He [Christ] came unto His own, and His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:11-13)Jn 3:5
What is born again? How do I become born again?
You didn't go far enough.The context says nothing about faith?
Context of Jn 3:5 “born again”
John1:26 John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; (John prepared the way by baptism)
John 2:6 And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. (Old covenant prefiguring of baptism, purification from sin)(His disciples believed because the ever Virgin mother of God interceded Jn 2:11)
John3:5 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.
John 3:22 After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized. 23 And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.
John 4:4 When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John.
It sounds like you equate being born again with being water baptized. However, that assumption is unwarranted. John 3:14 - And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should 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. 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 (is not water baptized? NO) does not believe is condemned already, because (he has not been water baptized? NO) he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.The context says nothing about faith?
Context of Jn 3:5 “born again”
John1:26 John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; (John prepared the way by baptism)
John 2:6 And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. (Old covenant prefiguring of baptism, purification from sin)(His disciples believed because the ever Virgin mother of God interceded Jn 2:11)
John3:5 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.
John 3:22 After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized. 23 And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.
John 4:4 When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John.
IMO the first birth(physical)Is necessary before the person can be reborn.To be born the first time Is when a person Is born physically from their mothers womb.
To be born again according to my Interpretation of what JESUS was saying Is to be born again Spiritually and the only one that can give a person a perfect Spirit IS GOD,BUT In order for a person to be born again of the SPIRIT they have to repent In TRUTH and GOD will have mercy on them and give them grace and create them new In CHRIST.
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John 6:63
King James Version
63It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
In this context water is a metaphor for the Word of God -- the Gospel. See 1 Peter 1:23-25 which shows that the incorruptible "seed" of the New Birth id the Gospel. It is called "clean water" in Ezekiel. Since the blood of Christ washes away sins, water baptism cannot do so.Yes I agree faith is necessary but it seems to refer to baptism? Water and the spirit?
That is not what John 2:11 says, nor was Mary "ever virgin."(His disciples believed because the ever Virgin mother of God interceded Jn 2:11)
Hello Mark1616, here is a short book (70 pages) that seems like is was written just to answer your questionsJn 3:5
What is born again?
How do I become born again?
Jn 3:5
What is born again?
How do I become born again?
You needed to be born again if you were part of Israel during the period of John 3.
Paul makes no mention of being born again in Romans to Philemon, for us in the Body of Christ.
Who did Jesus say would teach you all things? Paul?
Hello Guojing, I've never read nor heard the argument that you are making (about being "born again"), so I have a couple of questions for you.You needed to be born again if you were part of Israel during the period of John 3. Paul makes no mention of being born again in Romans to Philemon, for us in the Body of Christ.
' through the resurrection of Jesus Christ ,from the dead ' Shows that no one was born from above before the resurrection. I believe inductive reasoning is used to assume they were .Hello Guojing, I've never read nor heard the argument that you are making (about being "born again"), so I have a couple of questions for you.
1) What do you believe that the Lord Jesus meant by the phrase "born again/born from above" in John 3
2) Why do you believe that an Israeli living at the time of Jesus needed to be "born again" to be saved, but the rest of us do not
Thanks!
~Deut
p.s. - as for the Apostle Paul not mentioning the new birth, while it may be true that the phrase itself ("born again") is not used by him, I believe that the concept is. Also, the Apostle John used a similar phrase in his Epistles, and the Apostle Peter used the phrase "born again" in his, so being "born again" hardly seems like Gospels only/1st Century Jews only Biblical terminology. Here are a few examples.
Ephesians 24 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved).2 Corinthians 517 If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.Titus 35 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit.1 Peter 13 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.1 John 47 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.