http://forum.philboxing.com/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=193929
What does “born again” mean?
From the online bible companion, http://www.companionbiblecondensed.com/NT/John..pdf
Born = Begotten
Again = From above, i.e. By Divine power
John 3:3 answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, If not a man be begotten from above (by Divine power), he is not able to see the kingdom of God.
:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be begotten from above.
“Born again” or begotten from above means that a person has been given the Holy Spirit which dwells in and empowers him.
The “born again” has to do “business”
The person “who is born again” or who has been begotten from above has a “business” to do. He has to “trade” and register an increase in the “talent” (Holy Spirit) given him.
Matthew 25:14 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. 15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. 16 Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. 17 And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. 18 But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money.
When Jesus returns, there will be an accounting. There will be giving of rewards to the industrious who increased their talents.
Matthew 25:19 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
20 “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ 21 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ 22 He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ 23 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
And there will be punishment to the wicked and lazy.
Matthew 25:24 “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’
26 “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27 So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.
29 ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
The judgment – the handing down of the verdict – to be done at Christ’s return is only for those who have been “born again” or begotten from above in this age. The majority who were not and will not be begotten from above in this age are not yet and will not yet be judged.
The “born again” could either be wise or foolish
The “born again” or begotten from above falls either into one of two categories: the wise and the foolish. The vigilant and the neglectful. The former will be able to meet Christ at his return while the latter will be kept out of the “wedding” ceremony.
Matthew 25:1 “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
6 “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ 7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
11 “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ 12 But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
To be considered as being watchful, the begotten from above should be daily transformed in his attitude from being worldly to that of being Christ like minded. Those who interact with one who is begotten from above should notice the inward change to goodness in him.
Peter’s letter to the persons who have been begotten from above earlier applies to the new ones.
2 Peter 1:1 Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
The “born again” or begotten from above has his freedom to choose to either be wise, or foolish.
The “born again” does not sin
When confronted with a choice between obliging to the passing pleasure of sin and denying oneself of the pleasure that sin brings which is to obey God’s commandment not to sin, the “born again” or begotten from above would not sin. He “does not sin”.
1 John 3:9 (New King James Version) Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.
1 John 3:9 (New International Version, ©2011) No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.
1 John 3:9 (Online Bible Companion http://www.companionbiblecondensed.com/NT/1%20John.pdf )
Everyone who is begotten of God doth not practiseth sin; for His seed abideth in him: and he is not able to sin, because he is begotten of God.
The “born again” could still sin
But a person who has been “born again” or begotten from above could still sin. The reason is that he is still physical and his old nature, his “old man” (Ephesians 4:22), is still within him and refuses to die. At times, the pressure exerted by the “old man” causes the “born again” or the begotten from above to sin. By his attitude, however, of struggling to follow the lead of the Holy Spirit in him, he seeks repentance and Christ, the Advocate or lawyer in his behalf before the Father, pleads to the Father for forgiveness and apply his sacrifice to the sin committed and the “born again” or begotten from above continues in his Christian life of overcoming.
1 John 2:1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
It is not the Holy Spirit which leads a “born again” or a begotten from above to sin but the “old man” which remains in the person while he is still flesh and blood.
Why must one be “born again?”
Thenext logical question after the “what” is “why is there a need to be born again or begotten from above?” Jesus says it is a must.
John 3:7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
The answer is, because sin rendered all men dead.
Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death…
Man needs to be extricated from his death predicament in order to live again and for God to continue with his work of creating man in his image according to his likeness.
But restoring to his previous state of being merely a begotten by a man, Adam, is insufficient. The restored to life man needs to be begotten from above in order to be wiser and not again be a prey to Satan’s deceptions.
The Holy Spirit in the begotten from above will lead, teach and cause the man so begotten to grasp and bear in mind “all things” that Christ teaches him.
John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
A man must be begotten from above to enter the spiritual phase of his being created in God’s image and likeness. When he becomes the finished product God intended him to be, he shall be changed to spirit like God and see God as he is, Spirit and God in the kingdom of God.
1 John 3:1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
The requirement to see and eventually enter the kingdom of God after a man has been saved from the death penalty is for him to first be begotten from above which the common bible renders as, “born again”.
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
FORUM
superlike: dami kasi nilang churches, iba iba pa pangalan. sino ba founder nila? di kagaya sa INC si manalo, sa muslim si mohd, sa buddhist si buddah etc etc. wala lang nagtatanong lang?
