Published by Dear readers,
Have you ever heard what the Bible says about being Born again? Jesus said that we must be born again to see the Kingdom of Heaven. To begin with, the rebirth that The Lord is speaking of is a spiritual birth. This fact was clarified when a teacher called Nicodemus asked Jesus what he must do to be saved.
Contrary to what the world thinks, nobody can work their way to heaven. Jesus said, “I am THE way, THE truth, and THE Life.” This eliminates any room for doubt, I’d say His words were crystal clear. Jesus Christ, the True and Living Son of God, came so that all may be saved.
God does not will that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance. The Bible clearly states that Jesus paid the debt, the ransom for our Salvation. All he requires is that we repent of our sins,and turn to Him. Dear ones, I am not writing to “force” anything on anyone.
Faith,by its very nature cannot be forced, it is a conscious choice on the part of a person. If you are like the disciple known as Thomas, and you are having a hard time where faith is concerned, ask God to help you in that area.
I have seen God work in my life consistently for 22 years, I know Jesus Christ as my Lord.He gives peace to the troubled and rest to the weary. Many often ask “What happens to those people who died before Christ came” and that is a question worthwhile indeed, the answer is this…
Everyone the quick(Living) and the dead will have an encounter with Jesus,either at their death (to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord) or at His return. Since God is Just, it is clear that He gives opportunity to all to repent and come unto Him. The Lord speaks to our hearts,and he writes His laws on the tablet thereof.
Heed your conscience dear friends, He gave our conscience for a reason. If your heart is under conviction, God is reaching out to you. With that said, only those who die in unrepentance will face wrath, God loves us, but He makes it clear that we will all be held accountable.
There is no condemnation for those that are in Christ, In Christ all things become new. He Loves you my friends,my Loved ones,my brothers and sisters of humanity. Thank you all for reading, and may this minister to your hearts.
Forever Sincerely,In Love and Faith.
As a Post Script, for those that persecute and attack if they happen to find this page, even though you attack and persecute, Jesus died even for you. Scripture states, “For while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
I will pray for your hearts to be tenderized, furthermore….I fully acknowledge the fact that I too have fallen short and sinned in my life, so I am not sitting on a high horse here. Scripture states “If we say we have no sin,then we decieve ourselves”.I am simply sharing the good news that God forgives our transgressions if we sincerely repent.
God Bless All who come to my page.
Amen to every word you said. great job!
tenderized? isn’t that with a spiky hammer thingy? sounds painful. leave me out of that one.
if god wants no-one to perish why did he slaughter so many with sword, flood and fire? why does he not make himself more obvious? the good news is that i am a guilty base creature worthy of death but a human sacrifice was made and now i can live forever? of course the evidence for this is readily available isnt it?
i also think you will find jesus said unless a man be born of the spirit and of water he cannot see the kingdom of god. this does not mean being born again and the kingdom of god is not an eternal paradise. look it up jup.
lovely article, well done.
Teachersmith, if all you are here for is to attack, then do take it elsewhere.
God makes himself obvious to those whose hearts are tender and humble,however, he sets himself against the proud. As stated,I have seen Him work in my life for 22 years,
I will pray for you.
Teachersmith,
read the Bible, Jesus did indeed say we must be born again, and in the same set of scripture that he said we must be born of water and the spirit, read the whole scripture or you’ll miss things.
“There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, 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. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? 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. 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 thee, Ye must be born again.” —John 3:1-7
Wow, great….
dear reader. thank you for repeating exactly what i already said.
john. why do you think i am attacking? i made valid points. do you take offence at others questioning you? you have demonstrated over and over again that you live by blind faith, ignore scientific findings and can provide no proof to support any statement you make despite having 22 years to build a case. if you dont want others to question you dont make these statements. this is a public forum after all.
John is not offended by those that question, nor does he “ignore science” but when people continually antagonize and spit on the answers that are given as is obviously your goal teachersmith, it gets old.
You are here to attack, that is what all your comments on John’s articles thus far have done, and you say you want answers, but every time they are given, you attack them, so obviously it isn’t answers you seek.
as for me repeating “exactly” what you just said, I actually didn’t. I corrected what you said, because what you said was
“this does not mean being born again and the kingdom of god is not an eternal paradise. look it up jup.”
Scripture says the opposite of that part of your statement, it DOES say and mean we must be born again.
to answer your questions as to why people have been destroyed ,they were destroyed for going against the Laws God had put in place and corrupting themselves.
God takes no pleasure in punishing the wicked, in fact it grieves Him, but it is a matter of justice, because if He allowed wickedness to flourish, all of creation would be corrupted as in the days before the flood.
