Born Again,Born of The Spirit And Holy Ghost Baptism

BORN AGAIN, BORN OF THE SPIRIT AND HOLY GHOST BAPTISM
1.we are going to examine some words in the “Original Greek”
NT:4151 pneuma, pneumatos, This word with a “lower case “s” is used 126 times in the N.T.
1. a movement of air (gentle) blast
a. used of the wind:
b. breath of the nostrils or mouth, 2 Thess 2:8
2. the spirit, i. e., the vital principle by which the body is animated
3. a spirit
a. generically: Luke 24:37
b. a human soul that has left the body Heb 12:23
c. a spirit higher than man but lower than God, i. e. an angel: plural Heb 1:14
d. the spiritual nature of Christ, higher than the highest angels, close to God and most intimately united to him (in doctrinal phraseology the divine nature of Christ): 1 Tim 3:16
4. The Scriptures also ascribe the pneuma to God, i. e., God’s power and agency
(from Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, Electronic Database. Copyright © 2000, 2003 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)
The word “spirit” L.C. “s” is used 126 times in the N.T. and always deals with the “spirit of life” in mankind and in some cases an “evil spirit” in a person, or in animal or bird life.
S# NT:4151 pneuma, pneumatos, is used in the N.T 388 times as Spirit, spirit ,Spirit of God, Born of the Spirit, Spirit of Truth and Spiritual Gifts.
(from Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, Electronic Database. Copyright © 2000, 2003 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)
The same Greek word with a Higher Case .S. “Spirit” is used 135 times in the Spirit of God or the Holy Spirit or the Holy Ghost; the third person of the “God Head”.
As simply “Holy Ghost” 90 times.
John 3:5-8 “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.That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 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”.
NT:1080 gennaoo, gennoo; [born]
1. properly: of men begetting children, Matt 1:1-16
2. metaphorically,
a. universally, to engender, to cause to arise, to excite 2 Tim 2:23
b. in a Jewish sense, of one who brings others over to his way of life: 1 Cor 4:15
c. after Ps 2:7, it is used of God making Christ his son
a. formally to show him to be the Messiah Acts 13:33
b. to be the author of the divine nature which he possesses Heb 1:5; 5:5
d. peculiarly, in the Gospel and First Epistle of John,
absolutely, 1 John 5:1
Since “Jews” [Hebrews] were children of God by lineage [birth; descendants of Abraham through the lineage of Jacob. Under the covenant of grace; [Saved through and by faith in the blood of Christ; It was required that they be “born again” of the water and the Spirit. See John 3:8. Under this same covenant of Grace the Gentiles were required to be “adopted”. Rom 8:15-17 “ For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption , whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together”.
Gal 4:6-7 “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son [Holy Ghost] into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father; Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ”.
This tells us plainly that for Jews to be saved after Calvary they had to be “born again” by faith in Jesus Christ. And Gentiles who had never been children of God could now be saved by receiving the “Spirit of adoption” by faith in the same Jesus.
1 Cor 12:13 “ For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body , whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit”.
Let us go back to John 3:5 “Except A man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God”. If baptism in the Holy Ghost and being “born again” are the same thing; There were believers at Ephesus [Acts 19] that died lost during the elapsed time when they became believers and when the Holy Ghost was poured out on them some 20 years later.
From that which was designed to be “The great gift of God” to the church; the “Baptism with the Holy Ghost” later became the greatest divider of brethren in the church. A number of different organizations using variations of the name Church of God came into being along with Pentecostal Holiness; Assemblies of God, Independent and Free Holiness groups sprang into existence throughout the world. Each of these came into existence mainly because of “Charismatic Leaders” that preached a variation of the Pentecostal message and claiming to have received “special revelation or vision” from God. This fulfilling the prophecy of the Apostle Paul in Acts 20:30 “Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them”.
RELIGION: “Belief in and reverence for God or some supernatural power that is recognized as the creator and ruler of the universe; an organized system of doctrine with an approved pattern of behavior and a proper form of worship. The classic New Testament passage on religion is James 2:17. Faith divorced from deeds, says James, is as lifeless as a corpse”.
from Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright © 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)
Instead of “belief in and reference for” Elehoim” [S#430 the God of creation of Genesis 1:1] this generation has degenerated to the condition to the Greeks of Athens on Mars’ Hill in Acts 17:22-25 when they were involved in the worship of multiple gods; built an altar “TO THE UNKNOWN GOD” and bowed in worship to it; Being afraid that they would miss the worship of a god without a name.
Paul wrote to the Corinthians in 1st. Cor 14:26 “How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine , hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying”.
The “Bottom Line” is that every man [person] must “search the scriptures” to know the truth of the Word of God for themselves. The key to understanding the Bible is.
1. Know the time of the writing.
2. Know who is writing.
3. Know who the letter or Epistle is directed.
4. Know the purpose of the letter or Epistle.
5. Know the subject matter.
There is also a difference in being “born of the Spirit” and being “born of God”. 1 John 3:9-10 “ Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin , because he is born of God In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother”. The above says that a person that is “born of God” cannot sin”. And we know that a person that is “born of the Spirit” can sin. And if he can’t sin it would be impossible to ”backslide” or fall away from God.
I have to end this somewhere; but I could go on and on.
Give me your thoughts on the subject after you complete the study.
Shelton Turner

