Born again

Dr. Joan Boney, Jesus Ministries ...

God changes us instantly when HE reveals HIMSELF to us.  We are indeed "a new creature".  Old things are passed away.  Things are not the same as they were before.

II Corinthians 5

17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

19 To wit, that God was in Christ (The Word), reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

We are born again because God chooses to reveal HIMSELF to us and to reveal Jesus, The Word, to us.  It is not because we do anything to earn being born again.  It is just God's will that we are born again and that we are HIS creation.

Romans 9

15 For HE saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 

16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that MY name  (The Word) might be declared throughout all the earth.

18 Therefore hath HE mercy on whom HE will have mercy, and whom HE will HE hardeneth.

There is a "chosen people" of God in both the Old and New Testaments.  In the Old Testament the Israelites were the chosen people of God.  In the New Testament the chosen people of God are the elect of God, those chosen by God for salvation and those added to the church by God, not by the will of man.

 

Acts 2:47    And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

 

God caused them to be born again by The Word given by HIS Spirit.

 

I Corinthians 2:14   But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

 

Being born again and being the elect of God are foolishness to the natural man who is not born again.

 

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