How to Be 'Born Again' |
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It was
President Jimmy Carter who helped popularize the term "born again." The expression is misleading, however, in view
of the way it is typically applied.
In common parlance, born again is
understood to mean an experience of conversion, usually emotional, and
associated with long sieges of prayer, preaching, and stirring music. For those
undergoing the experience, born again means to be reborn in this life, with the
implication that salvation is now assured.
A proper understanding of the concept, however, will lead to a significant truth in the way Yahweh is calling out a people for His Name.
The
Meaning Behind ‘Born Again’
The concept of being
"born again" is taken from chapter 3 of the Evangel of John in
Yahshua’s response to the Pharisee Nicodemus:
"Yahshua answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of Elohim" (John 3:3). "Born again"
in the King James Version should more properly be rendered, "begotten from
above." "Born" here is the Greek gennao, meaning the birth process – from begettal to birth. Gennao is the same word
used in Matthew 1:20, where the angel told Joseph that that which is conceived
(gennao, begotten) in Mary was of the
Holy Spirit.
One must be begotten before one is born.
The process of birth begins with a gestation period. It doesn’t happen instantaneously.
This whole concept relates to the spiritual begettal that Yahshua was speaking of in John 3.
The second part of this phrase, the word
"again," is from the Greek anothen (Strong’s Concordance Greek Dictionary No. 509), meaning from above, anew, by
supernal power. (For example, verse 31 of this chapter properly renders anothen "from above.")
Nicodemus did not understand the Messiah
and asked in verse 4, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter
the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?"
Yahshua meant not a physical birth, but a
new birth, a different birth beyond even the conversion experience. The
connotation of "born again" to mean a change in one’s behavior and a
pursuit of a Biblical way of life is part of the intended meaning, but Yahshua
went beyond that. "Yahshua answered, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot
enter into the
The Savior prophesied of the glorious
kingdom coming to this earth, which is offered to those who devote their lives
to doing Yahweh’s will as their Master did before them. To clarify the meaning
of His words, Yahshua added:
"That which is born of the flesh is
flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said
unto you, you must be born again [begotten from above]. The wind blows where it
lists, and you hear the sound thereof, but cannot tell when it comes, and where
it goes: so is every one that is born of the Spirit" (John 3:6-8).
Other related verses reveal that Yahshua
was talking about repentant persons who were given the "earnest" or
"down payment" of the Holy Spirit. We receive the Holy Spirit upon
baptism into Yahshua’s Name after we have repented and turned from the ways of
the world and are determined to follow in the footsteps of our Savior.
John
But to us He gives just a part of the
Spirit at first, to see whether we will continue faithful and grow in it. "Who has also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit
in our hearts" (2Cor.
As with Yahshua’s human begettal, the Holy Spirit is given us as a spiritual "begettal." Then as we grow spiritually, more of the
Spirit is given, helping us mature into the nature and righteous stature of
Yahshua.
First
Comes Repentance
Before any spiritual begettal takes place, though, repentance must occur. We
find a prime example of repentance in Acts 2. It came following Peter’s
explanation to the assembled Jews from 15 countries, saying that because of
their sins they themselves were the ones who sentenced Yahshua to death. They were
ashamed, anxious, stirred up, and asked, "What shall we do?"
"Then Peter said unto them, Repent,
and be baptized every one of you in the name of Yashua Messiah for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy
Spirit. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are
afar off, [even] as many as Yahweh our Elohim shall call" (Acts
When we come to the point of
understanding and believing "we all have sinned and come short of the
glory of Yahweh" (Rom.
Peter’s answer: be baptized into the Name
of Yahshua the Messiah for the remission of sin. At that point, with our sins
cast aside, we are given the gift of the Holy Spirit. We are then granted a
down payment, a portion of the Holy Spirit to work in our lives to overcome our
own carnal desires and the ways of the world, as well as Satan’s temptations
day by day.
This is the invitation that Yahshua gave the
people in His day: "In the last day, that great day of the feast
[Tabernacles], Yahshua stood and cried, saying, If any
man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believes on me, as the
scripture has said, out of his belly [innermost being] shall flow rivers of
living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him
should receive: for the Holy Spirit was not yet given; because that Yahshua was
not yet glorified)" (John
Yahshua likened the Holy Spirit to
flowing water, which will cover the earth when the Kingdom is in operation. His
cleansing blood at Passover allowed the Holy Spirit to come and remain on
earth. Through the sacrifice of Yahshua we receive the Holy Spirit by baptism
in His Name. Our sins are washed away, and once empowered by the Spirit; we
keep Yahweh’s laws and cease sinning.
Yahshua
the First to Be Born Again
Yahshua is the Head of the
Assembly; our pioneer, the One who has gone before and was the first to be
resurrected with a body changed from flesh and blood to spirit. Those in the
first resurrection shall also be changed to a spirit body:
"And he is the head of the body, the
assembly: who is the beginning, the FIRSTBORN FROM THE DEAD; that in all things
he might have the preeminence" (Col. 1:18). Note also this:
"For whom he did foreknow, he also
did predestinate [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be
the FIRSTBORN AMONG MANY BRETHREN." (Rom
Yahshua as the firstborn among brethren was
"born again." That occurred when His physical body was changed to
spirit essence as He rose from the dead. He was begotten (gennao) of water baptism and of the Spirit and was ultimately born
from above (anothen) when He took on
a spirit "body."
