Firstborn Sonship of Christ
Vol 24 No 10
October 1999
The New Birth
Series Number: 12
This is article twelve on this subject. The titles of the articles have been changed as indicated below:
1. Resurrection, a Birth
November 1998
2. Jesus Christ, Born Again
December 1998
3. Travailing in Birth
January 1999
4. Slave Sonship
February 1999
5. Dichotomy of Sonships
March 1999
6. Hebrew Dichotomy
April 1999
7. You have Come to Mount
Zion,
May 1999
8. Partaking of Christ, a Birth,
June 1999
9. Eating Christ's Flesh & Drinking His Blood,
July 1999
10. Partaking of Christ's resurrection Likeness,
August 1999
11. Partaking of Christ, a Future Promise,
September 1999
Each reader is encouraged to read each of the above articles in order before reading this article. These articles are available upon request, and are being put into book form as soon as conveniently possible.
JOHN CHAPTER THREE
SO IS EVERYONE WHO IS BORN OF THE SPIRIT
1 "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life
2 "The life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal (divine) life which was with the Father and was manifested to us," 1Jn 1:1-2.
16 "Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.
17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new," 2Co 5:16-17.
What Paul and John, through inspiration, had in mind is demonstrated below.
8 "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. SO IS EVERYONE WHO IS BORN OF THE SPIRIT," Jn 3:8.
Two of Jesus' disciples were walking along the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus on the day of Jesus' resurrection. They appeared to be sad, somewhat excited, but very much perplexed.
15 "So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them.
16 "But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him," Lk 24:15-16.
Jesus asked them why they were so sad and about what they were talking. They asked Him if He were a stranger in Jerusalem and had not heard what had happened there the last few days. They explained how Jesus had been crucified and buried, but this was the third day since and there was a rumor that He was alive.
25 "Then He said to them, ‘O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!
26 "'Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?'
27 "And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.
28 "Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther.
29 "But they constrained Him, saying, ‘Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.' And He went in to stay with them.
30 "Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.
31 "Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight," Lk 24:25-31.
Suddenly Jesus vanished out of their sight. Where did He go? They could thoroughly search the house, the yard, the community, but Jesus had just plain vanished. They could search all they wanted, but they would not find Jesus, because He had suddenly and completely vanished. Jesus now had a deified, spirit, heavenly body. His human body had been born of God from the dead, and it was now a supernatural, divine body, born of the Spirit of God.
8 "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit," Jn 3:8.
After His resurrection Jesus had ascended to heaven to present Himself before the Father on behalf of this new creation of His firstborn sonship, Jn 20:17. Then Christ descended back to earth and spent forty days with the disciples:
3 "To whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God," Act 1:3.
These two disciples to whom Jesus appeared in Emmaus were very excited, and rushed back to Jerusalem to tell the others.
32 "And they said to one another, ‘Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?'
33 "So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together,
34 "Saying, ‘The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!'
35 "And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread.
36 "Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, ‘Peace to you,'" Lk 24:32-36.
Now Jesus suddenly appears again, fully visible to the whole group. Jesus did not come through the door and walk past some of them to get into the "midst of them." He did not come through a window or through the roof. He just suddenly appeared right in the midst of them, as we say, "out of nowhere."
8 "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit," Jn 3:8.
John 3 speaks of the resurrection birth of the human body, showing the kind of body it is. It is not the birth of man's spirit, but the second birth of both body and spirit, with emphasis on the body. Observe as we continue.
37 "But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit.
38 "And He said to them, ‘Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts?
39 "'Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have FLESH AND BONES as you see I have.'
40 "When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet.
41 "But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, ‘Have you any food here?'
42 "So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb.
43 "And He took it and ate in their presence," Lk 24:39-43.
8 "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit," Jn 3:8.
REPEAT:
39 "Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have."
John 3 is explicitly speaking of the resurrection birth of the body – "flesh and bones. A spirit does not have flesh and bones, as Jesus' resurrection body has. Jesus' human body was born of the divine Holy Spirit, and thereby was born into a divine (spirit, heavenly) body from above as 1Co 15:44-50 describes.
This is not a birth of the human spirit at first faith. There is nothing in John 3 that indicates a birth of the human spirit. Quite to the contrary, verse 8 convincingly establishes a perfect and beautiful harmony with the resurrection birth of Christ's human body, as described 1Co 15:44-50 and in Christ's resurrection appearances. Our forefathers in the faith were cunningly deceived by Satan into accepting a born again at first faith Protestant doctrine, which is not the doctrine of Christ. As a result we are about to abort the firstborn sonship and lose the Father and the Son, 2Jn 9.
24 "Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.
25 "The other disciples therefore said to him, ‘We have seen the Lord.' So he said to them, ‘Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.'
26 "And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, ‘Peace to you!'
27 "Then He said to Thomas, ‘Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.'
28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, ‘My Lord and my God!"' Jn 20:24-28.
8 "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is every one who is born of the Spirit," Jn 3:8.
After eight days the disciples were together again, and Thomas was with them – he was not with them the first time. The other disciples told Thomas how Jesus had appeared to them, but he said, "Except I shall see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe," Jn 20:25.
