“The Born Again Children of God”
- the Saints of Yahveh -
The spiritual sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father are always “after His heart”, “finding out what is pleasing to Him” through His word and will, and with wholehearted loving obedience live to bring Him praise, honor, and glory
- 1 Samuel 13:14, Ephesians 5:10 -
Yahveh God Almighty says, “As for the saints who are on the earth, “They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.” (Psalm 16:3) Each of us is accountable before our Creator and Savior who “searches the heart” looking at all of the hidden inner motivations and inclinations of the soul. (Jeremiah 17:10) It is written, “The eyes of Yahveh [the Lord] search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.” (2 Chronicles 16:9) The spiritually “born again” obedient remnant, who seek and do the will of the Father by the power of His indwelling Spirit, are recognized and lovingly embraced as part of His holy eternal family. (John 3:3) They are honorably referred to as “the saints” [See Footnote 1]. In reality, however, the saints have always been a small minority compared to the multitudes of “professing believers” who confess Him as their “Lord and Savior” but do not walk in a holy manner “worthy of the calling with which they were called.” (Ephesians 4:1) All “professing Christians” are not saints. Only those who are truly “born again” and bear Yahshua’s (Jesus’s) likeness are the eternal sons and daughters of God. (John 3:3, Ephesians 4:5) “Therefore if anyone is in Messiah, this person is a new creation (a child of God) old things are gone and all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17) They are now living by the Spirit as His “ambassadors beseeching others” to repent and be reconciled to the Holy God so that they too, can become children of the Living God and dwell in His Kingdom forever. (see 2 Corinthians 5:20) The spiritual sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father are always “after His heart”, “finding out what is pleasing to Him” through His word and will, and with wholehearted loving obedience live to bring Him praise, honor, and glory. (1 Samuel 13:14, Ephesians 5:10) They have the fear, the reverential awe, of their loving holy God and Savior and don’t ever want to grieve Him.
A “professing Christian” cannot bear the identity of the Son of God unless they are “born again” and His seed, the Holy Spirit - “the Helper” lives in them, teaching them to “walk just as He walked”.
- John 16:7, 1 John 2:6 -
The reality of being a saint is not a casual label that one receives the minute they confess Yahshua (Jesus) as Savior. There is a growing up process that begins with Messiah’s initial proclamation, “the Kingdom of heaven is at hand, repent and be born again, because flesh and blood and its inherited sin nature, are objects of God’s wrath and can never attain to righteousness or enter the Kingdom of Heaven. (Author’s paraphrase) (see Matthew 4:17, John 3:3, 1 Corinthians 15:50) A “professing Christian” cannot bear the identity of the Son of God unless they are “born again” and His seed, the Holy Spirit - “the Helper” lives in them, teaching them to “walk just as He walked”. (John 16:7, 1 John 2:6) Apostle John makes this clear saying, “No one who has been born of God practices sin, because His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin continually, because he has been born of God.” (1 John 3:9) Yahshua (Jesus) walked sinless, which means He walked without breaking His Father’s commandments. Our Savior said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill [and uphold] them.” (Matthew 5:17) Messiah came to magnify His Father’s Commandments even more to our understanding so that we could see how we break the commandments in our thought life and the inclinations of our heart.
You can’t follow Yahshua (Jesus) in the flesh, you can only follow the Messiah in the Spirit, which necessitates being “born again” for if you are living in accord with the flesh, you are going to die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, [the flesh] you will live."
- John 3:3, Romans 8:13 -
The great Apostle Paul teaches, “… Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Messiah, he does not belong to Him.” (Romans 8:8-9) Our Savior pronounced a death warrant on our flesh nature, it is under arrest by holy decree. Yahshua (Jesus) said to all, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23) This is the beginning of the walk on “the narrow path" following Yahshua (Jesus), out of the flesh and the world, into the Spirit. (Matthew 7:14) You can’t follow Him in the flesh, you can only follow the Messiah in the Spirit, which necessitates being “born again”. Only when we are “born again” can we see our flesh in the true light of its being an enemy to the Holy Spirit. “For the desire of the flesh is against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another …” (Galatians 5:17) Again, listen to Apostle Paul, he proclaimed this immutable fact, “We are under obligation, as born again children not to the flesh, and its desires to live according to the flesh— for if you are living in accord with the flesh, you are going to die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, [the flesh] you will live. For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons and daughters, [the saints of Yahveh].” (Romans 8:12-14)
A self pleasing gospel message that endorses the flesh and its desires for this passing world is in direct opposition to uncompromised biblical truth of the gospel [good news] of the New Testament."
Apostle Paul is clearly magnifying the reality that there is a high personal cost to be a “born again” child of God. (John 3:3) Sadly, there are so many professing believers who find the price too high and prefer an alternate man-made, yet counterfeit form of religion. Paul prophesied that this would happen, it would lead to “the great apostasy” because this hybrid form of religion would be teaching “another Yahshua (Jesus)”, “another spirit”, “another gospel”, and “doctrines of demons” with “ear tickling” self pleasing messages that distort the truth. (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3, 2 Corinthians 11:4, 1 Timothy 4:1, 3) A self pleasing gospel message that endorses the flesh and its desires for this passing world is in direct opposition to uncompromised biblical truth of the gospel [good news] of the New Testament. This extremely popular counterfeit interpretation of the gospel is nothing less than a deceptive theology from Satan himself to keep us in bondage to the flesh and the world over which he is the ruler, as Yahshua (Jesus) stated. (John 12:31) . The prevalent apostate, self serving, self seeking, self pleasing messages that fill pulpits and pews are insidiously luring multitudes onto “the broad path that leads to destruction” (the definition of apostasy is the departure, falling away, backsliding from truth). (Matthew 7:13) They do not preach the “fear of Yahveh” is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” (Proverbs 9:10) Instead, they put the Hoy One to the test because they have no fear of Him, which would have led to wisdom to obey and “walk as Yahshua (Jesus) walked” in order to follow Him. (1 John 2:6) Let us take note that the Messiah magnified the narrowness of the holy path following Him into His righteous Kingdom saying, “…narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (Matthew 7:14)
It is a grief to our holy God and Savior that so many profess to believe in God but by the inclinations of their heart and mind, and their words, actions, desires, and lifestyles they deny the grace and power of the Holy Spirit and consequently defame Him by no longer being the light and the salt of this dark doomed world."
Yahshua (Jesus) proclaimed, “‘This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me; in vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men …’” (Matthew 15:8-9) His declaration speaks to the masses of self-pleasing (rather than self-denying) casual, worldly, and “lukewarm” Christians of our day. (Revelation 3:16) It is a grief to our holy God and Savior that so many profess to believe in God but by the inclinations of their heart and mind, and their words, actions, desires, and lifestyles they deny the grace and power of the Holy Spirit and consequently defame Him by no longer being the light and the salt of this dark doomed world. (Matthew 5:13-16). This is why the Holy Spirit stated, “do you not know the friendship with the world makes you an enemy to Yahveh?” (James 4:4) The flesh and its desires as stated, are contrary to the truth of what is required to follow our God and Savior. If we don’t deny ourselves we will deny Yahshua (Jesus). If we continue to serve ourselves by default we will not be serving the One who redeemed us to be His servants. Yahshua (Jesus) “… although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a humble servant, leaving us that example to follow in His footsteps. “It is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:6-7,13) Those who are seeking His good pleasure are truly His children, but the ones who are seeking their own good pleasure are following a counterfeit Yahshua (Jesus) and their spiritual lives are counterfeit as well!