It is obvious that teachersmith is one of those we were warned of, those that do not endure sound doctrine but heap up false teachers according to their own vain imaginations.
Scripture repeatedly warns of such people
the below link is a topical index of scriptures warning against false teachers http://www.crossroad.to/HisWord/verses/topics/false-teachers.htm
People,both the saved and unsaved,are recognized by their fruits, and from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (or in teachersmith’s case he types)
Granted, This is a public forum teachersmith,and questions are fine, but attacking is a vastly different matter and from what I have read(both in your comments and your writings) your agenda is attacking Christ and we that follow Him. My faith is by no means blind,what I have seen, the prayers God has answered in my life are proof enough…God is faithful to us, but He requires us to be faithful to Him as well. It is a two way street, You want God to bless your life, give your life to Him.
please explain the water reference. why did the pre-evangelical church, the early protestant church, the roman catholics and orthodox churches of today not teach nor describe themselves as born again? why does paul not use the term? why does peter, james, jude, luke (acts) not know the term? according to christian theology the kindom of god is not a place it is gods rule. it begins on earth and extends into the future. the kingdom of god is not heaven.
it seems to me that you believe in a god that fits nicely into your 21st mind and society. the yahweh of the old testament is jealous, vengeful and is always judging and striking down or sending into exile. because this does not sit well with you in this day and age you find ways of justifying this behaviour. you are taking your civilised, 21st century mindest concept of god and projecting it back into the stories of god in the OT.
i do not attack. i stand by my previous statement that i ask probing questions and make valid points. you have said john that your own subjective experience is enough to convince you that you are right in your beliefs. the fact still remains that a school child is taught more today about life and the world, etc. than theologians like thomas aquinas ever knew. scientific advancement and knowledge are common place today yet christians still cling to six day creation, adam and eve, original sin, salvation, eternal life. none of these things are supported by anything other than faith therefore to me your faith is blind.
i am not teaching anything. therefore i cannot be a false teacher. i am not attacking christ or christians. i am simply pointing out that what you believe has no place in a modern world and prevents the growth and development of humanity. your faith is ancient and based on old myths. substitute the word god for the word appollo or zues or persephone and hear how silly it sounds. it is only a matter of time before allah, jesus, ganesha, etc. go the way of greek and roman gods. people are spiritual by nature but that does not make christianity true or your statements eternally relevant.
i have written many articles which others have disagreed with. i welcome the comments and the disagreements. if i find another persons argument to be convincing i will concede. people of faith tend to remain entrenched in their beliefs and rarely change their minds.
Teachersmith, you ask “please explain the water reference. why did the pre-evangelical church, the early protestant church, the roman catholics and orthodox churches of today not teach nor describe themselves as born again? why does paul not use the term? why does peter, james, jude, luke (acts) not know the term?”
The term born again is biblical,Jesus said it, so to say that the disciples “didn’t know the term” is speculative on your part.
As to why some denominations do not describe themselves as born again, you’d have to ask them, nonetheless…Jesus did say we must be born again.
You say “according to christian theology the kindom of god is not a place it is gods rule. it begins on earth and extends into the future. the kingdom of god is not heaven.”
However,
The Kingdom of God is the Kingdom of God,everything belongs to God,the heavens,the earth,and everything in between.
Jesus told the repentant thief on the cross “Today You Will Be With Me In Paradise” Luke 23:43
His Kingdom is by no means bound to the earth, it consists of all creation, the Bible says to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord, and since the Lord is in heaven, that heaven is part of His Kingdom is self evident
The belief that Christ will set up His Kingdom on Earth for 1,000 years is based on Revelation 20, It states
[1] And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
[2] And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
[3] And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
[4] And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
[5] But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
[6] Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
The water reference is talking about Baptism Teachersmith
The final thing I have to say to you teachersmith is this…When Jesus returns to judge the Quick and The Dead, you will give account for all your persecutory rhetoric,and you will not be able to hide behind the “I’m asking valid questions” guise. Because the fact that you have a persecutory agenda is plain for all to see if they’ve read anything you have written. It is not us Christians you have to answer to, but we will ALL give account to Jesus for what we have done here with our lives,
dear reader, exactly my point. water is baptism and is often not mentioned by born again christians when quoting this passage.
not speculative but factual. the term born again was not known until the evangelical and fundamentalist churches appeared. it is unique to them. catholics, anglicans, orthodox etc. understand baptism to be the moment of your initial salvation then after that it is up to you to remain faithful.
you understanding of the kingdom of god is flawed or at best incomplete. it has little to do with the millenium (also a recent teaching). please go and buy a good theology book and discover what jesus teaches about gods kingdom in the gospels. this is not an attack but a suggestion. increase your knowledge.
