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BORN OF GOD
SPIRITUALLY
In this article we will examine from God's word what the term being born again spiritually means? And
what the definition is of being begotten with God's Holy Spirit means?
We are going to look into our physically begotten call from God, to being born again spiritually When
the Apostle Paul was dealing with the order of resurrections from physical bodies to spiritual bodies, from
leavened bodies to unleavened bodies, he made a positive statement: in 1 Cor 15: 50, "Now this 1 say, brethren,
that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God; neither does corruption inherit incorruption." The
emphasis here is on the word "inherit." Many will become citizens in the kingdom of God, but only a few - will
inherit rulership.
In the 8th chapter of Romans, Paul pointed out that all who obey God's word are the children of God and
therefore heirs of God. “and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we
suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together" (Rom 8:17). This was Christ's prayer request to His
Father, just before His crucifixion; He was asking to allow His dedicated loyal followers to behold and share in
His glory. "Father, I will that they also, whom you have given Me, be with Me where I am; that they may behold
My glory, which You have given Me: for You loved Me before the foundation of the world" (John 17: 24).
Before any of us can one day be inherited for change with Jesus, the Christ, a mystery of a physical
change has to take place. Immediately after Paul stated, in 1 Cor 15: 50, "neither doth corruption inherit
incorruption," he went on to explain in detail the rest of the millennial story verses 51- 54, "Behold, I show you
a mystery; we shall not all sleep [that is, die], but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an
eye, at the last trump: For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised Incorruptible, and we shall be
changed. For this corruptible must put on in- corruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this
corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought
to pass the saying that is written, death is swallowed up in victory."
Twice Paul used the phrase, "we shall be changed." Change is defined in the dictionary as implying: 1).
making a radical difference; 2). to under go transformation; 3). substitute one thing - for another; 4). foliage;
changing color; 5). put on different clothing. Paul's statements, although intended to be clarifying, would still
be an enigma - a mystery if it were not for some additional means of acquiring knowledge.
God has not been unmindful of this need to be a help in understanding things to come. For Example,
Within the confines of a twenty-four hour day, most human beings are taking part of being in a state of death,
meaning there is no consciousness or comprehension, we experience suspended animation for a few hours, then
we wake up recharged ready for another day of action again.
All of us living adults know that someday we will die. The scriptures state in Eccl 9: 5, "The dead know
not any thing." For us who are yet alive a dreamless sleep demonstrates how there can be a total forgetfulness,
with no knowledge of the passing of time. But it's a fact that, when one awakens, information apart from himself
tells him how long he has been sleeping. If it were not for that, there would be no immediate personal recognition
of the extent of the passing of time.
Therefore, the Bible refers to a persons first death as just being asleep, there will also be a day of
awakening to a day of a persons resurrection to a time of eternal life or eternal death. To help us understand what
is being talked about; lets turn our attention back to the first book in the Bible, called Beginnings. Many sermons
have began with Gen 2: that speaks of Adam, and the two trees. Here is where the leavening of "Sin" started.
Notices these verses again to refresh our understanding. "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. And the Lord God planted
a garden eastward in Eden; and there He put the man whom He had formed. And out of the ground made the Lord
God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree oflife also in the midst of the
garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil" (Gen 2:7-9). "And the Lord God commanded the man,
saying, of every tree of the garden you may freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shalt
not eat of it: for in the day that you eat thereof you shalt surely die" (Gen 2:16-17). This death is speaking about
just being asleep, being unconscious until you are resurrected!
Now between verse 17 and verse 24 is recorded, Adam was given a help mate, Eve, and verse 25 indicates
“they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.” We have all heard this story of Adam
and Eve eating from the tree of good and evil, but there seems to be evidence to bear out that, due to their
disobedience brought about the verdict of death. In the Bible there are three types of death: 1). physical death;
separation of body and spirit; 2). spiritual death; separation of the individual from God; 3). eternal death;
separation from God forever.
