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'Christ in You...'

    by Dale Krebbs

Born Again
Date Posted: April 12, 2020

The Eternal God has built into His physical realm a type of everything He is doing in the spiritual realm. A pattern, if you will. We are all familiar with patterns. We deal with or work with some kind of pattern almost every day. A seamstress is very familiar with patterns. Some perform their work from a pattern. Others are gifted with being able to create a pattern for others to use. Architects must have a pattern - a blueprint in order to successfully construct or repair physical structures. We can learn much about the spiritual realm by meditating upon God's patterns that He has built into all His creation. It is amazing that man, having cut himself off from the knowledge of God (Romans 1:28), is oblivious to the existence of the One behind the pattern of the creation. No one would think of a pattern as creating itself. Someone had to create the pattern in order for others to use it. Therefore, humanity is without excuse.

When it comes to the things that are spiritual and eternal, if we can understand the pattern, we can see the reality, if we believe. A pattern is then a road map to reality. In John 3:3,6 Jesus gives us the beginning pattern and the final reality of God's plan for saving mankind from himself, enabling him to live forever. The word "born" in verse 3 could also be translated as "begotten" (Grk: procreated). In verse 6 we see the eventual reality of what was begun in verse 3. The word "born" would then be the final result of the beginning process in verse 3. We are begotten by the Spirit in verse 3, and finally "born" of God in verse 6. Physical procreation and birth is a beautiful type of the spiritual reality of being made immortal, capable of living forever. This is one reason (there are others), that abortion is so horrible. A human has been denied even the possibility of experiencing life, and most of all, eternal life. Although begotten, the child is never allowed to be born physically. It can never be "born again". Even the type (pattern) is not allowed to be created. A worse tragedy can hardly be imagined.

Jesus is the only one who is both the type (pattern), and also the reality (anti-type). At some time in eternity past, the members of the Godhead must have planned His coming. The words of Isaiah 6:8 in type symbolize the events within the Godhead that led to Jesus giving up all His glory to come and redeem us, to become like us in every way except without sin:

“Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send? And who will go for Us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.”

We can almost hear Jesus offer to come. And He did. And He has. He was begotten in the womb of Mary, and physically born as a perfect Type (Pattern). Then He was "born again", fulfilling the anti-type, and was "perfected forever", and by so doing He considers those who come to Him as also being perfected. Their perfecting is certain, because He has been perfected. He became the forerunner of our salvation, by being Himself the fulfilling of the same pattern and reality unto eternal life, so that we can see our everlasting life through Him. This the Holy Spirit uses to first convict, and then convince (John 16:8). God has shown us the pattern and reality. Our reality of complete rebirth occurs when our salvation is completed at the resurrection of the just. Those living when Christ comes will receive a completed spiritual birth instantly, their physical bodies changed from flesh to spirit. Those who have died in faith will be resurrected with immortal, spiritual bodies, never to die again (1 Corinthians 15:52-54). The pattern leads to the reality if we believe.

All this being true, why do so many disbelieve? Because, the evidence does not constitute proof - to them.

At issue is what mankind will and will not accept as enough evidence of Christ's life, mission, and especially His resurrection. Proof is not proof unless a person is open to believe the evidence really is evidence, and enough to constitute proof to him. If he does not, then it is not proof to him. It must be that which is proof by their personal definition. This is especially true among many of the intellectually elite of the world. It is the same with the Bible, the Word of God. The Bible proves the existence of God, the purpose for human life, and the future of mankind - unless. Unless the whole matter is tossed by simply not accepting the evidence as proof. The Bible is unacceptable to many as proof. As the saying goes, there is "proof", and then there is proof. If one is determined not to believe, there will never be enough evidence to constitute proof. To them, there is no proof worthy of their belief. For others, they feel that if they just ignore the whole issue, perhaps it will just go away. It will never go away.

Perhaps this was the problem of the rich man and Jesus (Matthew 119:16-24). Perhaps the real issue was what he would accept as legitimate proof. The activities, healings, and fulfillment of prophecies by Jesus could not be accepted as proof because of his wealth, which blinded him to legitimate proof. His wealth rendered legitimate proof inoperative upon his mind and heart. The parable of the sower of the seed of the gospel illustrates this. The "cares of this life" had choked out any acceptance of his true Messiah (Luke 8:5-15; 21:34-35). His belief of the evidence was not strong enough. Even if he had accepted the evidence as proof, other things made it inoperative.

Christ was “born again” by resurrection and restoration to His former state, sitting at the Father’s right had, interceding for all who will turn from their own way, surrender, and believe in Him. His born again state of existence, proves the fact of our future full birth at our resurrection at His coming. This is certain, because we who have surrendered to Him have also been sealed by the Holy Spirit, just as He has been by the Father (John 6:27), unto our complete rebirth at His coming again (2 Timothy 2:19).

Jesus has been born. And He has been born again. He is the pattern, and the fulfillment, of the reality of salvation and eternal life for all who will come to Him, and believe that the evidence is proof. All of us, having been physically begotten and born, will also physically die, then all will face judgment (Hebrews 9:27). Come to Him - so that you may be born again. You will never die again.

Can you believe?

“All whom My Father gives (entrusts) to Me will come to Me; and the one who comes to Me I will most certainly not cast out [I will never, no never, reject one of them who comes to Me]. For I have come down from heaven not to do My own will and purpose but to do the will and purpose of Him Who sent Me. And this is the will of Him Who sent Me, that I should not lose any of all that He has given Me, but that I should give new life and raise [them all] up at the last day. For this is My Father's will and His purpose, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in and cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up [from the dead] at the last day...I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, he who believes in Me [who adheres to, trusts in, relies on, and has faith in Me] has (now possesses) eternal life." - John 6:37-40,47 (AmpBible)

"Point of Reference" from Fred Price

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Biography Information:
Dale Krebbs served as an Elder, preaching, counseling, and conducting Bible studies for over 25 years in Texas, California, and Arizona. He is now retired, lives in Arizona, and continues the study and research of Gods Word.
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