Then with, "the doors being shut," Jesus again suddenly stood in the midst of them. "Then said He to Thomas, "Reach hither your finger, and behold My hands; and reach hither your hand, and thrust it into My side: and be not faithless, but believing," Jn 20:27.
Nails cannot pierce the hands of a spirit, nor can a spear pierce the side of a spirit. Jesus's spirit left His body while the body was still nailed to the cross. Now, however, Jesus' body had been raised (born again) from the dead into a deified body. That born again, divine body could take on a physical, tangible form with flesh and bones, or be invisible and intangible.
A divine (born again) body can be:
1. Tangible and visible or invisible, as in the scriptures above.
2. Intangible and visible or in-visible, as in the scriptures above.
3. Pass through walls and other physical objects, as in the scriptures above.
4. Shine like a light, like the sun, and the stars of heaven, Dan 12:3; Mt 13:4.
5. Burn with blazing fire without the least injury of any kind, 2Th 1:8. Fire is an attribute of God, (Dan 7:9-10: Heb 1:7 – plus all the other divine attributes of God.
8 "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit," Jn 3:8.
When Jesus ascended back to heaven, He stood before His disciples teaching and comforting them in a born again, deified body. When He finished talking to them, He began gracefully to lift into the air and ascended into heaven in a cloud as the disciples gazed at Him, Act 1. Neither gravity, nor oxygen, nor distance, nor anything else had any power over His divine born again body.
Likewise, when Jesus comes again in His born again, deified body, He will come in flaming fire, 2Th 1:9; Heb 1:7. Fire is one of God's attributes (Dan 7:9; Heb 12:29), an attribute of angels (2Th 1:9; Heb 11:7) and will be an attribute of the saints after the resurrection birth into the fullness of God's divine essence, Eph 1:22-23; 3:19; Col 2:9-10; Jn 17:21-23.
8 "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit," Jn 3:8.
This verse (Jn 3:8) reveals unequivocally that John 3:3-8 is addressing the resurrection birth of the bodies of the faithful covenant people, which is credited to us in water baptism, and will be actually experienced in the resurrection when Christ returns, IF indeed we are faithful and hold fast to the end, 1Co 15:1-2; Heb 3:14 (6-19); et al.
During those 40 days between His resurrection and His ascension, Christ showed by many convincing proofs (Act 1:3), not only that He was alive, but also demonstrated what the divine kingdom of God is like.
3 "To whom He also showed Himself alive after His suffering, by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God," Act 1:3.
"In the twinkling of an eye," the body of Christ was "born again" in His resurrection. His body instantan-eously experienced an astronomical metamorphosis from an earthy human body into a glorious (divine, spirit) heavenly body, 1Co 15:44-52. This divine new birth of the body is what the faithful covenant people will experience when Christ returns. We have this new birth now only in a metaphor of being the body of Christ which body is no longer a mere human body, 2Co 5:16-17.
How else can we understand John 3:3-8? Jesus said, "If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?" Jn 3:12.
Nicodemus and all the Jews were looking for an earthly kingdom and for an earthly Messiah who would sit on the earthly throne of David, Lk 19:11.
Nicodemus said, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" (Jn 3:4), as a physical being?
Nicodemus did not understand the heavenly, divine application of the whole person (spirit and body) being divinely "born again" of the Spirit. Although Nicodemus was trying to think of a new birth of the body, he did not understand the heavenly new birth application to John 3:8. He was thinking of flesh being born of flesh, but did not understand that the flesh body can be born of the Holy Spirit and become both spirit and divine – a new kind of heavenly body raised in Christ's resurrection likeness.
The Lord's covenant people now have John 3:3-8 turned inside-out with the spirit of man being born again at first faith and the body not being born at all. Tradition has the body glorified when Christ returns, but not born again. You never hear of the glorified body being called a born again body. In traditional preaching the glorification of the body is never addressed as a birth. That would create three births: 1) The birth of both body and spirit from our parents, 2) A birth of our spirit at first faith, and 3) A birth of our body when Christ returns.
The real truth of the matter is there is no real birth at all at first faith or even at the time of water baptism, though there are many, many types and ceremonial (pictorial) representations and scriptures in both Old and New Testaments of "partaking of Christ" (a divine birth) when Christ returns. John 3:3-8 is clearly speaking of the new birth of the whole person (specifically the body) which will take place in the resurrection for the faithful covenant people.
With this introduction to John 3, we will now look at the beginning of the chapter verse by verse.
1 "There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews," Jn 3:1.
Nicodemus was a member of the Sanhedrin and should have known the Scriptures better, but like most all the Jews he understood little of the mysteries of the kingdom of God, Mt 13. Even the disciples (apostles) of Jesus after working very closely with Jesus and being daily taught by Him for over three years, did not understand many things they should have understood, Jn 16:12. The crucifixion, death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, for instance, were demonstrated many times every day in the offering of animal sacrifices. This lack of spiritual understanding of the Scriptures did not preclude Nicodemus from being a true believer and therefore a saved person in covenant standing with God.
2 "This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him," Jn 3:2.
Nicodemus believed God to be the God of Moses, a God of great miracles in Egypt, at the Red Sea, at Mount Sinai, and in the wilderness – the God who delivered Israel so many times with great miraculous works, the God of Noah, of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, of Joseph, Moses, and Joshua, of Samuel, David, and Daniel. He said "we KNOW that You are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these miracles that you are doing unless God is with Him."