JCOOL2329: Born again Christian……
MEG: born again
it’s a personal experience of the saving grace of the true God of the Bible. hindi yan religion tulad ng pagkaintindi ko dati. any man who will come to realize that he is a sinner, not worthy of going to heaven thru his own righteuosness, will REPENT & ask forgiveness for his sins and accept Jesus Christ as LORD and saviour (paid in full the punishment for sin) in his heart; all of this must be done with FAITH to experience the saving grace of our LORD JESUS CHRIST.
imo redundant yung born again-christian
pagsinabing christian dapat automatic born again or SAVED dahil tinanggap na niya si Kristo. ang BA anak na siya ng Dios kasi dati part of creation pa lang wala pa sa loob pamilya ng Dios.
accepting Jesus in your heart today as Lord and saviour is the most important decision a person can make because the cosequence is eternal only in this life we can attain salvation.
superlike: i know that bro, but what if those who don’t encounter him in there life but makes a good living. what will happen to them?
diehard fan: jhn 3:3
superlike: hindi pa nasasagot yong tanong ko bro eh?
EMA: From the online bible companion, http://www.companionbiblecondensed.com/NT/John..pdf
Born = Begotten
Again = From above, i.e. By Divine power
John 3:3 answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, If not a man be begotten from above (by Divine power), he is not able to see the kingdom of God.
:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be begotten from above.
gorio20/20: inconsistent sa HANDS OFF policy
BWAHAHAHAH + BWAHAHAHH – BWAHAHAHAH = BWAHAHAHAHAH
tapos ang nag-initiate pa yoong nasa ABOVE…
ano ba talaga coyahhhh… mang epie , you will be a good car sales man…
EMA: You are not mindful of my stand. God is generally hands off in man’s affairs save those he is drawing to Christ in this age.
gorio20/20: can you elaborate further why I’m not being mindful?
EMA: You are not stating exactly my stand on the hands off policy.
gorio20/20: so can you please state it again… and please classify every man affair which doesnt warrant your gods intervention…
EMA: I’ve just re-stated it.
gorio20/20: eh yoong mga affair,, NASAAN NA???
EMA: You were making some sense until your latest above quoted post.
Now, back to the thread topic, “what is born again?”
burnok5: john 3:3
EMA: As posted, John 3:3 should be read:
Born = Begotten
Again = From above, i.e. By Divine power
John 3:3 answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, If not a man be begotten from above (by Divine power), he is not able to see the kingdom of God.
:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be begotten from above.
gorio20/20: Epifanio M. Almeda wrote:
You were making some sense until your latest above quoted post.
Now, back to the thread topic, “what is born again?”
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no…. actually I am making a lot of sense…
you are just PLAYING WORDS since the beginning…
” born again ” is a state which cannot be achieved without your gods INTERVENTION… unfortunately may nasabi ka na na HINDI NAKIKIALAM si god mo sa earthlings affair… ang problema, hindi ka na maka-back out sa sinabi mo… bwahahahahahaahahahah… typical lawyer bah…
BWAHAHAHHA + BWAHAHAHAH – BWAHAHAHAH = BWAHAHAHAHA
sasabihin ko sayo ang pagiging lawyar mo ay NAGIGING DETRIMENTAL ka sa PAGUNAWA ng KATOTOHANAN at REALIDAD…
you are part of the problem or you are hindrance sa KATOTOHANA at REALIDAD…
EMA: gorio20/20 wrote:
no…. actually I am making a lot of sense…
you are just PLAYING WORDS since the beginning…
” born again ” is a state which cannot be achieved without your gods INTERVENTION…
——————————————
The thread question is about “born again”, a phrase from the bible. Obviously, mang gorio, the explanation must come from the bible God’s intervention.
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gorio20/20 wrote:
unfortunately may nasabi ka na na HINDI NAKIKIALAM si god mo sa earthlings affair… ang problema, hindi ka na maka-back out sa sinabi mo… bwahahahahahaahahahah… typical lawyer bah…
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I’ll restate my stand for the sake of the other readers since you distorted it. God is generally hands off to man’s affairs after man declared his independence from God but He has the right to intervene, as Creator, in the lives of some in this age to further his purpose. And God’s purpose has been, from the beginning, to create man in his image according to his likeness.
When Adam & Eve, practically, told God, “don’t dictate on us, we think the serpent is more credible, we follow him”, God allowed them to do what they willed and expelled them from the Garden of Eden. God told Adam that he and his descendants will be on their own and he’ll be hands off.
Genesis 3:17 Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’:
“Cursed is the ground for your sake;
In toil you shall eat of it
All the days of your life.
18 Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you,
And you shall eat the herb of the field.
19 In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread
Till you return to the ground,
For out of it you were taken;
For dust you are,
And to dust you shall return.”
Man wanted freedom from God’s reign and God obliged. But God’s intention to create man to become like him is merely stalled until man realizes that the serpent’s intention to derail the creation process was for man to not become like God. A being which is higher than angels. When shaken to his senses and given the power to see God’s purpose by way of being begotten from above, or “born again”, man will have the capacity, he will be enabled, to submit to God’s reign over him.