Christian Perfection

CHRISTIAN PERFECTION

BIBLE:Matt. 5:48.>
This statement has nothing to do with a person being without sin, fault, or error. But rather it deals with growth or maturity. This is speaking to spiritual rather than natural growth.
Paul addressees the subject of perfection in 2nd < Cor.13:9>“For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection” The word for perfection here is “katartisis” S# <STRONGS:NT:2676> (perfection by training and discipline) I want to address at this time the word “teleios” S# 5046the word Jesus uses in the text; Strong’s dictionary defines it as; full grown, complete, of full age or a man. (adult) This word is found twenty times in the New Testament.
The Christian begins the walk with God by as a baby. (new born) This new child requires care by someone who has grown and matured enough to feed, care for and teach; until he is able to care for it’s
self.” As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” <BIBLE:1 Peter 2:2:>
If a newborn Christian does not receive proper nourishment it will die of spiritual malnutrition. This
Nourishment must include both the teaching and receiving of proper instructions from the “Word.”
Paul writes the Corinthians; “I could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, (natural
man) even as unto babes (infants, immature) in Christ.” <BIBLE:1 Cor. 3:1> He then tells them that after several
years as a church, they were still unable to eat meat offered them. They began in a great revival, (see <BIBLE:Acts ch.18;See 1st. Cor. 5:1-16.) but problems had developed among the body, some causing divisions. There were also sins of fornication, of going to law with one another, of eating meat sacrificed to idols, and of improper
conduct in many other things. Paul blames this on the fact “Some have not the knowledge of God.”1st’Cor. 15:34
also see

 

Jesus speaks “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect”. <

ch<BIBLE:. 8:7.> It appears Paul is placing blame on carnal unqualified teachers and pastors for conditions of the Corinthian Church.The prophet Isaiah looks at the condition of Israel in Isaiah 28:9, and laments; “Whom shall he teach knowledge, and make to understand doctrine?” Then he answered the question with, “Them that
are weaned from the milk and drawn from the breasts.” Hosea declares, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge I will also reject thee.” Ch.4:6
James advises the Christian to “Let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” Ch. 1:4 The word for perfect here is also “teleios”. James is saying don’t be too fast
to grow up; it is a process of learning, and experience that if it is properly completed will lead the person to a point of being “entire” ( complete in all parts) wanting nothing. In other words, you can grow to perfection in Jesus. Malachi; looking to the future Church says, “Ye shall go forth, and grow
up as calves of the Stall.” ch.4:2 I think he meant that there is sufficient food in the House of the Lord for a person to attain full growth without having to look elsewhere for something to satisfy the need. “If any lack wisdom let him ask God.” James 1:5
Paul after sending Timothy to Ephesus as Bishop writes to him, “Be strong in grace that is In Christ
Jesus and the things you have learned commit to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others.”
2Tim.2:2 2 This man who declared himself to be “a wise masterbuilder” of the Church 1st. Cor.3:10, uses
body parts to explain the working nature of the spiritual Body of Christ in chapter 12 of this letter.
Also states that as a part of the plan of God for the Church, there are gifts of apostleship, prophets,
teachers and miracles (power “dunamis”). Paul continues to address this need in his letter to the
Ephesians in chapter 4:11-13. Here he names the five callings of ministry in the Church, and explains the purpose of each calling or ministry. “For the perfecting (here the gr. word is “katartismos” meaning to equip. completely) of the saints, for the work of the ministry the edifying (building up) of the body of Christ.till we all come to the knowledge of the Son of God. And unto a perfect man, (teleios) unto the measure of the stature (maturity) of the fullness of Christ.”The condition of the Christian Church has changed little since this letter to the Corinthians. At the time
of this letter, he could not speak to them as “spiritual but as carnal” because they walked as men, not as “Children of God”. (spiritual) ” I have fed you with milk, and not with meat, for ye were not able to bear it, and neither are ye now able. .”1st. Cor.ch.3:1-2. He also warns in ch. 2:14; that spiritual things must be spiritually discerned. See Col 1:9.
Peter, instructs in his first epistle chapter two verse two; “As newborn babes, (infants) desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby.” See also 2nd Pet.3:18 and Eph. 4:15.
Paul recognized the fact that he was once a child “I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I
thought as a child: But when I became a man I put away childish things. “1st.Cor.13:11.
Then in ch. 14:20 he admonishes “Brethren, be not children in understanding; but be men.”
The writer of the book of Hebrews sees an existing problem with those he is writing; and states “We have many things to say and hard to be uttered, (of interpretation) seeing ye are dull (slowful) of
hearing; For when ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one, teach you again.” Ch.5:11-12.
One of the great problems in world society causing much delinquency among the youth today is the fact; children are raising children! The same condition is prevalent in the church today. We are short in quantity of teachers that are able, by knowledge and experience to teach the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. One of the requirements for a bishop is being “apt to teach.” (Skillful) 1 Tim.3:2.
Everyone that has knowledge is not, skillful in teaching. This is the reason church leadership must be careful in selecting those that are placed inteaching positions that will impact the future spiritual growth and maturity of the body of Christ. Growth to perfection (teleios) of the Christian Church depends on the joining of knowledge of God’s word and the Holy Ghost anointing. “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you” Phil.3:14-15 Copyright © 1999 All rights reserved.

www.godswordtooyou.com Revashelton@aol.com
Next: “Let us go on unto perfection.”