Nicodemus believed in God as the God of great miracles, as the God of godly men through whom He worked great miracles. He believed that Jesus was such a man of God, and that God was working through Him as a mighty servant of God. He was firmly convinced that no one could do such great miracles that Jesus was doing unless God was using that man.
Nicodemus also knew the animosity the Sanhedrin had toward Jesus. He was well aware of the religious and political power the Sanhedrin had, therefore he came to Jesus by night. What little the Scriptures have to say about Nicodemus portrays him as an honest, God-fearing, and devout man. As a result, though Nicodemus feared the power of the Sanhedrin, he rose to the occasion and came to Jesus by night. His spirit moved him to seek out Jesus in the face of great danger and talk with Him personally. What righteous man or woman would not do so?
The two disciples of John (Jn 1:36-41) did so, and they were already saved and already baptized by John. A covenant woman with an issue of blood for twelve years did so as she struggled through a large crowd to get to Jesus, Mk 5:25-34. A Roman centurion did so and Jesus marveled at his great faith, Mt 8:5-10. Two blind men did so as they followed Jesus crying out to Him for help, Mt 9:27-29. A Gentile woman did so as she continued to cry after Jesus to cast the demon out her daughter, and Jesus said "great is your faith," Mt 15:21-28. At what point did these people have true, genuine faith? Nicodemus had faith in God and faith that Jesus was a proper servant of that God. At what point was Nicodemus' faith sufficient for him to be saved?
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,.
4 "Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" Jn 3:3-4.
Very simply, there are two Adams: the first Adam, and the second Adam. Likewise, there are two bodies: the body of the first Adam is an earthy, mere human body from below; while the body of the second Adam is an heavenly, spirit, divine body from above, 1Co 15;44-50.
Why are there TWO ADAMS?There is an initial and necessary similarity: they both have human bodies; the first Adam was created with a human body, while the second Adam was necessarily born into the human body of the first Adam in order to provide redemption for the first Adam and his descendants. This redemption has two very different and final applications:
1. Redemption from the Fallen State of the First Adam and His Descendants.
On the new earth there will be many nations of saved people who will never be permitted to enter the New Jerusalem. These nations will be descendants of the first Adam who failed to qualify for the firstborn sonship of Christ. These nations will be made up partly of saved people who were never in covenant standing with God. However, these nations will also include the slave sons or illegitimate (non-covenant) sons who were in covenant standing but who failed to endure the covenant disciplinary training and hence failed to qualify for the firstborn sonship of Christ (Gal 4:19-31; 5:1-4; Heb 12:8) – see earlier articles on the firstborn sonship of Christ. Furthermore, the people of those nations on the new earth will never receive glorified new birth bodies – a later article will be devoted to the subject of glorification. These people will forever be mere human beings – a race of first Adam's descendants only, who will be forever enslaved to the physical laws of the universe.
2. Redemption into a Divine State of Being.
In His resurrection, Christ created a "new man" – a new (kainos) race of mankind, a divine man, filled with all the fullness (all the attributes) of the divine essence of God.
10 "For we are His workmanship, created IN Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.....
13 "But now IN Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.
14 "For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,
15 "By abolishing in His flesh the Law (Covenant) with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create IN Himself one new (kind of) man out of the two, thus making peace,
16 "And IN (the sphere of) this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which He put to death their hostility," Eph 2:1-,13-16.
The "new man" is created "IN Christ Jesus," "IN one body," not outside of Christ, not outside the body of Christ. People outside the body of Christ are not reconciled to God because the middle wall of partition between the first Adam and the second Adam is not broken down outside the body of Christ. Saved people are still "Gentiles" outside the body of Christ, Mt 18:17; Rom 11:11-22; Rev 21:23-26. The middle wall of partition also represents, for one thing, the mere flesh body versus the deified spirit body, Gal 4:19-31; 5:1-5; Col 2:20-21; 3:1-10; Heb 10:19.
The "new man" is created "IN Christ Jesus," "IN His flesh," "IN Himself," "IN one body." Christ is currently the only one who possesses the "new man." We must still "put off" the old man, and "put on" the new man. If we were already really born again, we would not have to be "putting off" the old man, and "putting on" the new man. Conversely, if we are daily putting off the old man and putting on the new man by the constant renewing of our minds (Rom 12:1-2; Eph 4:22-24; Col 3:1-10-32); if we are constantly feeding on Christ's flesh and blood (Jn 6:27-68); and if we with unveiled face, are constantly beholding the glory of the Lord (by feeding on His Word, Mt 4:4) and are thereby being constantly transformed in the same image (of Christ) from glory to glory (2Co 3:17-18); then we will be born again into the glorious divine image of Christ in the resurrection when Christ returns.
The slave sons, the illegitimate sons, the non-covenant sons, the other than firstborn sons, even the nations on the new earth in flesh bodies will not have access into the presence of God for they will not be firstborn sons in divine bodies. We must daily qualify through covenant disciplinary training for the new birth transformation (metamorphosis) into the deified resurrection likeness of Christ in order to have access into the presence of God. Again, this is done by being members of the freshly slain and living (deified) body of Christ, Heb 10:19-20.
Please observe God's own description of the new birth of the second Adam in the following verses:
44 "It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
45 "And so it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
46 "However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual.
47 "The first man (first Adam) was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man (second Adam) is the Lord from heaven.
48 "As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly.
49 "And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.
50 "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption," 1Co 15:50.
But this will be true only of those who stand fast in the Word of the Gospel, 1Co 15:1-2; Heb 3:6-19; et al.
Christ was born ONLY TWICE: He was born first into the earthy body of the first Adam; He was born the second time into a divine body, and thereby creating another human race – a divine human race. God has not provided three births for His faithful covenant people: we have all been born first (both body and spirit) into the natural state of the first Adam. In the resurrection the faithful covenant people will be born again (both body and spirit) into the divine state of being of the second Adam. Possessing all the attributes of God requires the deification of the human spirit as well as the body.
The mind is an integral part of the spirit, as the brain is an integral part of the body. The mind and the spirit are one entity out of the body (Lk 16:19-31; Rev 6:9-11), and are one entity with the body when in the body. To say that the "soul" (psyche) is a third part of man, making man a threefold being, is equivalent to saying that the man's "heart," "soul,' "mind," and "strength" (Lk 10:27) require man to be a fivefold or sixfold being instead of a twofold being.
The Son of God was born into the earthy body of the first Adam in order to:
1. Become the Son of Man – "in the likeness of men," Phi 2:7.
God's purpose was and is to take of the lowest of His intelligent creatures and elevate them to the highest state of created beings, and do so within the firstborn sonship of Christ. To do so, the Son of God had to become a man. This was the first birth for Christ.
2. Live a Perfect Life as a Man to Reveal God's Attributes.
God permitted man to be tempted and sin in order to demonstrate His attributes of love, compassion, mercy, patience, holiness, justice, etc., otherwise we would never know the riches of the fullness and the essence of God's divine nature.
The attributes of God were somewhat manifested through the human flesh body of Christ, but will be manifest fully through the divine body He received in His resurrection birth.
3. Live a Perfect Life as a Man to Learn Obedience through Suffering, Heb 5:8-9.
As the example for the faithful covenant people in human bodies, Christ learned obedience by the things He suffered. We must learn the discipline of holiness by the disciplinary training under God's covenants, Heb 12. This covenant training affects every facet of our lives every day of our lives. God is the Author of everything that happens to us, and His purpose is that we learn to handle all the problems of life and how to govern in such an environment.
4. Live a Perfect Life as a Man to Provide a Way of Redemption from Sin into a Sinless State of Existence for the New Earth, the Nations on the New Earth, etc.
God's redemption plan obviously includes a new earth "wherein dwells righteousness," 2Pe 3:13. That would not be the case if Satan, all evil spirits, and evil men were permitted to live wicked, sinful lives forever all over the new earth. If sinful creatures fill the new earth, then sin and death are over all the face of the new earth also.
Furthermore, Christ is to reign through the Millennium and put down all enemies, including sin and death at the end of the Millennium, 1Co 15:21-38. It would not appear that all enemies have been put down if the new earth should be filled with sin and death, evil spirits, and with sinful mankind.
To say that the whole face of the new earth outside the New Jerusalem will be the lake of fire, and that Satan, fallen angels, the Antichrist, the False Prophet, and all unre-penting mankind will dwell everywhere outside the New Jerusalem forever is contrary to the Scriptures.
5. Live a Perfect Life as a Man to Provide a Way of Redemption from Sin into the Divine State of Glory for the Faithful Covenant People, Rom 3:23; 2Pe 1:3; 2Th 2:14; Isa 43:21; 1Pe 2:9.
The purpose of God in the beginning was that the covenant people faithfully endure God's covenant discipline and thereby qualify for the glory and fullness of Godhood within the firstborn sonship of Christ. "This people I have formed for Myself; They shall declare My praise," Isa 43:21; 1Pe 2:9.
6. Create a New Kind of Man to Replace the First Adam Who Failed in the Pursuit of this Unique Firstborn Sonship of Christ Offered through the Covenants.
The first Adam and all his descendants have sinned and have come short of the glory of God, and thereby have initially aborted the divine firstborn sonship which God offered and is still offering through the covenants. When the first Adam sinned all his descendants sinned in him, and God has demonstrated through the covenants, especially the Law Covenant, that man in his natural state cannot qualify for the divine firstborn sonship created by Christ in His resurrection birth into a divine human body.
It is true that a man cannot enter again into his mother's womb and be born a second time into a divine state of being. However, he can enter into the womb of the crucifixion, death, and burial of the old man (the sinful first Adam) and then be raised in a divine birth of this human body into the spirit (heavenly, divine) body in the second Adam.
The human body that Jesus received from Mary in a human birth underwent a metamorphosis birth into a divine body in Christ's resurrection from the dead. According to the purpose of the Father and by the work of the Holy Spirit, the body of Jesus experienced a divine birth into a divine state of being, so that the body of Christ also now possesses all the essence of the divine fullness Col 1:15,18; Rev 1:5; 1Co 15:44-50; Heb 1:5-6; 5:5; Col 2:9. After this manner, the Father created the firstborn sonship of Christ, according to His purpose from before the foundation of the world, Eph 1:11; 3:11; 1Pe 1:18-20; Act 2:22-35.
And from the time of Adam's creation, God has been offering this divine sonship through the covenants. Though the first Adam sinned and initially forfeited the divine firstborn sonship, God's purpose provided for a redemption plan through a revised covenant with the first Adam and his descendants. This redemption plan, included in the revised covenant with Adam (and is the heart of all the covenants), provides the promise of a second Adam to be born out of the descendants of the first Adam. This second Adam would perfectly fulfil all the covenant requirements, pay the sin debt of all mankind, and in His resurrection create and inherit the divine firstborn sonship initially forfeited by the first Adam and his descendants.
The new birth lies in the resurrection birth of the body of Christ – a new kind of divine, spirit body from above. In His resurrection, Christ was born again – born a second time. His first birth as a human was the virgin birth as a human birth. Then Christ's body was born again into a divine state when He was raised out of the grave and became the Firstborn from the dead, Col 1:15,16; Rev 1:5; Act 13:30-33; Heb 1:5-6; 5:5. We must be "born again" in the resurrection of our bodies as Christ was born again in the resurrection of His body. We must be born again in order for our bodies to enter and experience the divine kingdom of God made up only of divine beings.
5 "Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God ," Jn 3:5.
In the eleven foregoing articles on the firstborn sonship of Christ, we have repeatedly demonstrated that the "new birth" will take place in the resurrection when Christ returns. Water baptism is a picture of the resurrection of the body. It is in the resurrection that the bodies of the faithful covenant people will be glorified (deified, born of the Spirit). The glorification of the human body requires a birth of the body as described in 1Co 15:44-50 (See again, Col 1;18; Rev 1:5; Act 13:30-33; Heb 1:5-6; 5:5.
No one is born again at the time of water baptism, but God counts certain "things which be not, as though they were," Rom 4:17. Baptism is a picture of the new birth which will take place in the resurrection, and even though we were not born again in baptism, God counts (reckons, credits) us as though we were born again in baptism which metaphorically pictures us as being baptized into the deified body of Christ. Therefore we were metaphorically baptized into the crucifixion, death, burial, and divine resurrection birth of the body of Christ, Rom 6:2-13; 7:4-6; 1Co 12;12-13; Gal 3:27; Col 2:11-13; 1Pe 1:3-5; 3:21.
It is on the basis of this metaphoric birth (in water baptism) that we received the Holy Spirit – the Spirit was not given until Pentecost because Christ's body was not glorified (deified) until His resurrection from the dead, Jn 7:39. The church was counted (credited) as being the body of Christ before His crucifixion (Mt 26:26-28); therefore, when Christ was crucified, the church, as the body of Christ, was counted (reckoned, credited) by God as being crucified together with and in the body of Christ, dying together with and in the body of Christ, being buried together with and in the body of Christ, and being raised together with and in the body of Christ. In this resurrection together with and in the body of Christ, the bodies of the members of the church are credited by God as being "born again" together with and in the body of Christ in the resurrection birth of the body of Christ, Rom 6:2-13-23; 7:4-6; 8:1-13; Col 2:9–3:11; et al.
The body of Christ therefore being deified (born again), the bodies of the members of the church, as the members of the born again (deified) body of Christ, were and are also counted (Rom 4:17) as being deified (born again as firstborn deified sons) together with Christ. On this basis, the Holy Spirit was given to the members of the church on Pentecost (Gal 4:4-6; Rom 8:23-30) and is given to true believers now when they are baptized into the deified body of Christ, Act 2:38; 19:1-3; 1Co 12:13; et al.
Being born of water in Jn 3:5 refers to water baptism, which is a picture of the new birth which will take place in the resurrection. Being born of the Spirit in Jn 3:5 refers to the real new birth of our bodies into divine, spirit bodies in the resurrection when Christ returns. Of course, our spirits will also undergo a divine birth along with our bodies when Christ returns – this feature will be discussed in a later article.
WASHING OF REGENERATION WASHING OF NEW BIRTH
5 "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration (the new birth) and renewing of the Holy Spirit," Titus 3:5.
The word for "washing" is from loutron/ (loutron), which means a whole body washing – not washing a part of the body, but washing the whole body. There is only one ceremonial "washing" ordinance in the New Covenant, and that is water baptism. John 13 gives us precisely the explanation we need, then we will follow it through the New Testament and at a later date in the Old Testament.
After eating the Passover, eating the Lord's Supper, and establishing it as a New Covenant ordinance, Jesus
4 "Rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself.
5 "After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.
6 "Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, are You washing my feet?'"
7 "Jesus answered and said to him, ‘What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.'
8 "Peter said to Him, ‘You shall never wash my feet!' Jesus answered him, ‘If I do not wash you, you have NO PART with Me,'" Jn 13:4-8.
Peter did not understand what Jesus was doing. Of course, Jesus was teaching humility, but Peter's actions brought out a much deeper meaning in this than the wonderful and necessary virtue of humility. Also, of course, washing the hands and feet of the priests under the Law Covenant signified the cleansing of daily sins for daily ministering in the holy service of God in the tabernacle and temple. And this washing of the hands and feet at the laver was so exceedingly serious and necessary that without it the priest would be immediately killed by the Lord, Ex 30:17-21. In the case of Jesus washing the disciples feet, Jesus said, "If I do not wash you (your feet), you have no part with Me."
Failing to wash their hands and feet as they ministered in the tabernacle or temple meant death. Such a death was a type of what Jesus warned Peter. It meant being cut off from the covenants and the covenant people. Every promise in the covenants related to Christ and His firstborn sonship. Having "no part" with Christ meant Peter would be cut off from Christ and have "NO PART" with Christ in His firstborn sonship. Peter did not understand this matter yet, but he wasted no time in trying to correct his words and actions:
9 "Simon Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!'
10 "Jesus said to him, ‘He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you,'" Jn 13:9-10.
Here Jesus gives us the key to the Old Testament whole body washing ceremonies. We will discuss only the New Covenant application in this article. This key aids to unlock our understanding to the "earthly things" versus "heavenly things" about which Jesus spoke to Nicodemus – the mystery of godliness in its broader sweep, Jn 3:12; 1Ti 3:16; Eph 3:8-11.
The word translated "wash" is from ni,ptw (nipto), which is used when washing a part of the body such as hands and feet. However, the word translated "bathe" (louw, louo) is used when addressing the washing of the whole body.
Jesus was washing the disciples' hands and feet, and when Peter asked him to wash his whole body, Jesus said you have already had your whole body washed. Jesus was talking specifically about John's baptism – there is no other whole body washing in the New Covenant. Jesus washing their hands and feet signified a daily cleansing from daily sins, while the whole body washing addressed the once for all purging of the whole body from sin, which will take place in the resurrection, but is symbolized in water baptism which is never re-peated if it is truly John's baptism.
Aaron and his sons had their whole body washed at the laver before the tabernacle when they were ordained into the Law Covenant priesthood, Deu 29:4; Lev 8:5-6. The ordination of the New Covenant priesthood was and is by John's baptism – all church members are priests of God within the New Covenant priesthood. John's baptism is a whole body washing and is required for initiation into the New Covenant priesthood. This whole body washing is necessarily followed by the daily washing of the hands and feet which represented daily cleansing from daily sins, Ex 30:19-20. This is the spiritual meaning of washing the feet in John 13. Let us follow this whole body washing through the New Testament.
11 "And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God," 1Co 6:11.
The word washed is from "louw" (louo), addressing the whole body washing of water baptism. No saved person is washed from all of life's sins at initial faith. One is saved from hell at first faith, and forgiven of all sins related to salvation from hell, Ps 19:1-6; Jn 1:9; Act 14:16-17; 17:24
-28; Rom 1:20; Rev 21:23-26; et al. However, the sins of the daily life must be confessed and forgiven many, many times throughout the Christian's lifetime, and can be confessed and forgiven only as one walks in the light in the body of Christ after John's baptism, Lk 7:29-30; Col 2:11-13; 1Jn 1:5-7.
26 "That He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the Word," Eph 5:26.
The word for "washing" is from "loutrw/" (loutro), again signifying John's baptism – a whole body washing, specifically in connection with the laver in front of the tabernacle. This is the whole body washing of John's baptism required for ordination to the New Covenant priesthood.
5 "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit," Ti 3:5.
Here also the word for washing is "loutrou/," and again signifying a whole body washing, specifically in connection with the laver before the tabernacle. Once more, this is the whole body washing of John's baptism required for ordination of the New Covenant priesthood. This washing is specifically called a "washing of regeneration" (washing of new birth), a ceremonial and pictorial washing of the new birth. No one is literally born of God in baptism; however, baptism metaphorically joins one to the deified (glorified) body of Christ. And on the 6basis of the body of Christ being glorified (deified), the Holy Spirit is given to the church, Jn 7:39; Rom 8:23; Gal 4:4-6. The Holy Spirit is "ONE" with deity, and therefore is given to each member of the church because each member of the church is metaphorically counted as deified members of the deified body of Christ, Rom 6:2-13; Col 2:9 thru 3:11; Eph 2:10-16; 4:11-24.
22 "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water," Heb 10:22.
The word "washed" is louo, and in this context means the whole body washing of John's water baptism. John's baptism prepared people for the establishing of the church, and in turn, the church became the repository of John's baptism, the repository of the essence of the deified body of Christ, and the repository of the New Covenant and all its promises. After the church was establish, John's baptism became the initiatory ordinance into the church, into the body of Christ (into Christ), and into the New Covenant and all the New Covenant promises. One must have this whole body washing, this baptism into Christ to share in the new birth of Christ's deified body, 2Jn 9; 1Jn 2:23-25; 5:6-13.
This whole body washing is specifically called "a washing of new birth" (Ti 3:5), and is also addressed as a " Eph 5:26. It is not the whole body washing of baptism, but the Word of God that joins one to Christ by scriptural water baptism. It is the "by grace through faith" obedience to the Word, and the Word requires John's baptism by grace through faith, Lk 7:29-30; Col 2:11-17,19-21. Without this baptism the saved person cannot be joined to Christ, Rom 6:5 (3-5); 1Co 12:13; Gal 3:27.