Dear john
i have no guise. my points, questions and articles ask and observe that which i see all the time and find odd. most christians believe the bible is gods word but have never read it all. who exactly am i persecuting? i point out the inconsistencies and highlight a lack of understanding and evidence in the ill conceived, uneducated articles i read. others often agree with me, sometimes members of your own flavour of christianity agree with me. no one gets hurt. people dont lose their faith. if some begin to question, doubt and then go and research then all the better. many fail to respond with reasonable and knowledgable criticisms of what i say instead falling back on quoting the bible out of context or by trying to tell me why i am wrong whilst demonstrating their own lack of understanding of their own beliefs.
telling me jesus will come and judge me is not something you know for sure is it? i thought god was the judge and only he knows what is in the hearts of men? why do you seek to make judgements about me based on the little you actually know? are your threats of judgement a substitute for real debate? are you unable to respond so you resort to consoling yourself with the idea that i will one day burn in hell for daring to disagree with you? now dont get mad with me – think about what i am saying and reflect on the comments you and your supporters have made and consider if some of what i am saying may be true.
I have decided to respond one more time Teachersmith, I have actually read the Bible since I was quite young, you saying “most christians believe the bible is gods word but have never read it all.” is again an assumption, as reader said, speculation. Are you inside the mind,hearts and homes of most Christians? No.
As has already been shown through scripture, Jesus HIMSELF said we must be born again, just because that part of the verse is not often quoted doesn’t change the fact that it’s there.
Baptism is also scriptural, but we must be born again,Scripture says we must be born of water and of the Spirit. Accepting Christ as Savior,being baptized, it’s all necessary for Salvation, Scripture states that Jesus will judge us all, so as for your question to me about
“telling me jesus will come and judge me is not something you know for sure is it?” It is actually known for sure, whether you will go to Hell is not known to me, it is dependent on your heart’s condition when you leave this world.
I am not threatening you, just stating what the Bible makes clear. This is a conversation, not a debate, my position is already stated,as is yours.
Catholicism by the way is vastly different from Christianity, Christianity is the faith that Jesus taught, Catholics in fact do things that are found NOWHERE in scripture. Often they do things that are outright condemned by scripture (the practice of praying to idols)….(icons of mary) for one.
Catholics have warped and misconstrued Jesus’ teachings on a number of occasions, in fact from what I have read, the catholics worship the pope, so needless to say, I am more than a little wary of their teachings.
Nobody is taking scripture out of context Teachersmith, you have however abundantly and continuously shown that you do persecute people of faith, questioning is great if it is information and answers you seek, but slapping down the answers you are given will not be beneficial, your antagonistic ways are what most people responding to you are annoyed with. Because at every corner you lash out in sarcasm and spite rather than actually absorbing and pondering what is being told to you.
Anyway I hope I have contributed to this discussion
God Bless
Teachersmith states “not speculative but factual. the term born again was not known until the evangelical and fundamentalist churches appeared.”
However,born again appears in scripture,and I assure you the scriptures were around long before “evangelicals” or “fundamentalists” therefore, that in itself shows that teachersmith is wrong.
And again, revelation 20 makes reference to Christ’s millennial reign so it is not just a “recent teaching” but a Biblical one. Although there are some people who dispute it, it is Biblically sound. (by the way, that is not “out of context” or “flawed” Teachersmith, I researched it before responding to you to make sure I had it in context.)
Take care
This article was meant to minister to those whose hearts are receptive, I appreciate questions, but this is a short note to anyone who is attacking me or my readers, or the Christian faith in general,
(this note is to teachersmith and anyone else that has an itch for debate)
All your persecution,attacks,and debating is futile, because In the End, God gives ample evidence of Himself if you keep your eyes open and your heart tender to hear His guidance. Everyone will give account to Christ, to teachersmith,you asked how you were attacking? Your usual method…baiting and antagonizing. I will not be a party to frivolous debate.
You ask if I “console” myself with the idea that you might burn in Hell for disagreeing with me, and to answer you teachersmith, I would never wish hell on anyone, and you disagreeing with me isn’t the issue.
The issue is your unbelief,honestly it saddens me, I will pray for you that God will open your eyes as He did for Paul.
P.S. Questions will be answered freely, attacks will be marked as spam.
Take care all, and thanks for stopping in.
