Birth of the Church Age / The Spiritual Birth of the Second Man

In John 3 Nicodemus a Pharisee had questions for Jesus so he came to him by night. In their conversation Jesus tells him the way of salvation.  However, this does not occur until after Jesus's ascension up into heaven after his resurrection in Acts 1.  

John 3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: ² The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. ³ Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.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. ⁶ That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. ⁷ Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. ⁸ The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

Looking at the first created earthy man Adam who was created in Genesis 1.  Genesis 2:7 gives us more details into his creation.  Gen 2:7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

We know by scripture that by Adam’s disobedience in eating the forbidden fruit that sin entered into the world. Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: We are all born into sin as we are in the image of earthy Adam.  Jesus tells Nicodemus that we must be born of the water and of the spirit and if the first man Adam was now sinful he was not able to redeem man.  There had to be another who could redeem man.  1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.  God wrapped himself in flesh.  In Matthew 16 Jesus asked his disciples if they knew who his was and Peter speaking up for them all said, "Thou art the Christ, the son of the Living God. In John 10 Jesus tells them plainly in verse 30 I and my Father are one the Jews wanted to stone him because they understood what he proclaimed.  Jesus was the perfect "Lamb of God" without spot or blemished that was needed to redeem mankind back to God himself. 

2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

 1 Corinthians 15:45-47

⁴⁵ And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

⁴⁶ Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.

⁴⁷ The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven.

This is the same within everyman as we are born earthy and in order to make it to heaven we must become spiritual.  This takes us back to to John 3 Nicodemus asked Jesus in verse 4 Can I entered a second time into my mother’s womb? Well, of course not so there has to be a birthing process spiritually.  The old sinful nature must die and be buried in a watery grave through baptism in Jesus Name such as the apostles begin doing in Acts 2:38. By doing this 2 Corinthians 5:17 states "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.  How do we get born again?  This was the very question that was asked in Acts 2.  The first four gospels does not preach salvation but tells us where salvation came from.  It was the transformation from the Old Testament Laws that were torn in half the moment Jesus died on the cross so that just as Jesus had told the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4:23 that the hour cometh and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth.  John 4:21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. First before this could happen Jesus the Lamb of God must be sacrificed for our sins.  Through his death, burial, and resurrection we have the opportunity to be reborn into the kingdom of God. This is important in understanding the process of being born spiritually.  

Jesus had instructed his disciples for 3 ½ years and his last instructions to them is found in Acts 1:4-8 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. 6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Acts 2 Jesus disciples altogether about 120 were in the upper room as instructed by Jesus himself.  It was 50 days after The Passover when there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 

This caught the attention of the Jews who were in from every nation under heaven for the Passover, who were amazed and marveled and wondered what this meant.  The first Gospel message of the new birthed church was given that day just as Jesus had given Peter the keys to the kingdom and had told Peter on the seashore after his resurrection to feed his sheep.  Peter stood up and began to explain what was happening.  Which was also another prophecy fulfilled by the Prophet Joel 2:28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:

After Peter finished we read in verse 37 which stated the people were pricked in their heart and ask them what shall we do?  Peter tells them the salvation plan Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

There is more than just believing on the Lord there is Action as well as Peter describes repentance is dying out to your earthly flesh, water baptism in Jesus Name is being buried with Christ in a watery grave, and being resurrected is being spiritually birthed through the gift of the Holy Ghost.  The spiritual man also receives the breath of God as a rushing mighty wind as Jesus tells Nicodemus and then this actually happens to the people in the book of Acts starting with the disciples who are then known as the Apostles who all received the gift of the Holy Ghost (breath of God) as cloven tongues as of fire sat upon each of them they began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 

As a child we sing song Oh be careful little mouth what you say; Why?  We are told in James 2 that the most unruly part of our fleshly body is what? Well lets read,  James 2:5-10 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! 6And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. 7For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: 8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.9Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. 10Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

No man can tame the tongue, There is power in the tongue to make life or kill! It was the serpants tongue that enticed Eve who ate of the fruit that gave to her husband who did eat.    Earthly man that is born to die and with an unruly tongue can kill where the Spiritual man whose tongue can speak life. 

There are several scriptures that speak about the mysteries of God and that only God can reveal them to you.  On the day of Pentecost Peter after receiving the Holy Ghost received the Power to speak life and the people there that day that received it did not stop at just believing they acted just as Peter instructed and they were baptized and also filled with the Holy Ghost.  The majority of the New Testament after the book of Acts was addressing issues within the new birthed Christians.  That does not mean that no one else ever experienced the infilling of the Holy Ghost with the breath of God that a newborn spiritual person receives from God.  Once you experience this new birth no one would be able to tell you any thing otherwise, because it is a personal experience.  Ask Paul!  How, by not only reading the scriptures but by studying the scriptures from Genesis to Revelation.  Every book found complements the total work of God.  This will not happen overnight! 

My prayers are that these studies help reveal God to everyone.  You can have a personal experience that no one can take from you.  If you want a deeper walk with God, ask him if this is real to reveal it to you.  I promise you will not regret it.  It changed my life at 18 years old and I have been living a spiritual life for over 30 years.  Not one regret of being reborn in the Spirit.  

The next study to follow: The Flesh Vs Spirit Part II

Flesh vs. Spirit Part II (sylviasjournalandthouhts.blogspot.com)