Nazarene Israelite Two House Congregation of Port Elizabeth

What does it mean to be ‘Born Again’ 1?

Nicodemus a Rabbi belonging to the sect of the Pharisees understood Yahshua to be a miracle-working prophet sent by Elohim and was very interested in His teachings. But because he did not want to be seen speaking with this man the other Pharisees called a ‘heretic’, he came to Yahshua at night. Very few people today understand that being born again is directly linked to the gospel of the coming Kingdom of Elohim. This was also true when Yahshua was on earth and as much as Nicodemus did not understand when Yahshua spoke to him in John 3: 3, saying: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of Elohim”, most people have not ever and do not even now, understand the meaning of these words. In fact Nicodemus was completely puzzled by them and therefore asked Yahshua in John 3: 4, saying: “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?”

Yahshua answered him in verses 5 - 7, saying: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of Elohim. (6) That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Sprit is spirit. (7) Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’” But like most Ministers of religion in Christian Churches today, even after studying for seven years in some cases to be awarded a Doctor’s degree in Divinity, Nicodemus who was a Rabbi (or teacher), did not understand what it means to be born again. This was when Yahshua told Nicodemus in verses 10 – 12, saying: “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not understand these things? (11) Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak that which we know, and bear witness of that which we have seen; and you do not receive our witness. (12) If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how shall you believe if I tell you heavenly things?” Most professing Christians think they were ‘born again’ when they ‘accepted J*e*s*u*s* in their hearts’ and were ‘baptized’. From that time on, they supposedly have received the ‘Holy Spirit’ and have been living a new life in C*h*r*i*s*t*. Yes, it is correct that true believers, who were immersed into Yahshua’s saving name have received a portion of the Set-apart (Holy) Spirit of Elohim, and is indeed living a NEW LIFE in Messiah (as per Ephesians 4: 22 – 24). But it does not mean that such believers have been born again. The new birth described in the Scriptures is far more than what most professing Christians have assumed.

Nicodemus was familiar with the process of a physical birth, and understood when Yahshua told him in verse 6 of John 3, saying: “That which is born of the flesh is flesh.” But then Yahshua explained that we must be born again, but not again of the flesh entering our mother’s womb a second time, as Nicodemus though He meant; Yahshua explained that we must be born of the Spirit – born of Elohim. Elohim must be our Father this time. Similarly to when we were born of flesh through human parents, so we must be born of the Spirit of our heavenly Father. When you are born of fleshly parents, you are composed of flesh. But, as Yahshua said in the second part of John 3: 6, “That which is born of the Spirit (of Elohim) is spirit.” One who is born again of the Spirit will not have any blood in his/her body. Such a person will not have to breathe air to exist, as he/she will be literally composed of Spirit. That is the basic teaching of Yahshua in the Scriptures – the new birth is not an emotional experience, but a literal birth. In order for Nicodemus not to mistake the true meaning of being born of the Spirit, Yahshua explained further in verse 8 of John 3, saying: “The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Notice that when you are born again of the Spirit of Elohim, like Yahshua was the first-born from the dead (as per Revelation 1: 51) when He was resurrected, you will be like the wind; you will be able to appear and disappear at will. You will be able to walk through doors and walls like Yahshua did when He appeared to His disciples in John 20: 26, in this way: ‘And after eight days again His disciples were inside, and Thomas with them. Yahshua came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst, and said, “Peace be with you.” By comparing the spiritual birth to the physical birth, Yahshua showed that as human parents pass on their physical nature, so our heavenly Father will pass on His Spiritual nature, when we as first fruits are born again one day during the first better resurrection, provided we remain faithful to Elohim. Elohim created Adam as a perfect physical specimen made of flesh and blood - He was a perfect ‘clay’ model which Elohim intended to mold and reshape into the perfect Spiritual image and likeness of Elohim. Adam’s creation was not complete; he was created needing a second spiritual ‘birth’ to become a son of Elohim. Let us therefore find Scriptural answers to the questions: How, when, and why this was necessary?