You will all be in my prayers,
1. your understanding of the kingdom of god is incomplete. read a theology book or two. stop saying the same thing over and over. i do know what i am talking about.
2. i know from first hand experience that many christians have not read the bible through. they pick and choose proof texts. this is not speculative and yes i have been in many christian homes and have known/still know many christians.
3. i am not disputing john 1:3-8 merely pointing out that you have a specific focus on one area not focussed on by other, more traditional churches. the moment of baptism is the moment one enters the kingdom of god and no-one is required to pinpoint a specific born again moment. the passage is better translated born from above or born of the spirit.
4. your understanding of revelation follows the literal, dispensationalist, premillenarian view put forward by the likes of scofield, darby and ryrie. this is not the traditional teaching of the church – it is a recent development.
5. catholicism is christianity – it is by far the largest of all the churches. the teaching of the early church fathers and the early reformers has far more in common with catholicism than evangelicalism and fundamentalism. please read the early church fathers.
6. i do not understand how i am persecuting christians. i have merely disagreed with you, asked you for evidence, pointed out the misunderstandings and lack of understanding of your own beliefs and dared to disagree with you. god help you if you are ever actually persecuted.
7. it is your belief in that which cannot be evidenced in any way that i find disturbing. you ignore anything that causes you to seriously question your beliefs. you perpetuate that which you have been told without a single shred of proof. you lack the ability to be critically objective and examine your own faith based beliefs. although you claim to do your research your articles and comments say different. what do you really know about history, science, geology, etc? a schoolchild knows more about the universe, etc. than the authors of the bible. not a single christian doctrine can be held without having to rely on faith. these are your beliefs they are not tried and tested as true beyond subjective experience. they are therefore open to question and critical analysis.
8. your refusing to be party to a frivolous debate is to concede that on these issues you simply have no answers. i am free to ask you questions which you will, as a self-appointed guardian and teacher of the faith, answer unless they are too close to home then you will simply delete them. what a surprise – a christian with no answers, no evidence and no willingness to engage in real enquiry.
i now leave you with your blinkers firmly on fully expecting this comment to be marked as spam.
Why is teachersmith saying “read a theology book or two” when the Bible tells us what we need to know about the Kingdom of God? Does he have a problem reading and understanding what the Bible says on the subject?
Theologians often come up with their own views, but nonetheless the Bible itself tells us what we need to know.
Any teaching that is not Biblically sound I am skeptical of.
Dear teachersmith, I did not state that I will not discuss, discussion is fine and good, nor will I mark your above comment as spam, I said I would mark attacks as spam,not simple questions or discussion, and the above comment is discussing.
As for the proof and evidence you seek, I will not continue repeating myself. Open your eyes, open your heart that you may see what is plain to see around you.
While conversing with you has been interesting, there have been times that you have attacked(or at least that seemed to be what your goal was) if it was misunderstood and all you were doing was questioning, then I apologize for any misunderstanding but as reader said you do come off somewhat antagonistic.
Discussion is welcome as I said but frivolous and antagonistic debating will be marked as spam. By the way, many have read my articles, and understood them, you are the only one as far as I know that seems to think they lack research ….I leave you to your own thoughts, Take care.
i suggest you read a theology book as better, more educated people have done their research, read the bible in its original languages and can put the texts in their historical context. once you know these things your knowledge is increased and you can offer a fuller contribution. or you could rely entirely on your own understanding which many of you have shown to be lacking and also often not valid. how do you arrive at protestant, evangelical, dispensationalist beliefs such as yours without having ever read a book? how do you bridge the hermeneutical gap? why do you demand your pastors and leaders have attended a seminary?
in fact why do you believe the bible is inspired? the authors of the new testament did not claim that status for their own writings (Timothy could only be referring to the OT) and there are no extant original manuscripts. even if you believe the bible is enough and is inspired how can you prove that? once again you have to concede that even the authors of the bible could not provide evidence of the inspiration of scripture. what chance have you got approx 1800 years later?
dear john why not engage me in a serious co-authored article?
having read the article comments back i do indeed seem to be antagonistic. i think this is possibly because i find your beliefs somewhat incredulous and get straight to the point. this does seem to come across as antagonistic but it is not meant to be. you need to also consider that my comments could seem worse than they actually are to you as they call your cherished beliefs into questions and that itself evokes a emotional reaction.
My pastor all ways say always read your bible for yourself. If you dont trust or agree with what someone has to see study Gods word thats what the bible is for. I love the article thanks for sharing the bible say God is not the author of confusion folks lets keep this in mind. God bless you all in Jesus name Amen. pray for the teacher