ther as a spiritual experience, a confession of faith, or a regeneration in this present life. Yet close scrutiny shows that this vital doctrine means something quite different. By scriptural definition, the process of being “born from above” is to actually become a complete ruach (energy; animating force) being, not exactly the same as ruach angels, but a human clothed with ruach, quickened, and perfected. One must be born from above in order to enter New Jerusalem. It is another expression of being baptized by the messiah with the sacred ruach. The “born from above” issue is brought up in a conversation between the Pharisaic ruler, Nicodemus, and Yahushua the messiah, as recorded in John, 3:1–21. The key passage reads: Yahushua answered and said to him (Nicodemus), Truly, truly I say to you, Unless anyone is BORN FROM ABOVE he cannot see the kingdom of the deity (Yahweh). Nicodemus replied to him, How can a man be born being old? Can he enter into the womb of his mother a second time and be born? Yahushua an- swered, Truly, truly I say to you, Un- less anyone be born out of water and ruach he cannot enter into the kingdom of the deity (Yahweh). That which has been born of the flesh IS FLESH; and that which has been born of the ruach IS RUACH. Do not wonder that I said to you, It is needful for you to be born from above. The wind blows were it wills, and its sound you hear, but you do not know from whence it comes and where it goes; THUS IS EVERYONE THAT HAS BEEN BORN OUT OF THE RUACH. him, How can these things be? Yahushua answered and said to him, You are the teacher of Israel, and these things you do not know? Truly, truly I say to you, That which we know we speak, and that which we have seen we bear witness of; and our witness you do not receive. If earthly things I say to you, and you trust not, how if I say heavenly things to you will you trust? According to Yahushua’s response, it is clear that a teacher in Israel should be familiar with Scriptures and, therefore, should under- stand what Yahushua was talking about. In turn, we must closely examine Scriptures to find the hidden meaning of the “born from above” concept. I m portance The words “born again,” found in the King James English version of John, 3:3, are in the Greek text gennhqh`/ a[nwqen (gennethe anothen): The Greek term gennhqh`/ (gennethe), a form of gennavw (gennao), means, “to procreate (prop. of the father, but by extens. of the mother); fig. to regenerate:—bear, beget, be born, bring forth, conceive, be delivered of.” 1 Gennao can mean either conception, birth, or the entire process from conception to birth. For example, in Matthew 1:20, the angel announced to Joseph that he was not to fear taking Mariam as his wife, “for that which is in her is gennhqe;n (gen- nethen; born) of the sacred ruach.” This passage clearly references Yahushua’s conception, not his birth.2 Matthew, 2:1 meanwhile, states that Yahushua was gennhqe;nto~ (gennethentos; born) in Bethlehem, a reference to his actual birth. The meaning of gennao, as a result, must be de- termined within the context of the passage in which it is used. Born from Above 1 SEC (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance), Gk. #1080. 2 Cf., Luke, 1:26–35. A RTICLE S ERIES Q ADESH L A Y AHWEH P RESS C OPYRIGHT © 2022 The Greek term a[nwqen (anothen) means, “from above; by anal. from the first; by imp. . . of Time, from the beginning . . . over again, anew, N.T.” 4 It must be kept in mind that the translation of “over again, anew” is only by implication and not a true meaning of the word. As the New Jerusalem Bible remarks, “from above” is “preferred to ‘again.’” 5 The fol- lowing translations reflect this view: • NJB 6 gives “being born from above.” • AB 7 “born again (anew, from above).” • NTB 8 and the REB 9 give “born from above.” • ILT 10 translates this phrase as “to be born anew.” • SRB 11 p. 1117, n. o, “from above.” • ROSNB 12 “born from above.” • NIV 13 n. o, “born from above.” The Greek phrase gennhqh`/ a[nwqen (gennethe anothen) found in John, 3:3, would be a transla- tion of Yahushua’s original Hebrew words, l[m dly (yalad maal). The Hebrew term dly (yalad) means “to bear young; causat. to beget; med. to act as midwife; spec. to show lineage . . . something born, i.e., a lad or offspring:—boy, child, fruit, son, young man (one)”; 14 “bring forth . . . beget.” 