Firstly, to be able to understand what it means to be born again, it is necessary to understand who or what Elohim is, and why He created mankind. Elohim identifies Himself to us the people whom He brought out of Egypt and entered into a covenant with us at Mount Sinai in Deuteronomy 6: 4, saying: "Hear, O Israel! YHVH is our Elohim, YHVH is one!" How does YHVH who is the Almighty, define the word one? He gives us the answer in the first part of Deuteronomy 32: 39, saying: "See now that I, I am He, and there is no god besides Me." But, we see further according to Genesis 1: 5 that ‘One’ may be composed of more than a one part, namely: “And Elohim called the light day, and the darkness He called night. And there was evening and there was morning, one (echad) day.” We understand from Exodus 33: 20, that no man can see YHVH and live, a fact that is confirmed in 1 Timothy 6: 16, as follows: “Who alone possess immortality and dwells in unapproachable light; whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amein.” We are given further details in 1 Timothy 1: 17, in this way: “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only Elohim, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amein.” It is for this reason that man’s mind cannot understand Elohim as He cannot be defined nor can He be bordered. To try to explain the unexplained, we make use of the Hebrew words ‘Eyn Sof’. Eyn Sof is the very essence of Elohim, as in Hebrew ‘Eyn’ means 'there is nothing' and ‘Sof’ means 'end', 'termination', 'border' or 'definition'. Together, Eyn Sof implies something without definition or borders; that is infinite.

Anything corporeal or physical such as a person, a tree or computer consists of ‘substance’ that cannot be defined unless they are bordered. They are molecules that cannot be seen or defined, unless they are bound together. For example, when a believer dies, his life (or soul) comes to an end, his body is buried and returns to the dust from which it was made; and his spirit, which merged with a portion of Elohim’s Set-apart Spirit at immersion, returns to the Father who gave it, as is confirmed in Ecclesiastes 12: 7, as follows: ‘Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to Elohim who gave it.’ The Jews who remained faithful to Elohim because they knew and obeyed His Torah teachings from the time our forebears received it as a covenant between Elohim and them, have been given the Set-apart Spirit of Elohim2, because of obedience (as per Acts 5: 323). Similarly have those of the ten lost tribes and others whom YHVH called during this lifetime on earth and are immersed in Messiah’s name, been given the Set-apart Spirit as a pledge to the redemption of Elohim’s own possession to the praise of His glory (as per Acts 2: 38 & 394), provided they overcome Satan, the world and their own human natures from that time forward. Both these groups will be resurrected as Spiritual children of Elohim at Messiah’s return, but those millions of people who never heard or believed Elohim’s true gospel, and never knew the true Messiah, will be resurrected as human beings in the second resurrection, as they do not have Elohim’s Spirit within them, yet.

 