Before Adam and Eve ate from "the tree of good and evil" they were both naked and not ashamed and
they lived and moved about without guilt or fear. But after eating of the forbidden tree a change happened to their
bodies! What was the change that happened? To start answering that question, Notice John 1: 1-5, "In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning
with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made. In Him
[Christ] was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in darkness; and the darkness
comprehended it not." [See Eph 3:9 and Rev 4:11] they both clearly say Jesus the Christ"created all things. Dan
2: 22, Daniel expresses God knows everything. "He (God) reveals the deep and secret things: He knows what
is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him." "Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord God, thous are very great;
you are clothed with honour and majesty. Who covers Yourself with light as with a garment; who stretches out
the heavens like a curtain" (Psa. 104: 1-2).
Throughout life it has been rightly observed there is much that we do not know, and even more that we
do not know, that we do not know! It seems there is no end to the discoveries man finds about the mysteries
revealed in the heights of the universe and the depths of the oceans. While scientists address those realms of
knowledge, the average person is consumed with his own lists of "don't knows" and wrong predictions. There
have been quite a few wrong predictions made in history. To name a few: in 1901 Wilbur Wright said that man
would not fly for 50 years. Henry Ford's banker told him "The horse are here to stay, and the automobile is only
a novelty and fad." The manager of the Grand Ole Opry fired Elvis Presley, and said, "you ain't goin' nowhere
son." As the Wright brothers, Henry Ford, and Elvis, were not afraid to go forward with their visions, based upon
a skeptic's opinion; God's called should never be afraid either!
Listening to critics should only increase our study and our faith. With that back ground- setting the stage,
lets with our vision look forward with some thoughts on Gen 2: 25 that said, “Adam and Eves were both
naked, and were not ashamed.”
There was an article of special interest that was published in the "Inventors about. Com", in which
reference was made about fluorescent lights, lamps, by the inventor Mr. Irving Langmuir. Mr. Langmuir was a
chemist who worked for General Electric Co, His accomplishments there was the introduction to -- "hydrogen
welding." He also discovered using dry ice
and iodide to seed certain type of clouds would produce rain or snow. One day while he was working with
electrified ionized gases, he invented the fluorescent light. He writes, "it was the way electrified fluid carried high
velocity electrons, ions, and impurities, that reminded me of the way Blood plasma carried red and white
corpuscles and germs, so I named my experimental result, “PLASMA.”
Now I would like for us to keep in mind what we were taught in school while growing up. Electricity
powers our world and our bodies! Our bodies are a collection of positive and negative electrical matter. When
our electrolytes are low in our body we become run down and need vitamin "C" to restore the missing
electrolytes. That is why we see people in sports drinking Gaterade. Its loaded with vitamin "C" - a quick
picker-upper.
Plasma is one of four states of matter, it makes up 99% of all visible matter in the universe. According
to the dictionary definition of "blood plasma" is the fluid part of blood. Scientist have known for years, blood
may be considered to be crystalized light.
"Plasma" is a word used also in regards to a variety of quartz - precious stones. In Revelation chapter 21
and 22, writes of the New Jerusalem's foundation having transparent crystalline, “plasma” quartz called precious
stones. They vary in color, Jasper - is pale green; Chalcedony - is green; Sapphire - is blue; Sardonyx; - is red
and white; Sardius - is blood red; Chrysolite - is yellow or gold; Topaz - is greenish―gold - or yellow; Jacinth
- is bluish purple; Amethyst - is deep purple; gold is also a plasma quart. All these precious stones are brilliant
bright transparent crystalline colors that are faintly translucent allowing light to partially pass through them.
Plasma - is a gas in which at very high temperatures strip electrons from the atoms, making it [plasma]
- a good electrical conductor and it causes a brilliant luminescence to come out of solids,-- liquids, - and ordinary
gas. "Space Weather Venter"and the “Jefferson Lab,” records our sun is a great plasma fusion furnace as are all
stars that give off light. Another Internet site called "Space Log" writes, negatively charged dust particles in
plasma can form crystal like structures, this makes the topic of dusty plasmas of interest to a wide community
of researchers.
