Sermonette: The Born Again
It Is Not A Begettal
#1098s
John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)
Given 21-Apr-12; 22 minutes
description: (hide) Jesus' symbolic method of teaching requires time to sort out and fully comprehend, things such as destroying the temple, eating His flesh and drinking His blood, foot-washing, or born again. Jesus Christ's teaching on "born again" has taken multiple decades to interpret. A resurrection from the dead is indeed a type of birth, but that is not the only birth experience Christians undergo. Jesus differentiates the spiritually dead (dead men walking) from the physically dead. On the other hand, God's called-out ones were quickened with God's Holy Spirit. In this context, we have already gone through one resurrection, having been born again in a spiritual regeneration, or resurrection. Regeneration takes place at the beginning (at our baptism in which we are born from above), and at a resurrection at the end. These are both unique "born again' experiences. No baby in the womb can walk with Christ.