Even though the believer’s visible persona or borders are removed at death, his memory and character (spirit) exists in another dimension. In support of this, Yahshua told Martha in John 11: 25 & 26, saying: “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies, (26) and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this”? This is talking about the spirits of righteous believers that go back to YHVH when they die, and are perfected in heaven according to Hebrews 12: 23, as follows: ‘to the general assembly and ecclesia of the first-born, who are enrolled in heaven, and to Elohim, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous men made perfect.’ Without the Spirit of Elohim indwelling us, the spirit in man is not immortal5, but allows mankind to talk, think, make decisions and remember (or retain) the happenings in his/her lifetime. As a result the spirit in man retains a record of his character and memory, but is not conscious after death6. The spirit in man is so closely intertwined with his soul or life7, that the way he/she lives reflects the spirit in him/her to the outside world - either the Set-apart Spirit of Elohim or the spirit of the world. When Messiah returns one day soon, He will bring back the believers spirit and resurrect his body, at which time the believers spirit, soul (life) and body will be complete, as confirmed in 1 Thessalonians 5: 23, in this way: ‘Now may the Elohim of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Master Yahshua Messiah.” As can be seen here man is composed of three component parts, namely: spirit, soul and body - yet as individuals we are one, in exactly the same way YHVH our Elohim is composed of three parts as also explained in Romans 1: 19 – 20, as follows: “Because that which is known about Elohim is evident within them (mankind); for Elohim made it evident to them. (20) For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes (YHVH is invisible, and has no form), His eternal power (Yahshua is the power of Elohim8) and divine nature (The Set-apart Spirit is the divine nature of Elohim9), have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.” YHVH our Elohim is not three persons in one, but like us, He consists of three component parts. The visible image of Elohim is Yahshua; Elohim’s immortal soul (or eternal life) is YHVH; and the Set-apart Spirit is the Spirit of Elohim. For those who assert that this is the doctrine of the Trinity, permit me to state that this does not say that you, who like all other human beings are composed of body, soul and spirit, are a trinity or three persons in one, instead it teaches that although you have three component parts, of which two are invisible, you as an individual are only one person. It should therefore be clear that this does not teach the doctrine of the Trinity at all.

 

As mentioned before no one has or can see YHVH the Father, but the word who became Yahshua in the flesh

revealed Him to us, as we read from John 1: 18, in this way: ‘No man has seen Elohim at any time; the only begotten Elohim, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.’ In fact we read Yahshua’s own words in this regard in John 14: 9, after Philip asked Him to show the disciples the Father, saying: “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how do you say, ‘Show us the Father?’ Yahshua came to earth as the Son of Man, when He as the word of YHVH became a flesh and blood human being, to become our kinsman Redeemer – Abraham’s promised one seed through whom the lost sheep of the house of Israel are allowed to return to the covenant our ancient forefathers made with YHVH together with the house of Judah at Mount Sinai. After Yahshua was resurrected he became the Son of Elohim, as witnessed from Romans 1: 1 – 4, as follows: ‘Shaul, a bond-servant of Messiah Yahshua, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of Elohim, (2) which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the Set-apart Scriptures, (3) concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, (4) who was declared the Son of Elohim with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the spirit of holiness, Yahshua Messiah our Master.’ But what is the difference between the two titles? When Messiah was born as the Son of Man, He became a flesh and blood ‘human being’ to be able as our kinsman Redeemer to buy back the piece of the Promised Land we as the lost sheep of Israel lost through idolatry, but also to pay the penalty due to us for transgressing Elohim’s Torah teachings. When Messiah was born-again from the dead at His resurrection three days and three nights after His death and burial, He showed us how we are able to be born again as sons or children of Elohim, when we will be resurrected at His return. Understanding the true identity of Elohim in the Tanach is vital to becoming born-again with the spiritual nature of Elohim. But, what is the composition of Elohim? Yahshua gave us the answer to this in John 4: 24, saying: “Elohim is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Rav Shaul told us the difference between the composition of man and Elohim in 1 Corinthians 15: 47 & 48, saying: ‘The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. (48) As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly.’ One of the great differences between Elohim‘s Kingdom and a human kingdom is that Elohim is composed of an invisible spirit, while man is mortal flesh and blood, made from the dust of the earth. Immediately before Yahshua was taken to be crucified, He asked the Father to restore Him to the same glorious position He had with the Father, before He came to earth to be born as a flesh and blood human in John 17: 5, saying: “And now, glorify Thou Me together with Thyself, Father, with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was.” We see what Messiah looked like when He appeared to Yochanan in Revelation 1: 13 – 16, in this way: ‘And in the middle of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His breast with a golden girdle. (14) And His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire; (15) and his feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been caused to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters. (16) And in His right hand He held seven stars; and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength.’ This is what Messiah looks like now, and will also when He returns to rule the world from Jerusalem. The main difference between mankind and Elohim is that Elohim is Holy or Set-apart and mankind is not, as we read from 1st Samuel 2: 2, as follows: “There is no one holy like YHVH, indeed, there is no one besides Thee, nor is there any rock like our Elohim.” The word ‘holy’ in this case means Set-apart, but also means ‘pure of heart’ and free from sin. Elohim possess a sinless, set-apart spiritual attitude and mind. But what does all this have to do with our being born-again? Everything! Because, when we are born-again one day, we will have the same glory and set-apartness as that of Elohim.