In researching this subject, the assertion was made in a old book called" The Hour Cometh," is what was
said a minute ago -that a leading scientist said - blood is crystallized light. This led to the reasonable conjecture
that Adam and Eve, in their sinless state, were clothed in light as with a garment. What would make one think
that? Going back and reading over Gen 1 and Gen 2: verse 26 of Gen 1 :26 tells us, "And God said, let us make
man in Our image, after Our likeness." In the New Brown Driver- Briggs-Gesenius -Hebrew-English Lexicon,
Strong's number 1823 - gives the definition for likeness as: 1). external appearance; 2). something that appeared
like one; 3). like the Son of man; 4). resemblance; 5). son in likeness of father; 6). man in likeness of God.
The biblical account states in Gen. 2: 25, "They were naked and were not ashamed." Apparently it
seems, when they sinned, by disobeying God's instructions "not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and
evil" they lost their garments of light, God's likeness He created them in. With that result - they hid them-selves
when they heard the voice of the Lord as He walked in the garden. "And the Lord God called unto Adam, and
said unto him, where are you? And he said, I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was
naked; and I hid myself. And He [God] said, who told you that you was naked? Have you Eaten of the tree,
whereof! commanded you that you should not eat?" (Gen 3: 9 - 11).
What was the atom-like change that took place in the arena of this electrical matter, to bring about this
transformation? If blood is "congealed" light," the conclusion is justified, when their garments of light
disappeared, its crystallization became blood in the bodies of Adam and Eve. While we do not now possess the
necessary knowledge to fully comprehend what was involved, we do know - that, after they sinned, Adam and
Eve were aware that they were naked. Gen. 3: 7, "And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that
they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons [coverings]."
Does the Bible bring to light other examples and miracles such as this? Notice Exo 34, "When Moses
descended from Mount Sinai, after having been in the presence of the Lord, his face shone with such brilliance
that he had to put on a veil while he talked with the children of Israel. And when Aaron and all the children of
Israel saw Moses, Behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come near him. And Moses called
unto them; and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him: and Moses talked with them. And
afterward all the children of Israel came near: and he gave them in commandment all that the Lord had spoken
with him in Mount Sinai. And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a vail on his face. But when Moses
went in before the Lord to speak with Him, he took the vail off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake
unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded. And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that
the skin of Moses' face shone: and Moses put the vail upon his face again, until he went in to speak with Him"
(Exo 34:30 - 35).
When Jesus was on the mount of transfiguration, the Bible tells us "His face "did shine as the sun." Matt
17:1-2, "And after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and brought them up into an high
mountain apart, and was transfigured before them: and His face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was
white as the light." Christ took three witnesses to prove this was true!
The Apostle John speaks of the brightness of our Lord in Rev 1, where it states" , "His countenance was
as the sun shines in his strength(Rev 1:16). At this point, we should start to see this created pattern of likeness
from the beginning starting to emerge and our spiritual future of likeness ahead.
“We shall all
be changed--
in a moment,
in the
twinkling of
an eye.”
1 Cor 15:51-52
It is asserted that the sun, stars and nebulae's of matter is plasma maintained by the intense heat of nuclear
reactions in the stars. Researchers say - it is now possible to make "plasma-torches, meaning "Colorful laboratory
stars." They can do this by introducing different quantities of matter elements into the torches heat. Then they
compare the spectrum of bright brilliant translucent array of colors with those of
natural stars, to find the proportions in the "recipe" for the stars in the universe.
All of this- opens up intriguing fields of investigation and introduces some
very interesting speculations for God's called to attaining eternal life. Both 1 Cor
15: and 1 Thess 4: express, "We shall all be changed, in a moment, in the
twinkling of an eye."
