ARE WE BORN AGAIN OR THE NEW CREATURE? |
WHO IS BORN AGAIN? | WHO IS THE NEW CREATURE ? |
John 3:3 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. John 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. | 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. Galatians 6:15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. |
When studied from the Bible rightly divided, “born again” is something that only Israel could do. No Gentile could be born again.
ISRAEL HAD A FIRST BIRTH~
Exodus 4:
22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh,
Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:
23 And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.
ISRAEL NEEDS A NEW BIRTH:
John 3:3 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.
John 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
The prophets spoke of a better covenant that would replace the old for the house of Israel (Jer 31:31). This new covenant would include the impartation of God’s Spirit to cause them to walk in his statutes (Eze 36:27).
It was this new covenant that was necessary for God to fulfill his kingdom promises to Israel.
Jeremiah 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
Jeremiah 31:32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
Jeremiah 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Jeremiah 31:34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
Ezekiel 36:22 Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name's sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went.
Ezekiel 36:23 And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.
Ezekiel 36:24 For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.
Ezekiel 36:25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
Ezekiel 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
Ezekiel 36:27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
Ezekiel 36:28 And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.
ISRAEL HAD A FIRST BIRTH~
Exodus 4:
22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh,
Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:
23 And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.
ISRAEL NEEDS A NEW BIRTH:
John 3:3 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.
John 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
The prophets spoke of a better covenant that would replace the old for the house of Israel (Jer 31:31). This new covenant would include the impartation of God’s Spirit to cause them to walk in his statutes (Eze 36:27).
It was this new covenant that was necessary for God to fulfill his kingdom promises to Israel.
Jeremiah 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
Jeremiah 31:32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
Jeremiah 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Jeremiah 31:34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
Ezekiel 36:22 Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name's sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went.
Ezekiel 36:23 And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.
Ezekiel 36:24 For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.
Ezekiel 36:25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
Ezekiel 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
Ezekiel 36:27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
Ezekiel 36:28 And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.
Nicodemus and Born Again
That the prophets already spoke about Israel’s new covenant is why when Jesus spoke to Nicodemus about being born again he said:
“Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?” – John 3:10
Nicodemus should have known that Israel had a great need, and that the need was for their nation to be redeemed from their old covenant bondage to enter the kingdom God had promised them.
“Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” – John 3:3
Jesus made it clear to Nicodemus that the nation had to be born again when he said “Ye must be born again.” (John 3:7 -We know that “ye” is the plural pronoun; and “thee” the singular.)
Jesus came to Israel ministering their need for being born again through a better covenant. No longer would Israel be identified by the old covenant but by the new.
People who think they are born again must also think they are in some way Israel !
That the prophets already spoke about Israel’s new covenant is why when Jesus spoke to Nicodemus about being born again he said:
“Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?” – John 3:10
Nicodemus should have known that Israel had a great need, and that the need was for their nation to be redeemed from their old covenant bondage to enter the kingdom God had promised them.
“Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” – John 3:3
Jesus made it clear to Nicodemus that the nation had to be born again when he said “Ye must be born again.” (John 3:7 -We know that “ye” is the plural pronoun; and “thee” the singular.)
Jesus came to Israel ministering their need for being born again through a better covenant. No longer would Israel be identified by the old covenant but by the new.
People who think they are born again must also think they are in some way Israel !
NOW,SINCE ACTS 9 ANYONE WHO GETS SAVED BY BELIEVING THE GOSPEL OF GRACE THAT ONLY PAUL PREACHES,BECOMES A MEMBER OF "THE BODY OF CHRIST," "THE NEW CREATURE", THE REVELATION OF THE MYSTERY .
Only Israel could be born again, because only Israel was born unto God a first time (Exo 4:22). You can’t be born again, because you are not saved by being Israel or by Israel’s covenants.
Gentiles were strangers of the covenants and without God (Eph 2:12). Gentiles were not born into God’s covenants. Our salvation would not be a second time opportunity for us. It would be the first time salvation was offered directly to us without Israel.
Our salvation by grace is not consequent to a changed life, a Spirit unction, or a better way to obey God’s statutes.
Our salvation is not described as being born again into a second covenant, but being made alive into a new creature (Eph 2:15). This new creature, called the Body of Christ, is neither Jewish nor Gentile, and operates not under the law (Rom 6:14; Gal 3:28).
The new creature is the subject of the mystery of Christ and could not have been known by Nicodemus, the prophets, nor any of the apostles in John 3.
Only Israel could be born again, because only Israel was born unto God a first time (Exo 4:22). You can’t be born again, because you are not saved by being Israel or by Israel’s covenants.
Gentiles were strangers of the covenants and without God (Eph 2:12). Gentiles were not born into God’s covenants. Our salvation would not be a second time opportunity for us. It would be the first time salvation was offered directly to us without Israel.
Our salvation by grace is not consequent to a changed life, a Spirit unction, or a better way to obey God’s statutes.
Our salvation is not described as being born again into a second covenant, but being made alive into a new creature (Eph 2:15). This new creature, called the Body of Christ, is neither Jewish nor Gentile, and operates not under the law (Rom 6:14; Gal 3:28).
The new creature is the subject of the mystery of Christ and could not have been known by Nicodemus, the prophets, nor any of the apostles in John 3.
Born again language is a denial of the mystery of Christ revealed to the apostle Paul.
Being born again is something for Israel to partake. Since Israel is fallen, you couldn’t be born again if you wanted to.
What you can be is saved by God’s grace through faith in his finished work on the cross. At the moment you believe, the Holy Spirit seals you in Christ making you part of a new creature.
Trusting the cross of Christ is what will save you today. Trusting your experience, devotion, or changed life will not. Being saved is far better than being born again.
What you can be is saved by God’s grace through faith in his finished work on the cross. At the moment you believe, the Holy Spirit seals you in Christ making you part of a new creature.
Trusting the cross of Christ is what will save you today. Trusting your experience, devotion, or changed life will not. Being saved is far better than being born again.
This article by Justin Johnson is very helpful:
Why You Can’t Be Born Again (graceambassadors.com)
Why You Can’t Be Born Again (graceambassadors.com)
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