Asking for your thoughts: John 3

[wmitty]

Jesus told Nicodemas that a man must be born from above in order to even see the kingdom of God. A man is dead (in a spiritual sense) until he is made alive by the Holy Spirit ... at least this is my understanding of what is being said by our Lord. Am I on the right track with this?

[PJEagle]

According to my understanding you are on the right track. The interesting part comes when you consider all the different opinions on how you are made alive by the Holy Spirit. It is a wonderful blessing to know that you will live in the presence of the Lord forever.

[wmitty]

By the number who read but didn’t post a reply I will assume that the majority do not agree with the idea that our Lord chooses who he will to receive the gift of eternal life.

[GhostHawk]

A Yes IMO the Lord chooses who will be saved. But you have to accept it.
You have to clean out your heart, purify it if you will to make it acceptable to the Holy Spirit. But I am no preacher or educated person. Just as you can lead a horse to water, you can not make him drink. The Lord can lead you to salvation, but you have to drink it in.

So yes IMO you are on the right track.

B "By the number who read but didn’t post a reply I will assume that the majority do not agree with the idea that our Lord chooses who he will to receive the gift of eternal life. "

I would not make that assumption. I believe it is a mistake.

Often I read, think about something someone has written. And then only after prayer and sleeping on it will I decide sometimes to come back and say something.

We are saved by grace, and grace alone. We can't earn it, we don't deserve it, we are all tarred with the brush of original sin. And IMO in Gods eyes, are not righteous.

Only by accepting the Lord as our savior, letting his sacrifice cleanse our sins. Accepting the Holy Spirit into our lives as a guide. Can we hope to be saved.

Washed in the blood of the Lamb, our sins are washed away. We are made new in God's Eyes. We "can" be righteous, if we choose.

We have free will, it is our choice.

I ignored the Lords call for 40 years. But the day finally came when I listened.
Much has changed in my life since that day, all for the better.

I have been blessed and blessed again. Thank you Lord. I KNOW I am not worthy.
But am SO thankful for all your gifts.

When in doubt, remove all hate, ill feelings for any person from your heart. Forgive as Jesus would forgive. Then sit and listen for that still small voice. Still your mind, just BE, and listen. And follow if you will.

[Markopolo]

I believe you are on the right track, but also remember that the Lord wants That none should be left behind.

2 Peter 3:9 NKJV
[9] The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

Being born from above is mearly stating that all that believe in Him shall be born again in the Spirit. Simple as that.

Blessings,
Marko

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I agree with GhostHawk's and Markopolo's view of salvation.

I don't understand why you assume that other readers don't agree with you, and I point out that you said nothing about God selecting those to receive salvation in your original post, but added this in as part of your second post. If 200 members view your thread and 200 agree, do you expect 200 posts expressing agreement?

[Texas by God]

John 3:16 sums it up for me simply.

[Tom W.]

By grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is a gift from God. And not of works, lest any man should boast.

That may not be a direct quote from the KJV, but it's almost. I may have misquoted, but the gist is there.
One church I went to we learned the "Romans Road" ,of which that is a part. We were also taught that once saved, always saved.

Remember when Jesus said "I go to prepare a place for you". I always thought about Him building a mansion in Heaven, then saying " Nope, tear it down, he just sinned...... Nope, start building again, he repented.... Nope, stop building, he had a bad thought about that blonde on t.v." and on ad nauseum until I was on his good side right when I died. But how do you know when your time is finished here on Earth? Remember the verse "There is none righteous, no, not one"

[wmitty]

Der Gebirgsjager

I jumped ahead of myself with my second post. I was raised believing a man has free will to choose to come to Christ once he has heard the truth taught. What Jesus is saying is that a man can not understand spiritual matters unless he is born from above and this implies that man does not choose and in fact is incapable of choosing to come to Christ. At least this is my understanding of the verse. John 1 v 13 says “who were not born of bloods, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but were born of God”.