The Genuine Meaning of the term born again in John 3:5
Response to comment [from a Catholic]: [Born again]
No.
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 [John
3:5].
"Now what does it mean to be born of water and of the Spirit? There are those
who think that to be born of water is a reference to water baptism. But this
would be a strange expression if it did refer to that. Then, there have been
several very fine Christian doctors who interpret “born of water” as the
physical birth which is a birth in water; that is, the child in the womb is in
water. I don’t think that is what is meant here at all. He wasn’t talking about
the difference between natural birth and spiritual birth, but He was talking
about how a man could be born “from above” or “born again.”
As we saw in chapter 2, water is symbolic of the Word of God. We will find later
in this book that Jesus says, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is
truth” (John
17:17, italics mine). There is a cleansing, sanctifying power in the Word.
In
John 15:3 Jesus says, “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken
unto you” (italics mine). The Word of God is likened unto water again and again.
We believe that “born of water and of the Spirit” means that a person must be
born again by the Holy Spirit using the Scripture. We believe, very definitely,
that no one could be born again without the Word of God applied by the Spirit of
God. One today is born from above by the use of water, which is the Word of God,
and the Spirit, the Holy Spirit, making it real to the heart.
There are three outstanding conversions in the Book of Acts. They have been
given to us, I think, primarily as illustrations. There is the conversion of the
Ethiopian eunuch, the conversion of Cornelius, and the conversion of Paul. These
three men are representatives of the three families of Noah: the son of Shem,
the son of Ham, and the son of Japheth. In each of these three cases, the Word
of God was used by the Spirit of God for their conversions. God’s method seems
to be the Word of God, used by the Spirit of God, given through a man of God. I
am confident that our Lord, saying that one must be born of water and of the
Spirit, referred to the Spirit of God using the Word of God. Without this,
Nicodemus could not enter into the kingdom of God."
McGee, J. Vernon: Thru the Bible Commentary. electronic ed. Nashville : Thomas
Nelson, 1997, c1981, S. 4:383-384
Response to comment [from a Christian]: "Cruciform, As usual, you are
extremely confused by exalting human opinion above the written word of God."
Reason over revelation.
"Already answered---and refuted..."
Non causae ut causae (claiming victory despite defeat)
You must be born again (Jn 3:5). You do not get a second chance after death. Get
it right the first time. "For by one offering
He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified (Heb 10:14)."
[The Fatal Fable of a Sin-Purifying Fire Proclaiming the Gospel Ministries]:
"Catholics who are trusting a purifying fire to purge away their sins are
deluded victims of a fatal fabrication. The invention of a place for
purification of sins called Purgatory is one of the most seductive attractions
of the Roman Catholic religion. Pastor John MacArthur of Grace Community Church
described this deceptive hoax with profound clarity. He said: "Purgatory is what
makes the whole system work. Take out Purgatory and it's a hard sell to be a
Catholic. Purgatory is the safety net, when you die, you don't go to hell. You
go [to Purgatory] and get things sorted out and finally get to heaven if you've
been a good Catholic. In the Catholic system you can never know you're going to
heaven. You just keep trying and trying...in a long journey toward perfection.
Well, it's pretty discouraging. People in that system are guiltridden,
fear-ridden and have no knowledge of whether or not they're going to get into
the Kingdom. If there's no Purgatory, there's no safety net to catch me and give
me some opportunity to get into heaven. It's a second chance, it's another
chance after death." (from "The Pope and the Papacy")..." Full text:
The Fatal
Fable of a Sin-Purifying Fire
Response to comment [from a Christian] "Cherry pickin[']"
[pic]
Baptism is the first act of obedience for
a new believer. Infant baptism
is
not taught in scripture.
See:
No Assurance in Infant Baptism
[The Origin of Purgatory Proclaiming the Gospel Ministries] "There was no
mention of Purgatory during the first two centuries of the church. However, when
Roman Emperor Theodosius (379-395) decreed that Christianity was to be the
official religion of the empire, thousands of pagans flooded into the Church and
brought their pagan beliefs and traditions with them. One of those ancient pagan
beliefs was a place of purification where souls went to make satisfaction for
their sins.
The concept became much more widespread around 600 A.D. due to the fanaticism of
Pope Gregory the Great. He developed the doctrine through visions and
revelations of a Purgatorial fire. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia (CE),
Pope Gregory said Catholics "will expiate their faults by purgatorial flames,"
and "the pain [is] more intolerable than any one can suffer in this life."
Centuries later, at the Council of Florence (1431), it was pronounced an
infallible dogma. It was later reaffirmed by the Council of Trent (1564). The
dogma is based largely on Catholic tradition from extra- biblical writings and
oral history. "So deep was this belief ingrained in our common humanity that it
was accepted by the Jews, and in at least a shadowy way by the pagans, long
before the coming of Christianity" (CE). It seems incomprehensible that Rome
would admit to using a pagan tradition for the defense of one of its most
esteemed "Christian" doctrines..." Full text:
The Origin of Purgatory
[
Non causae ut causae (claiming victory despite defeat)] "Just like your your
comment here... "
Intensional
Eph 4:14
[You do not get a second chance after death.] "Who ever
suggested otherwise? (Certainly not Catholic teaching.)"
