2 Births—0 Deaths

~ The Great Reality for Some Christians ~

Physical Birth  ~  “For You [God] formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.  I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well” (Psalm 139:13-14).  “By You I have been upheld from birth; You are He who took me out of my mother’s womb.  My praise shall be continually of You” (Psalm 71:6).  All physical births are from God.

Spiritual Birth  ~  “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’  Nicodemus said to Him, ‘How can a man be born when he is old?  Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?’  Jesus answered, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Do not marvel that I said to you, “You must be born again.”  The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes.  So is everyone who is born of the Spirit’” (John 3:3-8).  Jesus also said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.  And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand” (John 10:27-28). 

No Death (physical or spiritual) ~  “We can tell you with complete confidence—we have the Master’s word on it—that when the Master comes again to get us, those of us who are still alive will not get a jump on the dead and leave them behind.  In actual fact, they’ll be ahead of us.  The Master himself will give the command.  Archangel thunder!  God’s trumpet blast!  He’ll come down from heaven and the dead in Christ will rise—they’ll go first.  Then the rest of us who are still alive at the time will be caught up with them into the clouds to meet the Master.  Oh, we’ll be walking on air!  And then there will be one huge family reunion with the Master.  So reassure one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18, The Message). 

Comment  ~  Spiritual birth is the cure!  Spiritual life is eternal!  Jesus said, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:16-17). 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .

2 Births—1 Death

~ The Normal Christian Experience ~

Physical Birth  ~  “For You [God] formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.  I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well” (Psalm 139:13-14).  “By You I have been upheld from birth; You are He who took me out of my mother’s womb.  My praise shall be continually of You” (Psalm 71:6).  All physical births are from God.

Spiritual Birth  ~  “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’  Nicodemus said to Him, ‘How can a man be born when he is old?  Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?’  Jesus answered, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Do not marvel that I said to you, “You must be born again.”  The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes.  So is everyone who is born of the Spirit’” (John 3:3-8).  Jesus also said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.  And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand” (John 10:27-28). 

Physical Death  ~  “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep [died physically].  For since by man [Adam] came [physical] death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead.  For as in Adam all die” (1 Corinthians 15:20-22a).  The resurrection of Jesus Christ changed everything!

Comment  ~  Spiritual birth is the cure!  Spiritual life is eternal!  Jesus said, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:16-17). 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .

1 Birth—2 Deaths

~ All Humans Who Do Not Know Christ Personally ~

Physical Birth  ~  “For You [God] formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.  I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well” (Psalm 139:13-14).  “By You I have been upheld from birth; You are He who took me out of my mother’s womb.  My praise shall be continually of You” (Psalm 71:6).  All physical births are from God.

Physical Death  ~  “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep [died].  For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead.  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.  But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming” (1 Corinthians 15:20-23).  Because of “The Fall” in the Garden of Eden all mankind has inherited a sin nature from the “First Adam.”  “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).  

Spiritual Death  ~  “It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many.  To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation” (Hebrews 9:27-28).  When you were physically born you were already spiritually dead!  This is due to mankind’s Fall in the Garden of Eden (1 Corinthians 15:20-28).  But because of Jesus Christ’s life, death, and resurrection, you have the opportunity to receive spiritual life.  Jesus said, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).  When you experience physical death you will never again have the opportunity to receive the eternal spiritual life that Jesus Christ now offers you.  

Comment  ~  Spiritual birth is the cure!  Notice the entire previous paragraph.  Spiritual birth is a matter of believing and trusting Jesus Christ as your only alternate payment for your sins.  It is as simple as A-B-C.  (A) Admit that you are a sinner.  (B) Believe in the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  (C) Commit yourself to following Christ.  Jesus said, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:16-17). 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .