Today is my birthday

Originally posted by josephw
But doing all of that still does not get one saved.

And concerning Rosie, she didn't need any help from Trump to be humiliated. All she has to do to be humiliated is open her mouth and start talking.

LOL.

Originally posted by EcstremeVenom
so he does not listen?

Read it all if you would like but read 14 and 15.

Romans 10
1Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. 2For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. 3Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. 4Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

5Moses describes in this way the righteousness that is by the law: "The man who does these things will live by them."[a] 6But the righteousness that is by faith says: "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'[b]" (that is, to bring Christ down) 7"or 'Who will descend into the deep?'[c]" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,"[d] that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: 9That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. 11As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame."[e] 12For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."[f]

14How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"[g]

16But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our message?"[h] 17Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. 18But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did:
"Their voice has gone out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world."[i] 19Again I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says,
"I will make you envious by those who are not a nation;
I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding."[j] 20And Isaiah boldly says,
"I was found by those who did not seek me;
I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me."[k] 21But concerning Israel he says,
"All day long I have held out my hands
to a disobedient and obstinate people."

Originally posted by josephw
But doing all of that still does not get one saved.

And concerning Rosie, she didn't need any help from Trump to be humiliated. All she has to do to be humiliated is open her mouth and start talking.

As I said, I wrote that account in the vein of the Zacheuss story and I think Jesus had a different take than you.

Originally posted by josephw
But doing all of that still does not get one saved.

That sort of persisting inner transformation just is salvation.

Originally posted by RBHILL
Today is my birthday in Christ.
I became a Christian 5 years ago.
Praise God.

Commiserations.

On the anniversary of the day you chose to waste the rest of your life.

Originally posted by josephw
But doing all of that still does not get one saved.

And concerning Rosie, she didn't need any help from Trump to be humiliated. All she has to do to be humiliated is open her mouth and start talking.

Let's try something. Hopefully you will get this message before you go to church today. Try sharing this story, exactly as I have writtten it, with some members of your church. Then share a story about Donald Trump who confesses with his mouth that indeed Jesus Christ is Lord and died for his sins, but his lifestyle remains the same, and ask them which one represents salvation in the spirit of Jesus' teachings. They have to chose one and they can't editorialize. I would be interested in the feedback you get.

Originally posted by EcstremeVenom
what does it mean to be born again?

Here is where the term "born again" originated.

John 3:3 Jesus answered, "Verily, verily, I say to you, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when his is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb?" Jesus answered, "Veriliy, verily, I say to you, except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said this; You must be born again. The wind blows where it lists and you here the sound that it makes but you cannot tell whence it comes and where it goes, so is every one that is born of the spirit."

So there you have it. To live you must first be born, no? We are all born of the flesh but we are not all born of the spirit. You might say that we are "spiritually dead" until the Spirit of God quickens your spirit to life once you ask him to do so through Christ. Just as the wind is invisible so are the things of the spiritual realm. You may be able to "feel" it but you cannot tell from where it comes or where it goes.

Originally posted by RBHILL
Today is my birthday in Christ.
I became a Christian 5 years ago.
Praise God.

So you're five?

That explains a lot, though you shouldn't be playing here.

Originally posted by howardgee
Commiserations.

On the anniversary of the day you chose to waste the rest of your life.

I would rather live my life and believe in God then die to find out there isn't a God than live my life not believing then die to find out there is a God !!!

Perhaps you shouldn't be looking at Spiritual Forums eh !!!!!!

Originally posted by whodey
Here is where the term "born again" originated.

John 3:3 Jesus answered, "Verily, verily, I say to you, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when his is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb?" Jesus answered, "Veriliy, verily, I say to you, except a man be born of u may be able to "feel" it but you cannot tell from where it comes or where it goes.

Anothen is translated by NRSV, NJB and YLT (Young’s Literal) as “from above,” not “again.”

According to the Friberg lexicon, “again” or “anew” can be used in the case of future time, and indicates repetition.

However, the verb here is in the past tense, in which case anothen could also mean “from the beginning.”

The above-referenced translations choose the “spatial” translation perhaps based on the context of the basileian tou theou.