It is very important for us to understand the ‘Father-Son’ relationship of the Elohim Family, as it will help us understand the plan and purpose of Elohim and being ‘born-again.’ In Isaiah 43: 10 & 11 YHVH said of Himself: “You are My witnesses,” declares YHVH, “and My servant whom I have chosen, in order that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no Elohim formed, and there will be none after Me. (11) I, even I, am YHVH; and there is no savior besides Me.” This agrees with what Yahshua told the Jews in John 10: 30, saying: “I and the Father are one.” Yet, we also see from verses 27 - 29, Yahshua saying: “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; (28) and I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand. (29) My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” YHVH manifested Himself as the Son, to show us that if we follow in the footsteps of the Son – we will like Him be resurrected and born again as Spiritual children of Elohim. However, as the visible image of the invisible Elohim, Yahshua was always under the control of the Father – even before the Word became flesh. We are given the reason why Yahshua Messiah as the word of Elohim became flesh in Hebrews 2: 9, 11, 14 & 15, as follows: ‘But we do see Him who has been made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Yahshua, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of Elohim He might taste death for everyone. (11) For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren. (14) Since then the children share in flesh and blood, He himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil; (15) and might deliver those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.’ Yahshua Messiah, formerly the word of Elohim became a mortal man so that He the Creator of everything could pay the death penalty for the sins of all mankind. He was able to do this because His life was far more valuable than the lives of all human beings together – after all He was Elohim made flesh.

After Yahshua Messiah’s miraculous begettal, the word of Elohim became composed of flesh and blood, YHVH became known as YHVH the Father as witnessed in John 1: 14, in this way: ‘And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.’ A second witness comes from Matthew 18: 35, as follows: “So shall My heavenly Father also do to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.” Before Messiah – the Word – was conceived in Miriam, He was not the ‘Son’, He was the visible image or the word of Elohim who appeared to Abraham (Genesis 12: 1 – 4; 6 – 7; 17: 1 -22; 18: 1 -33: etc.) to Hagar (Genesis 16: 1 – 16); to Jacob (Genesis 32: 24 – 30); to Moses (Exodus 3: 2 – 17 & Numbers 12: 8); to Samson’s parents (Judges: 1 – 22) and to others. Yahshua existed eternally as witnessed in Micah 5: 2, in this way: “But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity.” Yahshua’s ‘human’ birth was His first birth. He gave up His glory or esteem as Elohim in order to be born into the world as a ‘human’ being, live a perfect sinless life, and then give His life to pay the penalty of all human sins and to die to be able to remarry His bride – the united Israel.