As we have read in John 3:8, once we are
born of the spirit (born again) we will be spirit beings, a condition Yahshua
says is wind-like:
"The wind blows where it lists, and
you hear the sound thereof, but cannot tell whence it comes, and whither it
goes: so is every one that is BORN OF THE SPIRIT" (John 3:8).
Being given the Holy Spirit upon baptism
into Yahshua’s saving Name is but the beginning for us.
His indwelling Spirit gives us peace of mind
and produces fruits: "But the fruit of the Spirit of love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such
there is no law" (Gal.
But beyond what it does for us now, the
portion of the Holy Spirit we receive upon immersion is also a kind of pledge
or security toward an inheritance one day of the Kingdom. Paul writes that we
are sealed in Yahshua with the Holy Spirit of promise, Ephesians 1:13. He adds,
"Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the
purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory" (Eph.
This Kingdom inheritance will be awarded
when Yahshua returns, John 14:2-3.
A Begettal Period
Just as in a legal
contract when an earnest deposit is made, there is a waiting period during
which the legal system put everything in order. All necessary groundwork must
be laid so that both parties are satisfied that they are getting just what they
are bargaining for.
What, then, is expected of
us during this early begettal and "spiritual
gestation" period prior to being born again?
Peter writes, "Wherefore laying
aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil
speaking. As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word,
that you may
If we do not deliberately go against the
promptings of the Holy Spirit, and do not quench the proper attitude of
obedience being developed in our character, then we are sealed in Yahshua’s
Name unto the day of Yahshua’s return when we rise to meet Him in the air as He
returns to set up His Kingdom. We will then be changed to immortal, spirit
beings, no longer flesh and blood that dies.
At that moment we will be born again.
Notice the following:
"And grieve not the Holy Spirit of
Yahweh whereby you are sealed unto the day of redemption" (Eph.
"When Messiah who is our life, shall
appear, then you shall you also appear with him in glory" [spirit beings]
(Col. 3:4).
"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).
Enter the
Those given
responsibilities in the Kingdom are those who have overcome their carnal
nature, have been baptized into Yahshua’s Name, and eventually become spirit
beings at the resurrection.
The simple fact is, fleshly human beings cannot enter the Kingdom – either figuratively or
literally. Paul wrote, "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood
cannot inherit the
To be born again is to be changed into
spirit in a new birth that comes "from above." We must be born again,
Yahshua said, or we can’t see the Kingdom, "Marvel not that I said unto
you, You must be born again" (John 3:7).
Why
is it necessary to be born again? Because flesh and blood
cannot exist in the spirit world of the Kingdom. We must literally be
changed – born into – spirit essence. Paul explains how this will happen:
"Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all
sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at
the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised
incorruptible, and we shall be changed," 1Corinthians
(However, there will be a
few humans left to repopulate the earth during the Kingdom reign.)
The formula for begettal of the Holy Spirit (gennao) that
eventually leads to being born again into Yahshua’s Kingdom is this: One must
repent of one’s sins (transgression of Yahweh’s law, 1John 3:4), believe in and
turn to the true Messiah Yahshua, and be immersed in water in His Name. Then follows the begettal of the Holy
Spirit.
Yahshua went on to say that only a few
would be willing to pay the price to be in the Kingdom.
Most people are too
preoccupied with their daily lives and will not take the time or make the
effort to find out more about the grand and glorious future that awaits those
who seek the Kingdom. Only when it is too late will many strive to enter.
"Strive to enter in at the strait
gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be
able" (Luke
We are to become humble and teachable as
little children and put into practice what the Bible tells us. We are to keep
Yahweh’s laws and develop the character and love of Yahshua our Savior."
And said, Verily I say unto you, Except you be
converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the Kingdom
of heaven" (Matthew 18:3).
We are told plainly in 1Corinthians
6:9-10 that those who practice sin will have no place in the Kingdom, and will
not be begotten of His Spirit and born again. "Know you not that the
unrighteous shall not inherit the
During the spiritual bettal when the Holy Spirit is working in the repentant heart, the old nature gives
away to a completely different individual: "Therefore if any man be in
Messiah, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things
are become new," 2Corinthians 6:17-18.
Being "begotten from
above" by Yahweh’s Holy Spirit is a fulfillment of the promise made by
Yahshua. The Heavenly Father is calling certain people now to become His sons
and daughters and to rule with Him in the Kingdom.
This is all made possible by the death
and resurrection of His Son Yahshua, who paid the price for our sins, and arose
that we might have life. He is now the Advocate for us as we struggle to
overcome the world, Satan, and our carnal nature. He intercedes for us, and
through the Holy Spirit we grow in grace and knowledge of Yahweh, fitting into
His design for the faithful.
It all starts by being begotten from
above with His Holy Spirit. When we answer Yahweh’s call and are immersed into
Yahshua’s saving Name, we are sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise. From
that time forward we are given a portion of His Spirit to see what we will do
with it.
Having the full power of
the Holy Spirit will allow us to do even more than we can now. Imagine being
able to become invisible when you wish; move through doors and walls; speed
ahead to some destination; thwart activities of the wicked; all of which by
using the mighty Spirit Power to accomplish good and fight evil.
First, we must demonstrate to Yahweh that
we will use the measure of the Holy Spirit that we are given to produce
fruitful works. Empowered by the Spirit, we do good, bringing honor to Yahweh
by showing that we are worthy of His reward.
To seek to fulfill our selfish wants is
the way of the worldly man, not the way of a person begotten by the Holy
Spirit. May it be the goal of every person to be born again into the Kingdom of
our Savior Yahshua!
© 2007
Yahweh’s Assembly in Yahshua
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