The Greek word “anothen” in Jn 3:3 & 3:7 means both “from above” and “again.” Christ means “from above” (see Jn 3:31) but Nicodemus misunderstands it as “again.” This misunderstanding serves as a springboard for further instruction.
John 3:31 – He [Christ] who comes from above [anothen] is above all.
Christ was the first man to be born of the Holy Spirit, therefore Christ was the first man to be born from above, all who God baptizes in the Holy Spirit are a new creation, they are born from above, they are not born again.
John 3:3 – Christ answered and said to Nicodemus, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born from above [anothen] he cannot see the kingdom of God.
John 3:4 – Nicodemus said to Christ, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?
John 3:5 – Christ answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit [born of the Spirit] he cannot enter into the kingdom of God
John 3:6 – That which is born of the flesh is flesh [natural birth, born of man & woman], and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit [spiritual birth]
John 3:7 – Do not be amazed that I said to you, `You must be born from above [anothen]”
John 3:8 – The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit [born from above].
The words of Nicodemus in John 3:4 show that he misunderstands the word “anothen” as “again, that’s why he says, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?”
Christ’s statement, “that which is born of flesh is flesh” in John 3:6 is referring to what Nicodemus asks Christ in John 3:4,
The statement, “that which is born of flesh is flesh”, is referring to being born of man and woman (natural birth),
by the statement, “that which is born of flesh is flesh”, Christ is showing Nicodemus that a person that is born of natural birth cannot see the kingdom of God, which shows Nicodemus that Christ meant “from above”, and not “again”, when he said “anothen”.
The statement, “that which is born of Spirit is spirit” in John 3:6 shows Nicodemus that Christ is talking about a spiritual birth, and that shows Nicodemus that Christ meant “from above”, and not “again”, when he said “anothen” in the statement “unless one is born anothen he cannot see the kingdom of God”.
Christ was the first man to be born of the Holy Spirit, therefore Christ was the first man to be born from above, all who God baptizes in the Holy Spirit are a new creation, they are born from above, they are not born again.
No one has to say anything to be born from above, John 3:8 confirms that truth.
To be born from above a person must first believe Yeshua is the Messiah, and then, God willing, God will baptize the person in the Holy Spirit, the baptism in the Holy Spirit is what makes a person born from above.
A person that is born from above is someone that believes Yeshua is the Messiah that no longer practices sin, it is the baptism in the Holy Spirit that makes a person no longer practice sin, that is why a person must be baptized in the Holy Spirit to be born of God.
Only those who believe Yeshua is the Messiah that no longer practice sin are born from above
A Christian is someone that is born from above.
1 John 5:1 – Whosoever believes Yeshua is the Messiah is born of God [born from above].
1 John 3:9 – No one who is born of God [born from above] practices sin, because His seed [the Holy Spirit] abides in him or her; and he or she cannot sin, because he or she is born of God [born from above].
1 John 5:18 – We know [absolutely] that anyone born of God [born of the Spirit] does not [deliberately and knowingly] practice committing sin, but the One Who was begotten of God carefully watches over {and} protects him [Christ’s divine presence within him preserves him against the evil], and the wicked one does not lay hold (get a grip) on him {or} touch [him].
For over 18 years I told people that they had to be born again to be a child of God, because that is what the majority of people that claim to be Christian teach. Thank God for the Holy Spirit that reveals the truth, otherwise I would still be speaking the false teaching of man, once the Holy Spirit showed me the truth, I stopped telling people that they had to born again to be a child of God.
A Christian is someone that is led by the Holy Spirit, no one led by the Holy Spirit will ever say,”a person must be born again to be a child of God”, because that does not agree with what the Messiah said. No one led by the Holy Spirit will ever say something that does not agree with what the Messiah said.
If someone claims to be Christian and says something that does not agree with the truth that is written in the Bible, the person is not led by the Holy Spirit, the person is led by the flesh, those who are led by the flesh are not the children of God.
Romans 8:14 – For all who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.
In the world today there are many people that claim to be Christian that say it is ok for there to be different denominations in the church, that it is ok for a Christian to believe something different than what another Christian believes, but the Bible does not support different denominations in the church, 1 Corinthians 1:10 says that the church is supposed to believe the same thing.
1 Cor. 1:10 – But I urge {and} entreat you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, that all of you be in perfect harmony {and} full agreement in what you say, and that there be no dissensions {or} factions {or} divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in your common understanding and in your opinions {and} judgments.