This whole body washing of baptism metaphorically joins one into the deified body of Christ, Rom 6:3-5 (2-13); 7:4-6; 1Co 6:15-17; 12:13; Gal 3:27; Eph 2:10-16; 4:11-24; Col 2:9 thru 3:11. The baptized person is thereby counted as crucified, dead, buried, and raised as a deified member of the glorified (deified) body of Christ, which qualifies one for receiving the Holy Spirit. This is precisely what Jesus had and still has in mind in John 3:5 (3-8).
JOINED TO THE DEIFIED BODY OF CHRIST
27 "Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually," 1Co 12:27.
We must become very thoroughly aware and constantly conscious that the church is not literally the body of Christ, but that the above verse and a vast number of others like it use a figure of speech called a "metaphor." Metaphorically the church is the body of Christ. Webster defines a metaphor as:
"A figure of speech containing an implied comparison, in which a word or phrase ordinarily and primarily used of one thing is applied to another (Ex.: the curtain of night, all the world's a stage)."
The church being called the human body of Christ and the members of the church being called the members of the human body of Christ is a prime example of a metaphor. Church members being called "sheep," (Jn 10), and "living stones," (1Pe 2:5), are also prime examples of metaphors.
".....as He (Christ) IS, so are we in this world," 1Jn 4:17. As Christ is, so we are counted to be in the world. Christ now possesses a resurrected divine (spirit, heavenly) body (1Co 15:44-50) – a new kind of human body, the "new man," Eph 2:10-16; 4:11–24; Col 2:9 thru 3:11. And our bodies as members of that deified body of Christ are counted as also being deified. We must erase the inherently latent or hidden thought or impression we have that we are corrupt, sinful members of the mere flesh body of Christ. Christ's body is now a born again, deified body, possessing all the attributes of God's divine nature, Col 2:9. We are to know Him no longer in a mere flesh body.
14 "For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died," 2Co 5:14.
The passage is not speaking of all mankind, but of all who are in the deified body of Christ, as Rom 6:3-5 says that we were baptized into His death. "Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?, Rom 6:3.
We were not literally baptized into Christ's death. However, the church was organized by Christ before His crucifixion and death, and was metaphorically counted as the body of Christ before His crucifixion, Mt 26:26-28. When Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper, He blessed the bread and said "this is My body," signifying that the bread represented His human body. And He also said the fruit of the vine represented His the blood of His human, flesh body.
Thus the church was metaphorically recognized as the body of Christ before the cross, and therefore the church as His body was counted to have been crucified as His body, died as His body, buried as His body, and raised and born again into a divine state of being as His body. In this same metaphor, the bodies of all the members of the church, being counted as members of the human body of Christ, were counted to have been crucified, died, been buried, raised and born again into a divine state of being as members of His body.
15 "And He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again," 2Co 5:15.
Jesus died for all mankind, but He died for the covenant people in a special way. Not all of mankind are counted as having been crucified, having died, been buried, and raised to divine life in the body of Christ, but only those in covenant relationship in a true church who are counted as one with Him in His divine body.
16 "Therefore, from now on, we regard no one (in the body of Christ) according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer," 2Co 5:16.
Again we emphasize that we must erase our natural impression that the members of the body of Christ are corrupt members of a mere flesh body of Christ. Our bodies are counted by God as deified members of the deified body of Christ – the church (therefore the bodies of all church members) is counted as having been crucified together with Christ's, having died together with, having been buried together with Christ, and having been raised into a deified state of being together with and in the body of Christ, 2Co 5:14-17.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new," 2Co 5:17.
Keep in mind, the passage is speaking of the resurrection of the body of Christ into a deified (new birth) state of being, and of the members of the body of Christ as metaphorically being raised as deified members of Christ's deified body (requiring the new birth to be a metaphoric new birth). We no longer know Christ in a mere human, flesh body, but we know Him in a spirit (heavenly, divine) body. As He now is, so we are counted to be in the world, 1Jn 4:17.
10 "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them," Eph 2:10.
This "new man" was not created outside the body of Christ, but within the sphere of Christ's body, as the following verses clearly establish.
13 "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 "For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation,
15 "Having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man (one new kind of man) from the two, thus making peace,
16 "And that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity," Eph 2:13-16.
These verses clearly state that the new creation, the new man, is a new kind of man, and is created in one body – that is, the flesh (now deified) body of Christ, of which we are metaphorically counted as being the members
24 "And that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness," Eph 4:24.
10 "And have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him," Col 3:10.
9 "For in Him is dwelling all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;
10 "And you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power," Col 2:9-10.
The "new man" is the new spirit (heavenly, deified) body of Christ, and we being metaphorically that same body of Christ, have that same fullness (the new man, created in the image of God) and metaphorically possess His fullness of deity in the body of Christ.
3 "Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?
4 "Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."
Metaphorically, we were baptized into the deified body of Christ and therefore were baptized into His crucifixion, death, burial, and resurrection into a deified state of being. We are thereby metaphorically the "the new man" "to walk in newness of life" – a new (kainos) kind of life.
5 "For if we have been united together (joined together and grow together) in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection," Rom 6:3-5.