“Again” grammatically seems to be the worst choice; and it is Nicodemus here who is thinking in terms of a second birth (albeit a physical one, unless, being a bright man, he is teasing at Jesus’ metaphor to see where it goes).

______________________________

The word pneuma can be translated as wind, breath, spirit (or even, if one follows the Stoics, wind-fire). It is the translators choice in any given text. It is a theological choice when they choose different translations within the same text: as in 3:8*—or even 3:5, where most translations make it appear that water is just—water—but pneuma has to do with spirit.

There are a number of options here: (1) water, too, might be taken as a spiritual metaphor (as fire is elsewhere); or (2) water could refer to the physical aspect, and pneuma to the spiritual, both with regard to when a person is born (the “waters of birth” ); or (3) as it was later interpreted, water could refer to baptism, and pneuma to receiving the holy spirit; or...

One should perhaps not be too rigid in one’s interpretation here, but allow the options.

______________________________

* I have rendered 3:8 poetically as follows—

Wind-fire where it wishes blows;
the sound of it you hear, but do not know
whence it comes nor where it goes—
those who are born of wind-fire wayfare so.

However, I have no objection to using the word “spirit” in place of the metaphor. Either way, it is about freedom of movement, in more than just the physical sense.

Originally posted by vistesd
Anothen is translated by NRSV, NJB and YLT (Young’s Literal) as “from above,” not “again.”

According to the Friberg lexicon, “again” or “anew” can be used in the case of future time, and indicates repetition.

However, the verb here is in the past tense, in which case anothen could also mean “from the beginning.”

The above-referenced tr ...[text shortened]... he metaphor. Either way, it is about freedom of movement, in more than just the physical sense.

So you arre not completely happy with "born again" or happy may not
be the right word for me to use, either way.

Born from above
Born anew

Either way it seems to suggest the same thing, that what was done
before when we were born into this world in the flesh that something
else needs done, or will be done, when one gets it right before God.
Kelly

Originally posted by KellyJay
So you arre not completely happy with "born again" or happy may not
be the right word for me to use, either way.

Born from above
Born anew

Either way it seems to suggest the same thing, that what was done
before when we were born into this world in the flesh that something
else needs done, or will be done, when one gets it right before God.
Kelly

Happy or unhappy isn’t the issue (preference, maybe?). But when one sees the alternative translations, the text seems to open up a bit. What I do like about the “again” translation, if Friberg is correct, is that it implies repetition—like a continual process. But it seems to me to be the weakest choice, grammatically.

Translators, unfortunately, have to make choices. Here, it appears, knowledgeable translators disagree: KJV, NIV, and NAS translate “again”; RSV as “anew”; NRSV, NJB and YLT, as I noted, as “from above”.

My Greek dictionary gives: from on high, from above, ever since, or anew. Another lexicon I have (UBS) gives: “from above; again; from the beginning (Lk 1.3); for a long time or from the very first (Ac 26.5).” All of my “tool-books” give “from above” as the first translation. Another lexicon, which gives pretty much the same list, indicates that it is cognate with ana, which can mean upwards, above, on high, on the top, thereon, through, throughout, along, about during....

Context, of course, matters. But a native Greek reader might see multiple possibilities at once. I find the possibilites, and different shades of understanding, intriguing. You are correct, of course, in that all the shades of understanding relate to the spiritual.

Originally posted by RBHILL
Today is my birthday in Christ.
I became a Christian 5 years ago.
Praise God.

I guess you're barggin' rather than complaining, but the post comes off (to me) as sort of an AA meeting for lost sheep.

"Hi, my name is RBHill and i'm a sinner.
It's been 5 years since I had my last doubts about Jesus."

Sits down. lights a Marlboro Red and takes a sip of coffee.

next

Originally posted by jammer
I guess you're barggin' rather than complaining, but the post comes off (to me) as sort of an AA meeting for lost sheep.

"Hi, my name is RBHill and i'm a sinner.
It's been 5 years since I had my last doubts about Jesus."

Sits down. lights a Marlboro Red and takes a sip of coffee.

next

"Hi my name is Jay Joos and im a sinner,
Its been 25 years since i had doubts about Jesus!!"

sits down smiles and thinks "Hallelujah!!!"

🙂