A Christian doesn’t believe Lucifer is an evil name, here is a link to my post that will show why a Christian doesn’t believe Lucifer is an evil name https://bornfromabove7.wordpress.com/category/a-christian-doesnt-believe-lucifer-is-an-evil-name/
A Christian believes in predestination, here is a link to my post that will show why a Christian believes in predestination https://bornfromabove7.wordpress.com/category/a-christian-believes-in-predestination/
A Christian doesn’t believe the flesh can do good, here is a link to my post that will show why a Christian doesn’t believe the flesh can do good https://bornfromabove7.wordpress.com/category/a-christian-doesnt-believe-the-flesh-can-do-good/
A Christian believes 2 Peter 3:9 is a word only for the church, here is a link that will show why 2 Peter 3:9 is a word only for the church https://bornfromabove7.wordpress.com/category/a-christian-believes-2-pet-39-is-a-word-for-the-church/
A Christian doesn’t believe in fallen angels, here is a link to my posts that will show why a Christian doesn’t believe in fallen angels https://bornfromabove7.wordpress.com/category/a-christian-doesnt-believe-in-fallen-angels/
A Christian believes adultery is a man coveting another man’s wife, here is a link to my post about Matthew 5:28 that will show why that verse says adultery is a man coveting another man’s wife https://bornfromabove7.wordpress.com/category/a-christian-believes-adultery-is-a-man-coveting-another-mans-wife/
A Christian believes Romans 10:9 is a word only for the church, here is a link to my post that will show why a Christian believes Romans 10:9 is a word only for the church https://bornfromabove7.wordpress.com/2014/09/13/a-christian-believes-romans-109-is-a-word-for-the-church/
A Christian does not believe adultery is cause for divorce, here is a link to my post that will show why a Christian does not believe adultery is cause for divorce https://bornfromabove7.wordpress.com/category/a-christian-doesnt-believe-adultery-is-cause-for-divorce/
A Christian does not believe the English Bible is 100% true, here is a link to my post that will show why a Christian does not believe the English Bible is 100% true https://bornfromabove7.wordpress.com/2014/09/12/a-christian-doesnt-believe-the-english-bible-is-100-true/
A Christian does not believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ, here is a link to my post that will show why a Christian does not believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ https://bornfromabove7.wordpress.com/2014/09/12/a-christian-doesnt-believe-in-the-gospel-of-jesus-christ/
A Christian believes the gospel has already been preached, here is a link to my post that will show why a Christian believes the gospel has already been preached https://bornfromabove7.wordpress.com/category/a-christian-believes-the-gospel-has-already-been-preached/
A Christian believes the tribulation has already happened, here is a link to my post that will show why a Christian believes the tribulation has already happened https://bornfromabove7.wordpress.com/2014/09/11/a-christian-believes-the-tribulation-has-already-happened/
A Christian does not believe Revelation is about this time period, here is a link to my post that will show why a Christian does not believe Revelation is about this time period https://bornfromabove7.wordpress.com/category/a-christian-doesnt-believe-revelation-is-about-this-time-period/
A Christian does not believe demons are fallen angels, here is a link to my post that will show why a Christian does not believe demons are fallen angels https://bornfromabove7.wordpress.com/category/a-chrstian-doesnt-believe-demons-are-fallen-angels/
A Christian does not believe Yeshua is the name above all names, here is a link to my post that will show why a Christian does not believe Yeshua is the name above all names https://bornfromabove7.wordpress.com/2014/09/11/a-christian-doesnt-believe-yeshua-is-the-name-above-all-names/
A Christian does not believe in the name Jesus, here is a link to my post that will show why a Christian does not believe in the name Jesus https://bornfromabove7.wordpress.com/2014/09/10/a-christian-doesnt-believe-in-the-name-jesus-5/
A Christian does not believe in water baptism, here is a link to my post that will show why a Christian does not believe in water baptism https://bornfromabove7.wordpress.com/2014/09/10/a-christian-doesnt-believe-in-water-baptism/
A Christian does not believe Christ died for everyone, here is a link to my post that will show why a Christian does not believe Christ died for everyone https://bornfromabove7.wordpress.com/category/a-christian-doesnt-believe-christ-died-for-everyone/
A Christian does not believe the devil also known as satan is a fallen angel, here is a link to my post that will show why a Christian does not believe the devil is a fallen angel https://bornfromabove7.wordpress.com/2014/09/10/a-christian-doesnt-believe-the-devil-is-a-fallen-angel/
A Christian does not believe anyone is tempted by a fallen angel, here is a link to my post that will show why a Christian does not believe anyone is tempted by a fallen angel https://bornfromabove7.wordpress.com/category/a-chistian-doesnt-believe-anyone-is-tempted-by-a-fallen-angel/
A Christian does not believe Christ is God, here is a link to my post that will show why a Christian does not believe Christ is God https://bornfromabove7.wordpress.com/category/a-christian-doesnt-believe-christ-is-god/
A Christian does not believe the Holy Spirit is God, here is a link to my post that will show why a Christian does not believe the Holy Spirit is God https://bornfromabove7.wordpress.com/category/a-christian-doesnt-believe-the-holy-spirit-is-god/
A Christian does not believe in freewill, here is a link to my post that will show why a Christian does not believe in freewill https://bornfromabove7.wordpress.com/category/a-christian-doesnt-believe-in-freewill/
A Christian does not fight the government, here is a link to my post that will show why a Christian does not fight the government https://bornfromabove7.wordpress.com/category/a-christian-doesnt-fight-the-government/