The words "united together" are from su,mfutos, (sumphotos), a composite word: su,m means "together," and fuo means "to grow." The verse should be translated, "For if we have been united (joined) together and have grown together in the likeness of His death, we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection."
Metaphorically, baptism unites (joins) us to the body of Christ. This is where and how we became members of the body of Christ – joined into the body of Christ as members of His body.
In the Scriptures the church is metaphorically called (compared to) the deified body of Christ. "Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer," 2Co 5:16.
This simply means we are not to consider the members of the body of Christ as corrupt members of the deified body of Christ, but rather as deified members of the deified body of Christ – a "new creation,"
15 "Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not!
16 "Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For "the two," He says, "shall become one flesh."
17 "But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him," 1Co 6:15-17.
The word "take" in verse 15 is from a;iro (airo), the same word used in Jn 15:2, and means to take away, which in this case requires a severing (a cutting off) from Christ. The members of Christ's body are metaphorically joined to Christ's body as the members of our body are literally joined to our body. And Rom 6:3-5 explicitly state that God's Word through the ordinance is what joins us to Christ, as deified members of the deified body of Christ to "walk in newness of life" and to "grow together" – grow up into Christ, Eph 4:15-16.
BACK TO JOHN 3
6 "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 "Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again,'" Jn 3:6-7.
Our first birth included a flesh body, hence we have flesh bodies. In the resurrection, the flesh bodies of the faithful covenant people will be born of the Spirit as Christ's flesh body was born of the Spirit, 1Co 15:44-50. As Christ's flesh body in His resurrection was born of the Spirit, and thereby became a spirit (divine, heavenly) body, born again from above, so the flesh bodies of the faithful covenant people will be born of the Spirit and will become spirit (divine, heavenly) bodies – born again from above.
To enter and inherit the divine kingdom of God, we must be born again into divine bodies. There is no other way to receive the divine body except by divine birth in the resurrection when Christ returns.
8 "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. SO IS EVERYONE WHO IS BORN OF THE SPIRIT," Jn 3:8.
What possible application can this verse have to our spirit when applied only to our spirit? The verse makes no sense under that application. The spirit of man, by God's will, is held prisoner within the human body and is subject to the physical functions of the body, including the physical functions of the human brain which is a part of the flesh body.
The human body is called the "house" of the human spirit (2Co 5:1-8), is designed to complete the personality of the human spirit (2Co 5; 1Th 4:13-18; 1Co 15:44-55; Rom 8:23-25); and though the human spirit can survive without the body (Lk 16:19-31; Rev 6:9-11), the body is dead without the spirit, Ja 2:26.
One who applies John 3:8 only to a new birth of the human spirit is unscripturally forcing the verse beyond what it actually says. Again, the human spirit is imprisoned within the human body and can go nowhere until death. Conversely, the new born body after the resurrection perfectly fits John 3:8, as has been demonstrated in the beginning of this article. John 3:3-8 is to be applied to the whole person, both body and spirit. We are only counted (credited) as being born again in the necessary sense of metaphorically being deified members of the deified body of Christ.
Jesus tarried briefly in the home in Emmaus, but when He "took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight," (Lk 24:30-31) – just like the wind blows where it wishes but we cannot tell whence it comes or whither it goes.
Eccl 1:6 gives us a broader scientific explanation of the winds, but the expressions here (Jn 3:8) well describe the functions of the spirit (deified, heavenly) body – it appears suddenly as if out of nowhere (Lk 24:36-43; Jn 20:26-29), and vanished suddenly as if into nowhere, Lk 24:30-31. It can be tangibly touched and be handled, or it can be intangible and go through physical walls and roofs, Lk 24:24-43. It can shine with the brilliance of the sun (Mt 17:2; 13:43), burn as a fire without injury to itself (2Th 1:7-8), is lighter than the weight of air (Act 1:9-11), et al.
This is the state of the divinely born again body of Christ, and is prophetic of the born again bodies of the saints in the resurrection. Our human spirit is not at liberty to do these things, but is held invisibly within the body and restricted to the functions of the physical body.
These two disciples rushed back to Jerusalem and found all the disciples excited because others had seen Jesus alive in His born again, divine body. Suddenly Jesus appeared in the middle of them right out of nowhere, just like the wind, Lk 24:36.
"The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit," Jn 3:8.
A week later when the disciples were together again, with the doors shut, and Thomas was with them. Thomas was not there the week before and would not believe that Jesus had risen from the dead. Once more, suddenly the divinely born again Jesus stood in the midst of them, and asked Thomas to put his hands in the scars in His hands, feet, and side, Jn 20:26. And once more, His appearance was just like the wind, out of nowhere, yet He came right through the structure of the building, Jn 20:26. – "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. SO IS EVERYONE WHO IS BORN OF THE SPIRIT," Jn 3:8.
At other times Jesus appeared suddenly, in the twinkling of an eye, demonstrating His born again (divine. spirit) image, and speaking to them of their worldwide mission and of heavenly things yet to come, Lk 24:45-53; Jn 21; Mt 28:18-20. Each time Jesus suddenly appeared and then vanished like the wind. His ascension back to heaven was like the wind, without moving His feet and with the greatest of ease His divine power lifted Him smoothly into the clouds and out of their sight.
|