Certainly not.
[The Deception of Purgatory Proclaiming the Gospel Ministries] “Purgatory comes
from the Latin word “purgare,” which means to make clean or to purify. The
Catholic Encyclopedia defines purgatory as "a place or condition of temporal
punishment for those who, departing this life in God’s grace, are not entirely
free from venial faults, or have not fully paid the satisfaction due to their
transgressions." They must be purified of these "venial" sins before they can be
allowed into heaven. Here we see Catholicism perpetuating the seductive lie of
Satan by declaring "you will not surely die" when you commit venial sins (Gen.
3:4). The Council of Trent dares to declare
that "God does not always remit the whole punishment due to sin together with
the guilt. God requires satisfaction and will punish sin...The sinner, failing
to do penance in this life, may be punished in another world, and so not be cast
off eternally from God." (Ses. 15, Can. XI). Those Catholic Bishops had the
audacity to declare that the suffering and death of God's perfect man and man's
perfect substitute was not sufficient to satisfy divine justice for sin…” Full
text:
The Deception of Purgatory
"Nice try."
You argue like
Mitt Romney.
Understand the spirit of antichrist (1
Jn 4:2-6).
See:
The Jesus test, the gospel test, and the fruit test
[The Motivation for Purgatory by Mike Gendron Proclaiming the Gospel Ministries]
“Over the centuries billions of dollars have been paid to Roman Catholic priests
to obtain relief from imaginary sufferings in Purgatory's fire. The Catholic
clergy has always taught that the period of suffering in Purgatory can be
shortened by purchasing indulgences, buying Mass cards and providing gifts of
money. When a Catholic dies, money is extracted from mourning loved ones to
shorten the deceased's punishment in Purgatory. When my dear old dad passed away
as a devout Catholic of 79 years, I was amazed at the hundreds of Mass cards
purchased for him by well-meaning friends. We have heard of other Catholics who
have willed their entire estates to their religion so that perpetual masses
could be offered for them after they die. It is no wonder that the Catholic
religion has become the richest institution in the world. The buying and selling
of God's grace has been a very lucrative business for the Vatican.
Another motivation for Rome to fabricate the heretical doctrine of Purgatory is
its powerful effect on controlling people. Ultimately, the enslavement and
subjugation of people is the goal of every false religion, and Purgatory does
exactly that. The concept of a terrifying prison with a purging fire, governed
by religious leaders, is a most brilliant invention.* It holds people captive,
not only in this life but also in the next life. Catholic clergy will not say
how many years people have to suffer for their sins or how many Masses must be
purchased before they can be released from the flames. This imposed fear and
uncertainty is the most ruthless form of religious bondage and deception!” Full
text:
The Motivation for Purgatory
"The reason of Christ's historic
Catholic Church..."
False premise
"...[L]et’s examine the Roman Catholic claim that it is the “first church.”
Nowhere in the New Testament will you find the “one true church” doing any of
the following: praying to Mary, praying to the saints, venerating Mary,
submitting to a pope, having a select priesthood, baptizing an infant, observing
the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper as sacraments, or passing on
apostolic authority to successors of the apostles. All of these are core
elements of the Roman Catholic faith. If most of the core elements of the Roman
Catholic Church were not practiced by the New Testament Church (the first church
and one true church), how then can the Roman Catholic Church be the first
church?..." Full text:
What
was the first / original church? Is the original / first church the true church?
See:
What
was the first / original church? Is the original / first church the true church?
Is the church that is the oldest necessarily the most right...
Vid.
Catholicism vs Christianity by Mike Gendron
Recommended Reading:
Is Rome the True Church?: A Consideration of the Roman Catholic Claim
by Norman L. Geisler
"over serpent's "reason"..."
Scripture should be compared with scripture
(not man's opinion)
(1
Co 2:13).
[Biblical Support for Purgatory Proclaiming the Gospel Ministries] “There is
absolutely none! In fact, neither the word nor the concept of sin-purifying fire
is found in Scripture. The Vatican was confronted with this in the 16th century
when the Reformers protested its practice of buying and selling of God's grace
through indulgences.* Backed into a corner, the Council of Trent added the
apocryphal books to its canon of Scripture. Rome now declares there is
scriptural support for purgatory in the apocryphal book of II Maccabees. The
council ignored the fact that the Jewish scribes never recognized the apocryphal
books as inspired or part of the Hebrew Scriptures.* They were never included
because of their many historical, theological and geographical errors. Since God
is not the author of error, He obviously did not inspire the
writers of the Apocrypha. This is why the Apocrypha was never included in the
original canon of 66 books.
