From Birth to Glory

Dearly beloved of God, when a person confesses Jesus as Lord and believes that God raised him from the dead, he is saved. At that moment, the person becomes a child of God, one that is born of God’s spirit.

Our first birth was a natural birth consisting of a human body and breath life. We were born with the nature of our earthly parents.

When we are born again we are born with the nature of our Heavenly Father. God is Spirit, and we are born of His spirit, which is incorruptible seed.

Jesus Christ said: “That which is born of the flesh is flesh [the life of the first birth is of the flesh and it is natural life] and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit [the life we receive from God when we are born again is spirit life and it is everlasting life]. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” John 3:6, 7

The only way to gain entrance into the Kingdom of God according to the Lord Jesus Christ is to be born again.

The Lord Jesus said, “Verily, verily I say unto you, He that hears my word, and believes on Him that sent me, has everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” John 5:24

“Then they said unto Him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said unto them, “This is the work of God, that ye believe on him [Jesus Christ] Whom He [God] hath sent.” John 6:28, 29

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me [Jesus Christ] hath everlasting life.” John 6:47

In the first birth, we received natural life. When we are born again, we receive spirit life, and that life is everlasting life!

“He that believeth on Me, as the scripture hath said, out of His belly shall flow rivers of living water.” (But this spake he of the spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the holy spirit was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) John 7:38, 39

God resurrected Jesus from the dead. Forty days later he ascended into heaven, and he sat down at the right hand of God. God glorified Jesus and made him both Lord and Christ.

Then, ten days later on the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost, “having been lifted up [into heaven] to the right side of God and having received the promise of the holy spirit from the Father, he has poured out this….” Acts 2:33 WT

Beloved, it is now available to receive the holy spirit, the spirit of sonship. When we receive the holy spirit, God becomes our Father and we become His children, and we gain everlasting life!

We received the spirit of sonship, and that spirit bears witness with our own spirit that we are children of God, and since we are children, then we are heirs, also; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; so that if we do suffer together, we shall also be glorified together as heirs.

The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that will be revealed to us when we obtain the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ at his coming!

“Beloved, we are children of God now, and (although it has not yet been revealed what we shall be) we know that when he [Jesus Christ] is revealed, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Anyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure.” I John 3:2, 3 The Working Translation, Rev. Walter Cummins

It started with the birth. Since we are born again, we are sealed for the day of redemption, the day that Christ will return and gather us together up to him, and we will be glorified together with him. Rejoice forevermore!