God adopts those born again as his children. (Romans 8:15, 16; Galatians
4:5; 1 John 3:1) Similar to those who are legally adopted, they experience a
change of status, becoming part of God’s family.—2 Corinthians 6:18.
THE GREEK & “BORN AGAIN”
“Born again” starts with being begotten from
above. Let’s look at the two words individually.
“Born” is the Greek gennao and
in Yahshua’s teaching means the entire birth process – from the beginning at
begettal to the ending at birth. Gennao is used in Matthew 1:20,
where Joseph is told by the angel that Mary’s conception (gennao ,
begetting) is by the Holy Spirit.
“Again” is anothen and
means: 1) from above, from a higher place; of things which come from heaven or
Yahweh; 2) from the first, from the beginning.
We are begotten spiritually by the Word of
truth, James 1:8 tells
us. Yahshua uses the process of conception and growth of a baby to illustrate
the same concept with a babe in the Word.
BORN
IN THE FLESH
Well, think about it: What does a baby understand of the world when
he is in the womb? Very, very little. There are some sounds and lights that get
to the fetus, but do he understand them? No. Not until the baby is born does he
start understanding the outside world. Jesus was saying that it’s the same
thing in the spirit.
When you are born again in the spirit, you’re being born
into a spiritual world. God chooses those who will be
born again, or anointed with holy spirit. According to the Bible, being born
again “depends, not on a person’s desire or on his effort, but on God.” (Romans 9:16) The expression “born again” can also be rendered “born from
above,” confirming that the selection of those who are born again comes “from
above,” or from God.—John 3:3 Then
you start growing. A baby takes in everything, is curious about everything, and
gets input from everyone around him, and slowly but surely grows. He starts
learning about simpler things—simple shapes, mother’s milk—and gradually gets
into more challenging things, like crawling, talking, reading, and eating
solids. It’s the same thing with new Christians. After being “born again,”
there is a lot to learn. This is why Peter says, “As newborn babes, desire the
pure milk of the word that you may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:2).
BORN
IN WATER
When Jesus discussed the subject, he said that those born again
would be “born from water and spirit.” (John
3:5) This expression refers to baptism in water followed by baptism
with Holy Spirit.—Acts 1:5; 2:1-4.
BORN IN SPIRIT
Spiritually
for the True Worshiper it starts at baptism, when a part of the Holy Spirit is
given by the laying on of hands of the ministry to start the spiritual growth
process. Paul said in 1Corinthians 1:22 that we are “…given the
earnest of the spirit in our hearts.” He said again in 2 Corinthians 5:5: “Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing [is]
Elohim, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.”
Earnest means down payment, from the Greek arrabon.
It is just the initial
infusion of His Spirit. So long as the person does not quench the Spirit through
sin, it will then develop and grow over
time to create a fully developed Believer ready to be delivered by rebirth of
that believer. He is at that time “born again.”
Jesus was the first person to be born again.
He was baptized in the Jordan River, after
which God anointed (or, baptized) him with Holy Spirit.
The
path to salvation begins with repentance from past sins followed by water
baptism and laying on of hands for the Holy Spirit.
To
be born again we need power that comes down from above—from Yahweh Himself. And
that power is the infusing of His Spirit. If this doesn't happen, you cannot enter
the Kingdom.
Paul had written in 1Thessalonians 4:16-17:
“For the Master himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice
of the archangel, and with the trump of Elohim: and the dead in Messiah shall
rise first: Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together
with them in the clouds, to meet the Master in the air: and so shall we ever be
with the Savior.”
The
process of spiritual maturity that started with repentance and water immersion
ends with a miraculous transformation of a mind and heart, and from a physical
human being into a spirit being at the return of Yahshua. He will raise His own
at that time and reward them with a position in His kingdom.
“Blessed and holy is he that has part in the
first resurrection: on such the second death had no power, but they shall be
priests of Yahweh and of Messiah, and shall reign with him a thousand years” (Rev. 20:6).
The
Bible only uses the phrase “born again” (also translated as “born from above”),
a couple more times outside of when Jesus initially explained it in John
3. 1 Peter 1:3-5 & 1 Peter 1:23