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NASB | John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | John 3:3 Jesus answered him, "I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless a person is born again [reborn from above--spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified], he cannot [ever] see and experience the kingdom of God." |
Subject: Isn't believing Christ for salvation suf |
Bible Note: Hank, I well understand why you believe that. I did for many years that left me with alot of questions no one seemed to be able to answer. I can see now where one doesn't have to be a disciple to be saved yet I wouldn't give much for ones claim of salvation if he/she wasn't pressing in to become a "son". Where's the love affair with Him if that isn't happening? But that's what discipleship -new birth-new nature- is all about and the necessity for Jn 3.3,5. Notice how Jesus responds to Nicodemos when Nic asked Jesus about eternal life. Jesus went right over the question to the reason He came to Earth. ie., reveal the Kingdom of God and Father's provision for our entering into it. Salvation is something we have nothing to do with. We are condemned to the cross. But 'sonship' is a different matter. "If any man will..." My faith takes me to Jesus to be made whole -see Mk 5.25-The woman with the issue of blood. Her faith took her to Him. By it she was made whole. Jesus declared that. Then it ends there. Now He says if you "abide in Me and I in you anything you ask in my name will be given you". So we can see that abiding is the condition, obviously a variable now in need of perfection, for entering His kingdom, not for being saved. Not only that but once you abide in Him you become a kingdom of ONE; an individual as Jesus so we can't hold to the 'wwjd' because we aren't Jesus. We are still who we are, Hank and Ken. God has a different plan for us than He did for Jesus and yet we must be corporate to reveal His Body and His universal Kingdom with Him at the head. Much allegiance has to be displayed in our lives when we see this."Let every "*saved" man work out his own salvation - *kingdom life". Otherwise we're traitors. We can also now see where our works must reveal Him but they must be works originating in Him and not from self effort. "If any man will..." *-emphasis mine JN 17.2 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one. God shares His Glory with no one...so how come He shared it with us who follow after Him? What then is this new birth experience but the taking into ourselves, the Glory of God. Jesus said: "Learn of Me... take My yoke" |