If we take away your question “eh yoong mga affair,, NASAAN NA???”, I can agree you are making sense in your posts as these lead to the expounding of the topic.
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gorio20/20 wrote:
sasabihin ko sayo ang pagiging lawyar mo ay NAGIGING DETRIMENTAL ka sa PAGUNAWA ng KATOTOHANAN at REALIDAD…
——————————————
On the contrary, the lawyer training on statutory construction helps in understanding bible passages. But it’s just a help. How many lawyers are in this forum?
Jesus Christ, of course, is now acting as the lawyer, or Advocate, before the Father of those who are “born again” or begotten from above in this age.
1 John 2:1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
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gorio20/20 wrote:
you are part of the problem or you are hindrance sa KATOTOHANA at REALIDAD…
——————————————
Am I giving you, a bible non-believer and God basher, a problem mang gorio? Don’t forget my phrase which you have quoted, “believe it or don’t”.
Since you are a not a bible believer and a bible basher at that, your regarding me as “part of the problem” or a “hindrance” to your stand is a compliment.
cutefix: Originally posted by Epifanio M. Almeda :
speak “John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
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I never could appreciate this born again folly ….in fact ….it even drive certain individuals to become crazy…and become a troublemaker..
If you are true Christian why do you have bother with all this biblical intricacies …? Does it make you less of a follower of that religion…? Do you think if you memorize bible totally and become expert on discussion you become a better person ?
Do you think that an ordinary person baptised as Christians of any denomination that seldom read the bible but practice it according to the tenets of ten commandments make him less respectable than the individual that totes the bible and follow the teachings as a way of life a better individual…?
I seriously doubt the merits .of an extreme bible devotee…they are no different from the lunatics….the only thing is in our society there is plenty of them so we don’t give them much heed unless they try to disturb others way of life.
I know a guy who does like that and from the people who know him before he was just normal Roman Catholic, low key , just a normal guy with lots of friends : but when the time comes he was converted and proclaimed he experience being entered by the holy spirit after being ‘prayed’ over by a Christian preacher his attitude changed for the worst… He become arrogant and always crave for attention . His friends were alarmed that the Dante that they know before was different after being “born again”…. This guy is becoming a nuisance to anybody whom he managed to enter a conversation with as he kept saying proudly that he will be the among the few who will go the heaven and so to speak “John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
as he is among the select few who read the bible regularly and absorbed the teaching by heart …religiously attend prayer meetings with his fellow converts…
During regular discussion among friends he always bring this subject of being born again, talk about the bible and how it improved his life.How the holy spirit have made him a better person…and he want to share his experience to them…and want them to experience his spiritual upliftment.
His family was saddened by his attitude changes and have difficulty living with him as even their regular church going and prayer habits are even criticized as erroneous an unbiblical ,and everything they do which he find contrary to his belief is being noticed and mocked upon , his girlfriend broke with him as he want to convert her from the Roman Catholic faith to the his new born again Christian creed. And want her to experience the holy spirit .
In the work place He had become a nuisance that even his work mates are complaining of his antics and habits and his frequent bible discussion and proselytizing during breaktime .
…He always bring in the conversation his readings of the bible his so called uplifting spiritual experience .that he lost the respect of workmates and got ostracized that led him to resign from his stable job he had worked for years.
!
On top of that
. He even earned a notorious nickname… Saint Dante bin Laden
He eventually relocated to a distant province and nobody knows what happened to him after that…
The moral of the story is …
If he had not embraced the born again doctrine he could have lived a normal life and he could have already married his girlfriend and lived and contented a happy life…He could not have estranged his own family also
Just because of being born again…his life become a total mess and he is only a friend only to fellow cult members….
You people are living on a delusion….
Please take my advice , submit yourself and your brethren to psychiatric check up once in a while…
Maybe you will find your lost marbles…..
gudz511: condescending, arrogant, and most importantly, annoying. reminds me of CW. ikaw ba yan?
genetophile: Here comes the trouble maker again. Yabang mo utoy.
EMA: cutefix wrote:
I never could appreciate this born again folly ….in fact ….it even drive certain individuals to become crazy…and become a troublemaker..
You people are living on a delusion….
Please take my advice , submit yourself and your brethren to psychiatric check up once in a while…
Maybe you will find your lost marbles…..
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Your comment is not unexpected of a non-bible believer. The bible is foolishness to him. If the posts don’t interest you, it is because it’s not for you. The wise just mind their own business.
You believe you have a better belief but your post betrays it.
genetophile: that guy believes he’s a slave in a past life. he hasn’t upgraded his state since because he still acts like one.
reincarnation indeed.
EMA: One’s belief is supposed to make him a better fellow.
gudz511: not if it was forced on you or you were not made to choose or you don’t have a choice.