John 3:4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 5 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.
Dear bro.tan,
Jesus was NEVER born again. Your understanding of that concept is carnal and incorrect.
Being "born again" is the same thing as being
converted or being
made into a new creation. The new birth occurs when a spiritually marred person is changed into a spiritually perfect person (Jer 18:4). Mankind's new birth is necessary because the original person is "condemned already" (John 3:18) because of sin. It is only the new creation (a child of God) who is not condemned and who enters the Kingdom of Heaven.
Since Jesus was spiritually perfect,
He did not need to be "born again". And because mankind was created spiritually imperfect, mankind does need to be born again to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
Mat 18:3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children (no longer a babe), ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
When Christ first comes to a person to begin the conversion process, He will give them the Early Rain of the Spirit. The small amount of the Spirit will give the person "faith" and certain spiritual gifts. Then, when they are presented the Gospel, they will make a confession of faith and will enter the church. But because the person remains
spiritually blind,
carnally minded and
unconverted, they are a spiritual "babe" who can only draw milk (Christ and Him crucified).
In this condition, they can see the Kingdom of Heaven from afar, but they are
not in the Kingdom of Heaven.
This same truth applies to the OT faithful who remained unconverted:
Heb 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises (salvation/conversion), but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Heb 11:39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: 40 God having provided some better thing for us (the Elect), that they without us should not be made perfect (converted).
Note: Jesus is the Kingdom of Heaven. When a person is "born again" (converted), they are "in Christ" and are spiritually governed by Him.
If the new babe is one of the Elect, Christ will "come again" to them "quickly" after a time of waiting.
Heb 9:28 So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
1Cor 1:6 Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you (Early Rain): 7 So that you come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: 8 Who shall also confirm you unto the end (Latter Rain), that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ (judgment).
However, during the believer's time of waiting, they will commit fornication with Satan (believe Satan's lies over Christ's truth) and will no longer be a
chaste virgin (marriage analogy applies
). This is
when the believer is indwelt with the spirit of anti-Christ,
when the Abomination of Desolation occurs,
when they fall from grace and
when they enter the apostate church.
These scriptures apply:
Mat 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom (Satan's another gospel) shall be preached in all the world (the believer) for a witness unto all nations (all thoughts and beliefs of the believer); and then shall the end come (time of conversion).
Isa 28:9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts (no longer a babe/the converted Elect). 10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: 11 For with stammering lips and another language (spiritual language) will he speak to this people. 12 But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken (by Satan).
Mat 12:43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. 45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself SEVEN other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.
To restore the chosen believer, Christ will come to them a second time and pour out the Latter Rain of the Spirit, followed by judgment (the Day of the Lord). This spiritual work of Christ will
convert the fallen away "babe" into a spiritually "born again" child of God who no longer needs milk. This is when the believer enters the Kingdom of Heaven (Mat 18:3).
You quoted this scripture:
John 3:4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 5 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.
When a person is given the Early Rain of the Spirit, they are "born of water". When they are given the Latter Rain of the Spirit, they are born of the Spirit and will then enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
This is the same concept that James teaches below:
James 5:7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receives the EARLY and LATTER RAIN. 8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
James made this statement to unconverted believers who had only received the Early Rain of the Spirit. They were needing Christ to "come again" and pour out the Latter Rain of the Spirit so that they could enter the Kingdom of Heaven. James encourages these "babes" to be patient "for the Lord draweth nigh".
Christ's second coming is not a one-time physically visible event that only happens at the literal end of this age. Christ's second coming is a reoccurring spiritual event that happens within the lifetime of each Elect believer before they die.
Joe