Saved...But Not Born Again

This may seem somewhat odd, given what is widely accepted by the term "born again". People often, including myself at the beginning of this journey, ascribe being born again as the moment in which they are saved by Christ. Why then, have I concluded that I am saved but not born again?

And so what is this moment? It is written:

Romans 10:9-10 New King James Version (NKJV)

9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

For those of you who do not know in this season of my life God has shown me a glorious and prosperous future yet, has brought me completely to a standstill. My current circumstances do not communicate victory. Upon His instruction I am not working, I now have less money in my bank account than when I was a child, I face bills I cannot pay which seem to be increasing daily.

I am in the midst of spiritual battles and warfare, with painful revelation upon painful revelation because He has said "the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32). Despite all of this God has told me "be still, and know that I am God". (Though this revelation came at the same time I wrote about the covenant of sacrifice separately, as this topic would become so big that you would not have the time to read it!)

As with many others I am sure, I had wrestled with the notion that immediately I truly accepted Jesus as my Lord and savior of my soul, things seem to have gotten worse. I have scrambled looking to verse upon verse of God's promises and could not reconcile my experience with his word.

Days, weeks and months had passed, and by grace and not works, sitting in a public library in the midst of my sorrow, on the 20th May the Holy Spirit took me on a journey. This journey encompassed so many things but it is this which I must share with you.

(Side note: It is the 3rd June 2019 and this is when I have been able to write this. I wrote about the cause of the delay in composing this post here, the enemy did not want me to share this with you, so if you too find yourself under attack for your service to God, take heart, because if I can make it so too can you!)

I do not feel capable of truly communicating the gravity of this revelation and so I apologise, yet it is this which God has told me to share. So I offer you an extract from my notes which I took when this happened:

Matthew 16:24-28 New King James Version (NKJV)

Take Up the Cross and Follow Him

24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.28 Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

Matthew 24 - Something somewhat obvious has struck me about the timing of this verse. Jesus had not been crucified yet, it would actually be quite some time before this would happen. This is extremely powerful. Jesus has just spelled out this principle here. Jesus had to carry the cross on the way to being crucified - meaning He had a burden to bear before, the pain, glory, eventual resurrection and promise (that He was given all authority in heaven and earth Matthew 28, and will reign as the one true king). All of that sequence was done for our benefit. He said "take up his cross", not the cross, implying it is your cross.  We have to carry our own cross to crucifixion. He was basically saying "come let us go and die".

Matthew 25 - God said we have to willingly sacrifice. Christ is saying the same. We have to willingly follow Christ to die, endure the pain and any humiliation. Therefore not only should we not question why we suffer, but we must endure by looking to the author of our faith (Hebrews 12). This is literally what God meant!!!! He meant all of Christs example, not just the ministry, but dying too. This is part of the mystery Jesus spoke about in John 3:5-8.

Matthew 26 - He is saying, your soul is priceless. If you have to endure a little suffering to free your soul what's the big deal? Because if you gain this material world and everything in it, but lose your soul in eternity you have wasted your time!

Matthew 27 - We will be rewarded according to what we do whilst here on earth, of which we cannot reach the fullness of our potential without entering into this covenant relationship with God.

End of notes

So considering all of the above am I truly born again? No. I can truly say I am in the season where I have taken up my cross, but not that I have been crucified just yet. Now, test all things, though this revelation came to me by the Holy Spirit you may be sceptical, as you should, discernment is necessary in these uncertain times full of misinformation.

And so, go back to the Romans 10:9-10

Romans 10:9-10 New King James Version (NKJV)

9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Why do you think God specifically asked you to believe that Jesus was raised from the dead? Because the true redemption is in the resurrection:

Colossians 2:12 New King James Version (NKJV)
12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.

God is saying if you do not believe I could raise Jesus from the dead, neither can I raise you from the dead. And is it not written that "he who has died has been freed from sin" (Romans 6:7)? That you may be dead to sin and alive unto righteousness (Romans 6:11)? Frankly, you must die.

In fact these references are all over the Bible about your "death", there are so many verses that this post could become a series. In my own life this is the one that resonated the most:

Colossians 3:1-3 New King James Version (NKJV)
Not Carnality but Christ

3 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

This is important. It is written. IF then, "not that you are". One of the tenants of truly being raised with Christ is that I should be able to focus on the things that God is concerned about, and not worried about things as those without God, such as food, shelter, clothing, bills for my heavenly Father knows I need these things. (Matthew 6:25-31). That I should seek first the kingdom of God and the rest will be added unto me (Matthew 6:33).

Truth be told. I am not there....yet.

If you have spent any time in church, then you may have heard the term "carnal Christian". Combined with the commonality with which we hear the phrase born again, and yet do not hear with the same degree of commonality this breakdown, means there are a lot of carnal Christians.

Why is this important?

John 4:24 New King James Version (NKJV)
24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” &

John 3:6-7 New King James Version (NKJV)

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’

So when you die this death, which is of course a spiritual death, then you can be born again truly capable of operating with all the fruits of the Spirit and walking by faith.

 And yet Hebrews 5 & 6 describes the very same as the elemental principles of our faith, that this is the spiritual milk and not the hard food.

So I implore you ask yourself, as I have done, are you truly born again?