Commentary
As we read the Gospel of John 3:1-8, we find that a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus came to Jesus by night and told Jesus "Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.". Where in this statement Nicodemus acknowledged that Jesus had come from God by the teachings and doctrine that Jesus preached and through the evidence of the miracles that Jesus had done. Where after Nicodemus acknowledged that Jesus had come from God, Jesus surprisingly stated, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.".
Where this Biblical concept mentioned by Jesus of being "born again" had confused Nicodemus, as this concept of being "born again" that Jesus referred to in John 3:1-8, has confused many non-believers and believers alike. Where the questions that Nicodemus asked Jesus, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?” Are questions still being asked today concerning the concept of what it means to be "born again"?
Therefore, as we begin to search the Scriptures for revelation and understanding concerning what being "born again" really means? We need to go to the beginning of the Bible where God began all creation, in the book of Genesis, particularly in Genesis 1:26 (in part) "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:” In this verse the Hebrew words "Tselem" and "Dhemuth” are translated into the English language meaning " image" and "likeness".
Where the English word "image" means to shade, meaning to alter in slight degrees of differences. Where the word shade in this verse of Scripture, is referring to the soul, after its separation from the body; so called because the ancients supposed it to be perceptible to the sight, not to the touch; a spirit; a ghost. Also the word image, figuratively, means to have a resemblance to, have a likeness of, hence to be a representative figure, or to be in the likeness of. As all mankind is made or has been created in the "image" of God.
Therefore, in Genesis 1:26 (in part) "And God said, Let us make man in our image,” The word "image" in this Scripture is illustrating that God had made man both in His physical and spiritual image (appearance or form). This is why all mankind has the physical features that they have, a head, body, arms, legs, etc. (the physical human body).
This is also why all mankind has spiritual aspect of God, a soul (the mind, the will; The spiritual, rational, and immortal part in man which distinguishes him from brutes, the immaterial part of man, the immortal spirit which inhabits the body, that part of man which enables him to think and reason, and which renders him subject of moral government, Also the moral and emotional part of man's nature, the seat of the sentiments or feelings, in distinction from intellect, the understanding, the intellectual principle of man's will).
Where the combined physical and spiritual characteristics of mankind causes all men and women (mankind) to become a living soul, as stated in Genesis 2:7."And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”
We need to ask? How does Genesis Chapter 1 verse 26 and Genesis Chapter 2 verse 7 have any connection with what Jesus had said in the Gospel of John 3:1-8, that a person needs to be
"Born again" to see the kingdom of God....? As we read in the Book of Genesis when God created man, God created man in His image and in His likeness.
Where in the Genesis 1:26 (in part) "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:” In this verse the word "likeness" means to compare to, to resemble or to have a resemblance to, to be a model of, to be like or in the likeness of, a similitude, meaning to be made in the likeness of, in resemblance to, likeness in nature, qualities, or appearance of.
In the second half of Genesis 1:26 the word "likeness" is referring to the inner nature and the inner qualities of a person, and as to how the nature of a person and the inner qualities of a person is reflected through their personal conduct and actions (the will) or as to how others see them through their personal behavior and conduct, which is reflected through a person’s words, actions, behavior, and conduct.
Although man was made in the image of God (in the physical and spiritual image of God), and became a living soul. After Adam had become a living soul he was not physically an eternal being, although he (Adam) possessed a soul or had his own identity, he (Adam) did not possess God's divine and inner eternal nature, or was he (Adam) aware of the knowledge of good and evil.
Where in, Genesis 2:16, 17 "And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat”:
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”
After God had commanded Adam, that he, "shalt not eat of it (eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil), that if and when Adam ate of "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil", he (Adam) would, "surely die.”
After God had created Adam, God gave Adam a command that he should not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God created Eve from the rib of Adam, making Eve a living soul as Adam was made a living soul. Where Eve also did not possess God's divine and inner eternal nature.
Now as Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden as the care takers and stewards of the garden. The serpent (Satan), who had been cast out of heaven onto the earth (Isaiah 14:12-15; Revelation 12:7-9), came to Eve in the garden of Eden and began to fill Eve's mind with lies and with words of deception telling Eve, "Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?", as illustrated in Genesis 3:1.
Where Eve responded to the serpent (Satan), "We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.", as illustrated in Genesis 3:2, 3.
Where the serpent (Satan) said unto Eve, "Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof (eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil), then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” as illustrated in Genesis 3:4, 5.
Eve believing the serpent's (Satan) lies and deception that, "Ye (Eve) shall not surely die", concerning what God had told her that they would die if they ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Genesis 3:6 (in part), “saw that the tree was good for food,", and, "she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.". This was an act of disobedience to God's first command to man.
