter the Kingdom of God (YHWH) that we pray for at Matthew 6:9-10, " After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." (AV). But remember, the Kingdom of God with respect to governing the earth as it is in heaven has not yet come as should be readily apparent to all thinking individuals as the fulfillment of the conditions mentioned at Revelation 21:1-4 has not yet taken place, "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." (AV)
One well known scholar, John Darby had this to say on this scripture, John 3:3-7,
"John Darby's Synopsis of the New Testament
John Chapter 3
But there was a man (chap. 3)-and that a Pharisee-who was not satisfied with this inoperative conviction. His conscience was reached. Seeing Jesus, and hearing His testimony, had produced a sense of need in his heart. It is not the knowledge of grace, but it is with respect to man's condition a total change. He knows nothing of the truth, but he has seen that it is in Jesus, and he desires it. He has also at once an instinctive sense that the world will be against him; and he comes by night. The heart fears the world as soon as it has to do with God; for the world is opposed to Him. The friendship of the world is enmity against God. This sense of need made the difference in the case of Nicodemus. He had been convinced like the others. Accordingly he says, "We know that thou art a teacher come from God." And the source of this conviction was the miracles. But Jesus stops him short; and that on account of the true need felt in the heart of Nicodemus. The work of blessing was not to be wrought by teaching the old man. Man needed to be renewed in the source of his nature, without which he could not see the kingdom
The things of God are spiritually discerned; and man is carnal, he has not the Spirit. The Lord does not go beyond the kingdom-which, moreover, was not the law-for Nicodemus ought to have known something about the kingdom. But He does not begin to teach the Jews as a prophet under the law. He presents the kingdom itself; but to see it, according to His testimony, a man must be born again. But the kingdom as thus come in the carpenter's Son could not be seen without a wholly new nature, it struck no chord of man's comprehension or Jews' expectation, though testimony to it was amply given in word and work: as to entering and having a part in it there is more development as to the how. Nicodemus sees no farther than the flesh.
The Lord explains Himself. Two things were necessary-to be born of water, and of the Spirit. Water cleanses. And, spiritually, in his affections, heart, conscience, thoughts, actions, etc., man lives, and in practice is morally purified, through the application, by the power of the Spirit, of the word of God, which judges all things, and works in us livingly new thoughts and affections. This is the water; it is withal the death of the flesh. The true water which cleanses in a christian way came forth from the side of a dead Christ. He came by water and blood, in the power of cleansing and of expiation. He sanctifies the assembly by cleansing it through the washing of water by the word. "Ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you." It is therefore the mighty word of God which, since man must be born again in the principle and source of his moral being, judges, as being death, all that is of the flesh.
But there is in fact the communication of a new life; that which is born of the Spirit is spirit, is not flesh, has its nature from the Spirit. It is not the Spirit-that would be an incarnation; but this new life is spirit. It partakes of the nature of its origin. Without this, man cannot enter into the kingdom. But this is not all. If it was a necessity for the Jew, who already was nominally a child of the kingdom, for here we deal with what is essential and true, it was also asovereign act of God, and consequently it is accomplished wherever the Spirit acts in this power. "So is every one that is born of the Spirit." This in principle opens the door to the Gentiles." [source - John Darby's Synopsis of the New Testament, originally written in French and completed in 1867].
To read remainder, go to:
http://www.network54.com/Forum/thread?forumid=392643&messageid=1125359196&lp=1125359196
Your Friend in Christ Iris89