Christ Born a Second Time by the Resurrection
Continue in Romans 8:
"For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he [Jesus] might be the firstborn among many brethren" (verse 29).
Now compare with Romans 1:34: "Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; and declared to be the Son of God . . . by the resurrection from the dead."
Jesus was, in the human flesh — His first birth — a descendant of David, and, by the resurrection from the dead — (born AGAIN) — the Son of God, now no longer human, but composed of SPIRIT — a Spirit Being. He thus became the FIRST SO BORN of many brethren who shall be BORN AGAIN at the time of the resurrection of those who are Christ's.
Of course we understand, and so did Paul in writing the above, that Jesus was also the Son of God while in the human flesh. Though born of a human woman, He was sired by God. But this is comparing the two births — the one from the human Mary, as descended from the human David — the other, by His resurrection to glory, as Son of God by His resurrection, in the same manner we may be.
Emphatically this does NOT imply that Jesus was a sinner needing salvation. He was the pioneer, setting us the example, that we, too, may be BORN of God.
When Born Again What Shall We Be Like?
When we are born again, what shall we be like?
Here is the answer: "For our conversation [citizenship] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body [FLESH], that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body . . ." (Phil. 3:20-21). And what is Christ's GLORIOUS body like? His eyes are as flames of fire — His face bright as the sun at full strength — Revelation 1:14-16.
A TIME When Begotten But Not YET Born
Thus, scripture after scripture — analogy after analogy — comparison after comparison — shows that being BORN of God is a PROCESS in which there is a time element. Just as being born of the human flesh is a process.
At the time when the father begets and the mother conceives — of the union of sperm cell and ovum — the fertilized ovum becomes an embryo. But it is not yet delivered from the womb — not yet born! And will not be for nine months. A pregnancy is in progress. Yet during this period of physical development and growth, it is the unborn child of its parents.
In like manner, at the time when the Spirit Father, God, begets a human with the Spirit (the spiritual counterpart of the physical sperm) — the Holy Spirit — he becomes a son of God! He is then already a son of God.
But he is still human — he is still material flesh and blood. He must now undergo a period (until death, the resurrection) of spiritual development and growth. He is in the gestation state in the PROCESS toward being born. He is in the CHURCH of God, but the Church is not the KINGDOM of God.
The Church is composed of human, flesh-and-blood children of God. And, flesh and blood cannot see, cannot enter into, cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is made up of spirit-composed children of God. The Spirit-begotten human in the Church is in the process of being born of God, BUT he has not yet entered the Kingdom of God. He has not yet been BORN of God.
He is in the gestation state toward Spirit-BIRTH, but not yet BORN of the Spirit. He yet has a lot of spiritual developing and growing to do — acquiring the spiritual character-image of God.
POWER Greater Than Energy of Wind
There is another passage, understood by almost none, that reveals our astonishing transcendent potential!
It begins in Hebrews 2, verse 6. But first, notice about Christ, in chapter 1:
"God . . . hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he bath appointed heir of all things [Moffat and others, the universe], by whom also he made the worlds; who, being the brightness of his glory, stamped with God's own character [Moffat] and upholding [sustaining] the universe by the word of his power . . ." (Heb. 1:1-3). ALL POWER in heaven and earth (Matt. 28:18) has been given to Christ. He is now Chief Executive of God's Government of the UNIVERSE.
Now begin with Hebrews 2:6; a citation from Psalms 8:4-6:
"What is man, that thou art mindful of him?"
Yes, why should the Great God be concerned about us mortals? WHY did He put us here on earth? What is the PURPOSE of life — what is our transcendent potential? It is so far above and beyond anything you have thought or imagined, it seems shockingly incredible!
Can you believe it? Are you willing to believe what is now plainly stated? Here comes the astonishing answer, beginning verse 7:
"Thou madest him a little lower than the angels." Some translations have it, "for a little while lower than the angels." Continue: "Thou crownedst him [kingship] with GLORY and honor, and didst set him over the works of thy hands . . ." — that is, God's creation. Continue:
NOT YET the Universe!
"Thou hast put ALL THINGS [Moffat: the UNIVERSE] in subjection under his feet. For in that he put ALL in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him . . ." Can you grasp that? The entire vast, endless UNIVERSE! But that is for BORN sons of God. Man is not yet BORN — except Christ only! Continue. Here comes the answer:
" . . . But now [in this present gestation state] we see NOT YET all things [the universe] put under him" (verse 8).
But what do we see, Now?
"But we see JESUS . . . crowned with glory and honor" (verse 9). Yes, as revealed in chapter 1, Jesus has already been given the executive administration of God's Government — the KINGDOM of GOD — over the entire UNIVERSE! Only, until our time to inherit and possess the government Of EARTH, at Christ's return, He is allowing Satan to continue on this earth his work of deception. Now continue:
"For it became him [Jesus], for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto GLORY, to make the captain [margin, leader — or forerunner, pioneer — the One who has gone on before us, as we are to follow] of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren" (verses 10-11).
Christ First Born of Many
We are, as quoted before, heirs of God, and joint-heirs — as BRETHREN — with Christ. He has gone on ahead, through a resurrection, to GLORY as the pioneer!
He is the firstborn of many brethren! He has INHERITED "all things" — the UNIVERSE! We are still heirs — still in the gestation stage of the process of being BORN of God. Jesus is now our High Priest, supervising our spiritual development — preparing us to be kings and priests. reigning with Him!
The first thousand years we shall reign ON THE EARTH. For He shall have "made them kings and priests: and they shall reign on the earth" (Rev. 5:10, RSV).
The First Thousand Years
For that first thousand years, Jesus is to reign on the throne of His earthly ancestor DAVID in Jerusalem (Isa. 9:6-7). And, "he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron . . ." (Rev. 2:26-27). But how and from where shall we rule?
Jesus said, again, "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne [at Jerusalem], even as I also overcame, and am [now] set down with my Father in his throne" (Rev. 3:21).
When BORN of God, we shall BE spirit, no longer human flesh and blood. We shall be given POWER! As Daniel revealed, the saints then shall take the kingdoms of earth's nations and RULE them — for the first thousand years.
And . . . after that? The passage in Hebrews 2 shows that then, under Christ, we shall be given power to rule over the entire vast universe — literally ALL THINGS. For that is the power that has been given to Christ, and we are joint-heirs, to become joint-INHERITORS with Him.