As the Scripture illustrates Eve believed the serpent's (Satan) lies and deception, and ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and gave to her husband Adam to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. As illustrated in Genesis 3:6 "that when the woman (Eve) saw that the tree (of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil) was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat."
Ultimately this act of Eve and Adam's disobedience to God's command, of eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil brought them both death. Where it is obvious as we read in Genesis 3:22-24 that Adam and Eve did not experience an immediate physical death of their bodies. But the death they experienced was being driven from or separated from the presence of God and from the continual fellowship with God, in the Garden of Eden.
Therefore, the ultimate death that Adam and Eve experienced for disobeying God's command (or word), was they lost out on and fell short of receiving God's fullness and glory and power. Which is God’s inner and eternal divine nature, glory, and power. Although God in Genesis 3:22 said "Behold, the man is become one of us, to know good and evil:”
When God said, "Behold, the man is become one of us, to know good and evil:” God was acknowledging that Adam and Eve being made in His image (in His physical and spiritual image) did not want Adam and Eve to have access to, and eat of the tree of life, which was also in the garden of Eden where the tree of the knowledge of good and evil grew.
Consequently, if Adam and Eve had eaten of the tree of life, they would have become an eternal being with an evil inner nature like Satan. And the world may have been filled with evil for all eternity.
Therefore as God had expelled Satan from his position in heaven (Isaiah 14:12-15; Revelation 12:7-9), so did God have to expel Adam and Eve from their place in the garden of Eden, that they would not have access to the tree of life, which if they would have eaten of the tree of life would have inevitably had allowed them to possess eternal life in a sinful disobedient body.
So as we examine this part of Scripture the immediate death that God had said that Adam and Eve would experience would have been man's separation from His presence, from His glory, from being able to be in continual fellowship with God, and from being able to be in the loving and close relationship that God had with Adam and Eve in the garden. Even Jesus himself in the garden of Gethsemane was extremely troubled when He knew that when He took on the sins of the world, God, his Heavenly Father would have to separate Himself from Jesus, as He did with Adam and Eve.
Therefore, the death that God had spoken to Adam and Eve was their separation from Him and from His presence, glory, and power. This is the death that Adam and Eve had experienced through their act of disobedience to God's command, was the separation from the presence of God and was the loss of receiving God's divine and inner eternal nature.
As we have read in the book of Genesis, the depiction of the creation of man, man's positioning by God into the garden of Eden, as the keeper and steward of the garden, and of man's act of disobedience to God's initial command, and of man (Adam and Eve) being driven from the garden of Eden. We can see that God did not drive man from His presence because He did not want man to be in fellowship with Him, or in a relationship and communion with Him (God).
But man was driven from the Garden of Eden, the place where man was able to abide in the presence of, or be in commune and in a close relationship with God. But God did not want man to become an eternally evil being, from eating of the tree of life, whose inner nature would have been founded on disobedience and an evil nature toward God, like Satan's inner nature is. Since Satan had planted the seed (the word) of disobedience into Adam and Eve's minds and hearts, by convincing them to disobey God's one command to them.
This seed (or word) of disobedience that was spoken into Adam and Eve's minds and hearts is the seed of the evil and disobedient nature (the carnal nature) of man. As Satan spoke his lies and deception into them, Adam and Eve listening and heeding the serpents (Satan's) lies and deception, is act of disobedience that brought sin into their hearts and minds, causing a certain death. This death being separated from God eternally.
Where Adam and Eve listening to the serpent's (Satan) lies and deception and through their act of disobedience not only separated them from God. But also brought sin into the world and caused man's heart and mind to be filled with sin, that is now witnessed and manifested in man's carnal nature as, described in;
Galatians 5:19-21 "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envying’s, murders, drunkenness, reveling, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.".
But God, the Great and Awesome Creator, who is full of grace, mercy, and love, from His initial command of expelling Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, and from His judgment concerning the serpent's (Satan) fate. Also spoke (prophesied) hope, redemption, and salvation into existence for mankind, when He said to Eve, "And I will put enmity between thee (Satan) and the woman (the seed or generations of mankind), and between thy (Satan's) seed and her seed (the seed or generations of mankind, Jesus Christ's linage); it (the seed and Savior of mankind, Jesus the Christ) shall bruise thy head (Satan's), and thou (Satan) shalt bruise his heel (the seed and Savior of mankind, Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world).".
Now we can begin to understand what Jesus meant when He said in John 3:3, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.". Where the Biblical concept of being "born again" simply means to be re-born or to be re-generated (by God through the Holy Spirit) in the inner man, where a persons will, nature, and the inner qualities are birthed and are reflected through their words, personal behavior, conduct, and actions, either good or evil.
This re-birth or re-generation of a person’s heart or "born again" experience enables God by and through the Holy Spirit to begin the transformation of a person heart, mind, and life from living a life in the flesh (or through the carnal nature) as depicted in Galatians 5:19-21, being separated from God. To living life according to, Galatians 6:22, 23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.".
Where this re-birth or re-generation of a person’s heart and life, being "born again" begins when a person receives God's plan of salvation and redemption back to Him through the sacrifice that Jesus Christ did on the Cross at Calvary almost 2000 years ago. By acknowledging their sinful nature, accepting Jesus into their heart and life, and asking God forgiveness of their sin in Jesus name.
As the Scripture illustrates in;
Romans 10:8-13 "But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, [even] in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
For the scripture saith, “Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
Where this re-birth or born again experience can and will begin through asking God the forgiveness of your sins (in Jesus name), believing and asking Jesus Christ to come into your heart and life, and through confessing and acknowledging with your mouth that Jesus Christ is the Lord and Savior of your life, by praying the following prayer;
Dear Heavenly Father and God,
I come to you, in Jesus name, and ask forgiveness for all of my sins, and ask that Jesus come into my heart and life, and be the Lord and Savior of my life for all eternity...!
In Jesus name I pray...!!!
And now that God, your Heavenly Father has forgiven you of all sin, and you have asked Jesus Christ into to your heart and life, as your personal Lord and Savior. The Holy Spirit is now able to come and abide in your heart as He did when Jesus was baptized in the river Jordon by John the Baptist, as illustrated in,
Luke 3:21, 22 “Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased."
Where as we read in Luke 3 verses 21 and 22, that as Jesus went to meet John the Baptist at the river Jordon to be baptized, as Jesus was praying, the heavens opened, "the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him,".
This part of Scripture illustrates clearly the spiritual events that happen as the Holy Spirit enters and abides into the heart of a person. It is important to note that the Holy Spirit came from heaven, since we can see that as Jesus prayed the heavens were opened, and in this particular Scripture it illustrates that the Holy Ghost (the Holy Spirit), descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon Jesus.
Where this Greek word "Somatikos" is used in this particular verse, which is interrupted in the English language meaning "bodily". Where the word "bodily" in this particular verse means the body (the frame or physical part of a man; Having or containing a body or material form; corporeal; as, bodily dimensions; Corporeally; united with a body or matter; in bodily form; In respect to entire body or mass; entirely; completely.).
And as we refer back to, Genesis 2:7, "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.". God again breathed the breath of life into Jesus (by and through the Holy Spirit), and Jesus was Spiritually re-born, or re-generated, or "born again", and the body (the flesh) that Jesus now lived in after the Holy Spirit came into Him, became a divine and an eternal living being. As God had desired that Adam and Eve become prior to them listening and heeding Satan's lies and deception.
Therefore even as Jesus was Spiritually re-born, or re-generated, or "born again", God, our Heavenly Father desires that we be Spiritually re-born or re-generated or "born again" as our Lord and Savior Jesus was at the river Jordon, almost 2000 years ago. Where God will again breathe the breath of life into your heart (by and through the Holy Spirit) as we ask the Holy Spirit to come and abide in our hearts and lives as Jesus did at the river Jordon, and we like our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be "born again", becoming a divine and an eternal living being.
Where as we yield to the inner working power of the Holy Spirit we will begin to be transformed into the divine image and likeness (the divine nature) of God, our Heavenly Father, and of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Where this inner change will be reflected by and through our words, our lives, our personal behavior and conduct. Instead of the works of the flesh (the carnal nature) being manifested in and through our lives, we will begin to live a life in the Spirit, as referred to in,
Galatians 6:22, 23, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.".
In closing, as a person asks God's forgiveness of their sins in Jesus name, and ask Jesus Christ into our hearts, and that He be Lord of our lives, and experience by and though the Holy Spirit, being "born again". We like all people in the world may experience hardships, difficulties, despair, persecution, and other things that non-believers experience.
But unlike a non-believer who when faced with the hardships and difficulties of life have no one to turn to, we who believe and who are "born again" have faith and hope in our Heavenly Father and God, by and through His Son, Jesus Christ, in accordance to the Truths that are found in the Holy Scriptures, where we are sealed unto the day of redemption by and through the Holy Spirit of Promise.
As illustrated in;
Ephesians 1:1-14 "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory."
Author:
Na To Ah Wa Pii (Holy Speaker)