The apocryphal verses Rome uses to defend its doctrine of Purgatory refer to
Jewish soldiers who died wearing pagan amulets around their necks. Judas
Maccabees "sent twelve thousand drachmas of silver to Jerusalem for sacrifice to
be offered for the sins of the dead...Judas hoped that these men who died
fighting for the cause of God and religion, might find mercy: either because
they might be excused from mortal sin by ignorance; or might have repented of
their sin, at least at their death. It is therefore a holy and holesome thought
to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins" (2
Maccabees 12:43-46). Rome argues that since
Judas Maccabees prayed for the dead, there must be hope for those who die in
sin. This of course, goes directly against God's Word which declares, "It is
appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment" (Heb.
9:27). Rome's attempt to give credence to
Purgatory by using this ungodly practice of the Jews, who had a history of
disobeying God, is pathetic.
In another attempt to find support for Purgatory, many Catholics point to this
verse: "If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will
be saved, yet so as through fire" (1
Cor. 3:15). Clearly, the context of this verse
is the testing of a man's works by fire. The works that survive are the ones
done for the glory of Christ and are called gold, silver and precious stones (Eph.
2:10). All the other superfluous works are
burned in fire and are called wood, hay and stubble. It is not man's sins that
are being purged, it is man's spurious works that are being burned and
destroyed…” Full text:
Biblical Support for Purgatory
[
False premise] "Rather, true..."
Truth is not found in your apostate church (Rev. 3:14–22).
"You nullify the Word of God by your traditions that you have handed down (Mk
7:13)."
See:
Roman Catholic Traditions
[The Biblical Rebuke of Purgatory Proclaiming the Gospel Ministries] “God's Word
leaves absolutely no possibility for sin to be purged away by anything other
than the blood of Jesus Christ. The beloved apostle John penned these words with
irrefutable clarity. He wrote, "The blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all
sin" and "all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:7, 9). John did not say "some" sins or
"most" sins, but all sin! This soundly rebukes the need for a sin-purging fire.
God's Word also declares, "All things are leansed with blood, and without
shedding of blood there is no forgiveness" (Heb. 9:22). When Jesus "made
purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high"
(Heb. 1:3). Those who desire to have their sins purged need to trust a person,
not a place. The blood of Christ is the only cleansing agent for sin! Those who
come to the cross of Christ must come with empty hands of faith, bringing
nothing but their sins.
Paul described the instantaneous translation of a believer into the presence of
Jesus at the moment of death. To be "absent from the body" is to be "at home
with the Lord" (2 Cor. 5:6-8). This good news was affirmed by the Lord Jesus by
the promise He gave to the repentant thief at Calvary. He said to him, "Truly I
say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise" (Luke 23:43). This habitual
sinner did not need a fire to purge his sins.
Catholics who believe in Purgatory need to be asked: "Who is in charge of
releasing souls from the purging fire?" It cannot be God because His promise to
believers is this: "Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more" (Heb.
10:17). After conversion, God no longer counts sins against His children (2 Cor.
5:19).
Purgatory is a travesty on the justice of God and a disgraceful fabrication that
robs Christ Jesus of His glory and honor. He alone satisfied divine justice,
once and for all, by the perfect and finished sacrifice of Himself. The fatal
deception of Purgatory blinds Catholics from the glorious Gospel of grace. It is
one of Satan's many lies which keep his captives from knowing and trusting the
sufficiency of Jesus Christ. It is Christ alone that will present us "faultless
before the presence of his glory" (Jude 24)…” Full text:
The Biblical Rebuke of Purgatory
[Truth is not found in your apostate church (Rev.
3:14–22).
"You nullify the Word of God by your traditions that you have handed down (Mk
7:13)."]You might just as well go ahead and apply that to yourself.
Intensional
Eph 4:14
"The Ungodly Myth of Purgatory Proclaiming the Gospel Ministries
♦ It opposes the clear and authoritative teaching of God's Word with pagan myths
and traditions (1
Tim. 6:3-5;
2 Tim. 4:3-4).
♦ It denies the doctrine of justification. "By one offering He has perfected for
all time those who are sanctified" (Heb.
10:14).
♦ It denies the sufficiency of the blood of Jesus to purify all sin (1
John 1:7).
♦ It denies the necessity of the blood of the Lamb to purify and forgive any sin
(Heb.
9:22).
♦ It denies that the punishment for any and all sin is eternal death. There is
no temporal punishment for sin and no venial sins (Gen.
3:3;
Ezek. 18:4;
Rom. 6:23).
♦ It denies the instantaneous rapture of all believers (1
Thes. 4:13-18). Those who must serve various
lengths of time to be purged of sin could not be raptured to heaven at the same
time.
♦ It diverts faith and trust away from the Lord Jesus Christ to a place (2
Cor. 11:3-4).
♦ It robs the Lord Jesus Christ of glory, honor and praise (Jude
24)..." Full text:
The Ungodly Myth of Purgatory
[
Intensional Eph 4:14] "...[T]he word you're looking for "intentional"?"
Do a
little more research.
The
Genuine Meaning of the term born again in John 3:5