A Question comes to mind? Will our change to spirit beings be "congealed"
light? Will we be clothed
in garments of a bright translucent white light? Will we shine as the sun? Jesus the
Christ answer this last question for us in Matt 13: 43, "Then shall the righteous
shine forth as the sun in the Kingdom of their Father.
Who has ears to hear, let him hear."
Now lets look for answers to the other questions about wearing garments
of white light. In Revelation
3: and verse 5, a reference is made on this subject. "He that overcomes, the same
shall be clothed in white Raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book
of life." The Greek word translated "white" means, light, - bright - brilliant - white - shining.
We now know man has produced plasma matter that can cause a brilliant luminescence, accompanied
by great heat, for example the flourescent light. But the gleaming brightness of the glorified body we are reading
of will be a bright light - without the accompanying destructive heat. The words of the prophet Daniel come to
mind when he was referring to the resurrection yet to come, he prophesied: in verse 2 of Dan 12. "Many of them
that sleep in the dust of the earth shall Awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and ever lasting
contempt" Then he stated specifically: in verse 3, "They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the
Firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the Stars for ever and ever" (Dan. 12: 3). Daniel was
referring to the exalted position that will be occupied by the wise and the righteous.
But the degree of brightness and color in the garment or clothing, worn in the service of our Lord of lords
and King of kings is also implied here. In verse 4, the angels puts a time table on this event. "But you, Daniel,
shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall
increase." We are still in this time of increased knowledge!
Another question arises: will the variety in the colors and brightness of the light in which each will be
clothed reveal the rank of the official position of the one so dressed? Meditating thoughts is that there will be
a variety of jobs and rewards granted that will bring about transparent differences of garment colors, and garment
bright nesses, like today there is a diversities of gifts, differences of administrations, diversities of operations,
different jobs, different possessions, and responsibilities and many different responsibilities to be done in God's
Kingdom! This will be according to one's faithfulness in his or her earthly obedience in their serving - God and
His word. It is for this reason we need always to keep in mind 1 Pet 4: 17, that "Judgement begins at the house
of God."
Paul seems to confirm this job identification in 1 Cor 15: 41-42, he defines a variation in the magnitude
of order by using the example of God's tools in the heaven to help us put this in perspective, "there is one glory
of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differs from another star
in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead.” The Ferrar Fenton Bible renders this: "The sun has one
splendor, and the moon another splendor, And another splendor for stars; -- for stars differs from stars in
Brilliancy: and thus also in the resurrection of the dead."
This is extremely thought-provoking in view of the fact - that John in Rev 19: 14 describes our returning
Lord and those who follow Him will be "clothed in fine linen, white and clean." "And the armies which were in
heaven followed Him upon White horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean." The Greek word lampros
translated "white" is also used in the [15th] chapter of Revelation verse 6 that refers to the garments worn by the
seven angels. "And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the Seven plagues, clothed in pure and white
linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles" (Rev 15:6).
"Lampros" is the same word which is translated "clear" in reference to the river of life, "clear as crystal"
in Rev. 22:1, "And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as Crystal, proceeding out of the throne of
God and of the Lamb." Lampros also in Greek means, to shine, be bright, be magnificent.
These verses reveal God's great army following our Lord are clothed in garments of light. It
goes without saying - that degree and rank in that army will be distinguished as readily by the type of uniform
worn as is true in any earthly army today. The radiant display of God's army wending its way to the earth, will
be beyond description.
Reading the words of Paul as translated by the Phillips Bible - in 2 Thess 1: 10, "But to those whom He
has made holy His coming." Will mean splendor un-imaginable. It will be a breath-taking wonder to all who
believe.
Note a few verses to think about.
Job 14:14,
"If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed Time will I wait, till my
change come."
Matt 13:43,
"Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. Who has ears
to hear, let him hear." ☜
James Russell