Friday, September 21, 2018

(09/21/2018) First, Become Born Again






Today, reply is on water baptism, rebirth, salvation, and sanctification (we say, becoming Christ-like). A writer in the “Yahoo! Answers” Religion and Spirituality forum using the ID “Anonymous” (no profile data shared) posted the following:



Can I still get saved?

I admit that I am a sinner and need Jesus



THE GOLDEN ARROW: Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. (2nd Peter 1: 2-11, King James Version, KJV)



THE DOUBLE DAGGER: Believers Must Become “Ripe” (09/02/2018); Repentance Among Christian Believers (07/06/2018); Consequences and Divine Love (07/05/2018); Conversation In The World (04/03/2018); Choosing to be Reborn (01/29/2018); There Must Be Rebirth (01/21/2018); All Have Come Short (10/11/2017)



Anonymous”, be encouraged! Along with sinners realizing and publicly turning away from their errors, habits, mistakes and sins that are obstacles to being in full relationship with divinity, those who become followers of Jesus Christ must be willing to undergo permanent changes in their life that will be brought about by the operations of the Holy Spirit. Water baptism gives a picture of how a sinner must experience the death, burial, and rebirth of their inborn spirit (we also say, breath; life essence; word) from the Creator. The living must receive a new makeup and a nature different from what we inherit as the offspring of Adam and Eve. Included are inseparable aspects from the makeup of GOD that include faith, forbearance, holiness, longsuffering, lovingkindness, personhood, wisdom, and wrath against sin.

The Scriptures teach that all have sinned and come short of the mark set by GOD. With this in view, there are only two kinds of people in the world: repentant and unrepentant sinners. Repenting sinners become “developing believers” and serve as vessels of divine spirit. When we are “born again”, we must gradually grow and go on to mature (i.e., endure “growing pains;” “grow up again;” become ripe for harvest by the Lord at his coming) while continuing our lives on the earth. The Holy Spirit imparts gifts and provides sacred substance that makes it possible for the living to correctly recognize and respond to the active presence who is GOD. With the help of the Spirit believers are able to live in accordance with divine law, participate in sacred events, and properly acknowledge the proclamations, prophecies, and various teachings of the Bible. Consider again the following:

(1.) John 3: 5-7, King James Version (KJV): 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. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

(2.) John 13: 34-35, KJV: 34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

(3.) Romans 6: 3-6 KJV: 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

There is far more that should be said, correctly examined, and spiritually apprehended. (For example, (4.) Romans 8: 5-9, KJV: 5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.) Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.

THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC

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