We need to understand that man is not merely another ‘animal’ as evolutionist claim, but that Elohim’s purpose for creating us surpasses anything ever conceived by the mind of man. We see from Genesis 1: 20 - 25 that Elohim created animals after the animal kind. But, we see further from verses 26 & 27 of Genesis 1, that YHVH created man in His own image and likeness. Without any interpretation, these verses plainly state that Elohim created fish to reproduce after their own particular kind, and cattle after the cattle kind. Each kind may have a number of varieties within it, but all creatures reproduce only after their own kind. Dogs reproduce dogs, sheep reproduce sheep, monkeys reproduce monkeys, but man was created in the image and likeness of Elohim. In Elohim’s pattern for all life, like reproduces like and just as each created form of plant or animal reproduces after its own kind, so man reproduces man. But unlike any of the animals created by Elohim, man was created in Elohim’s image or likeness. These scriptures refute the theory that man is merely the ‘highest’ form of the animals, having ‘evolved’ from lower mammals. They clearly state that Elohim created man after His own ‘image’ and ‘likeness’. We know from what we have already studied that YHVH our Elohim is invisible (as per 1st Timothy 1: 17), and that no man has seen or can see Elohim, as He is invisible (1st Timothy 6: 16). But we read from Colossians 1: 15, that Yahshua is the (visible) image of the invisible Elohim, the first-born of all creation. Yes, Yahshua is the first ‘person’ who was born again from the dead as is confirmed in Colossians 1: 18. A second witness to Yahshua being the ‘image’ of Elohim comes from 2nd Corinthians 4: 4. It is clear therefore that we look like the image of Elohim, Yahshua. Only a few people have really understood the tremendous significance of this astounding truth – that Elohim is reproducing Himself and our destiny as human beings, are to become like Yahshua when He became the Son of Elohim, the literal ‘children’ of Elohim. We will continue with part 2 of this lesson next Sabbath.

1 Revelation 1: 5, ‘And from Yahshua Messiah, the faithful witness, the first-born of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us, and released us from our sins by His blood.’

2 Jews like all men have (or are) living souls (transliterated in Hebrew as ‘nephesh’) and the spirit in man (transliterated as ‘neshamah’ or higher level soul), but Torah observant Jews also have the Set-apart Spirit (transliterated as ‘Ruach HaKodesh’). Since returning Israelites lost the Set-apart Spirit due to disobedience to Torah, they have to be immersed into the name of Yahshua (who came specifically to reconcile them to Elohim & Brother Judah to re-establish the kingdom of Elohim over Israel at His return), to receive the Set-apart Spirit.

3 Acts 5: 32, ‘And we (meaning Messiah’s disciples) are witnesses of these things; and so is the Set-apart Spirit, whom Elohim has given to those who obey Him.”

4 Acts 2: 38 & 39, ‘And Kepha said to them, “Repent, and let each of you be immersed in the name of Yahshua Messiah for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Set-apart Spirit. For the promise is for you and your children, and for all who are far off, as many as YHVH our Elohim shall call to Himself.”’

5 Romans 8: 11, ‘But if the Spirit of Him who raised Yahshua from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Messiah Yahshua from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His spirit who indwells you.’

6 Ecclesiastes 9: 5, ‘For the living know they will die; but the dead do not know anything, nor have they any longer a reward, for their memory is forgotten.’

7 Hebrews 4: 12, ‘For the word of Elohim is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.’

8 We understand from 1st Corinthians 1: 24, that Yahshua Messiah is the power and wisdom of Elohim, in this way: “but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Messiah the power of Elohim and the wisdom of Elohim.” Jeremiah 32: 17 tells us that YHVH created the heavens and the earth by His great power, as follows: ‘Ah YHVH Elohim! Behold, Thou hast made the heavens and the earth by Thy great power and by Thine outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for Thee.’ Isaiah 52: 10 states that: “YHVH has bared His holy arm in the sight of all the nations, that all the ends of the earth may see the salvation of our Elohim.” The name Yahshua means salvation as can be understood from Matthew 1: 21, “And she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Yahshua, for it is He who will save His people from their sins.” Yahshua the salvation of YHVH is His right hand and holy arm, but also our Savior.

9 The spiritual essence of YHVH is His divine nature. We are given a portion of His divine nature when we are immersed, according to Ephesians 1: 13 - 14, as follows: “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation – having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Set-apart Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of Elohim’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.” We demonstrate the fruits of the Spirit or divine nature of love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness and the like, by the indwelling of the Set-apart Spirit. Galatians 5: 22 & 23. We read from 1 Corinthians 2: 11 - 12, “For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so the thoughts of Elohim no one knows except the Spirit of Elohim. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from Elohim, that we might know the things freely given to us by Elohim.” We are also told in 2 Peter 1: 4 that we may become partakers of the divine nature.