Originally posted by checkbaiter
Do you want to revise that sentence now?
No. The Greek text reads gennaō anothen.
This same truth about the dead coming up out of the ground is found in Ezekiel 37:12-14 and Daniel 12:2. The imagery of resurrection as “birth” is in the Old and New Testament. Besides here in John 3, Jesus is called “the firstborn from the dead,” referring ...[text shortened]... he New Birth was never mentioned in the Old Testament and therefore the Jews knew nothing of it.[/b]
This same truth about the dead coming up out of the ground is found in Ezekiel 37:12-14 and Daniel 12:2.
The imagery of resurrection as “birth” is in the Old and New Testament. Besides here in John 3, Jesus is called “the firstborn from the dead,” referring to the fact that he was the very first one to be raised from the dead (Col. 1:18; Rev. 1:5. Cp. Rom. 8:29; Col. 1:15).
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Jesus is indeed called the Firstborn from the dead.
But the New Testament speaks of the Christians being begotten of God as a PAST event prior to them expiring. It is because of His resurrection they HAVE BEEN regenerated unto the living hope which they possess on THIS SIDE of expiring and physical resurrection.
There is no argument against it.
" Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has REGENERATED US [past tense] unto a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." (1 Peter 1:3)
You want to change that in - they're going to be regenerated in the future.
The Apostle Peter says God HAS REGENERATED them.
You want to relegate this being born to their future.
While I can see some of your logic is based on some things the NT says, I see also its errors.
There is no way around the fact that Peter refers to the PAST TENSE of these Christians as to how God has regenerated them through the resurrected Jesus.
" .. according to His great mercy HAS [past tense] REGENERATED US ..."
It is NOT according to His great mercy He is GOING TO regenerate us when He resurrects our bodies. Now resurrection is also His great mercy, no doubt. And we can talk about rapture, transfiguration and resurrection as a kind of birth. I see where you are coming from.
However, as to the Christians PAST - they have already been born of God, born from above, and regenerated through the resurrected Jesus Christ.
Do you think you are doing Christ some service by contradicting His apostles ? Peter says the have been regenerated. You argue that they have not YET been regenerated.
The becoming children of God through being begotten of God, the Apostle John says the believers have NOW and not only when resurrected.
"Beloved, NOW are we the children of God, and it has not yet been manifested what we will be. " (1 John 3:2a)
Your argument seems to be that only at physical resurrection can the believers say they are born from above, from God. John says we may say we are children of God
NOW on this side of the second coming and resurrection.
.How did they and we who are Christians become
children of God now? Of course by receiving Him He gave us that authority
(John 1:12) by believing into His name.