15 Yalad, like gennao, can mean ei- ther to beget (conceive), to give birth or the en- tire process from conception to birth. Simply put, one is yalad or gennao (born) at conception, and one is also born when leaving his mother’s womb. In turn, these terms include the entire process from conception to birth. The Greek term a[nwqen (anothen) is often used in the LXX as a translation of the Hebrew upper upward, above, overhead, from the top, etc.”; 17 “from upon . . . from above . . . above.” 18 The term l[m (maal) is merely a form of the word hl[ (alah), also l[ (al), meaning “the top . . . above, over.” 19 The letter m (ma) as the prefix merely means “from . . . from out of.” 20 The phrase l[m dly (yalad maal), therefore, carries with it the idea of going through the birth process once again (from which the impli- cation of born again or anew stems). This un- derstanding is certainly the original Hebrew thought demonstrated in John, 3:3-4. However, the choice of words shows that this yalad was “from above, from on high,” as well as a re- newal of the conception, pregnancy, and birthing process. That is, this second birth process is from Yahweh, not from adam kind. Yalad (Gennao) as Conceived The first part of the process of being born from above is conception. In this regard, yalad (gen- nao) can refer to conception only. In the higher sense, this conception is mental, changing our lebab (innermost self). It is the act of receiving and incorporating truth (trust) and the begin- ning of conforming one’s nature to be like the divine nature of father Yahweh. One does this by allowing the ruach of truth (the sacred ruach) to lead you and form your leb (self) and lebab. This act of conception can occur either in our present fleshly form or in our resurrected form. It is a mental conception, not a physical one. As it develops within us, it reshapes our nature. 3 SEC, Gk. #509. 4 GEL (An Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon. At the Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1961.), p. 84. 5 NJB (The New Jerusalem Bible), p. 1749, n. 3b. 6 The New Jerusalem Bible. 7 The Amplified Bible. 8 A New Translation of the Bible. 9 Rotherham’s Emphasized Bible. 10 The Interlinear Literal Translation of the Greek New Testament. George Ricker Berry. 11 The Scofield Reference Bible. 12 Restoration of Original Sacred Name Bible. 13 New International Version Bible 14 SEC, Heb. #3205–3206. 15 HEL, p. 108. 16 E.g., at Gen., 27:39; Num., 4:25; Job, 3:4, 31:2; Isa., 45:8; Jer., 4:28; Ezek., 1:26. 17 SEC, Heb., #4605. 18 HEL (Hebrew-English Lexicon, Zondervan Edition, 1970)--, p. 194. 19 HEL, p. 193f; SEC, Heb., #5920, 5921, 5927. 20 HEL, p. 137, 147. 2 B ORN F ROM A BOVEHowever, this mental conception must occur if we are to develop the divine nature, the new carry with it the connotation of being con- ceived by the sacred ruach, which leads us in this life to salvation, are as follows. The apostle John writes: But as many as received him he gave to them authority TO BE- COME children of Yahweh, to those that trust in his name, who not of bloods nor of will of flesh nor of will of man but of Yahweh were conceived. 21 You know that everyone who PRACTICES righteousness has been conceived out of him. 22 As we shall see, those already born from above in the full sense of the term cannot sin, so they have no need to practice sinless behav- ior. Instead, they perform righteousness by their nature. The apostle John adds the follow- ing comments: Everyone that LOVES, out of Yah- weh has been conceived, and knows Yahweh. 23 Everyone that TRUSTS that Yahushua is the messiah, out of Yahweh has been conceived; and everyone that LOVES HIM that conceived, loves also him that has been conceived out of him. 24 . . . because all that has been con- ceived out of Yahweh overcomes the world; and this is the victory which overcame the world, our trust. 25 Our trust is essential, for we are under the Torah of Trust, the Abrahamic Covenant. The apostle Saul similarly writes that “in messiah Yahushua through the glad tidings (i.e., word of Yahweh) I did conceive you.” 26 We must not for- the end of the matter but the beginning. So we must be conceived by the word of truth first, which moves us to change our actions, and then grow by means of the active force of the sacred ruach, which empowers us. These two points bring us back to the details that, after the resur- rection, all shall know Yahweh. Before one can commit the unpardonable sin, which places him in jeopardy of the gehenna fire, he must have, among other things, been a partaker of the sa- cred ruach and tasted the gifts of the ruach. 27 Therefore, all shall be conceived, all shall grow during the gestation period, but not all shall come to birth. For the wicked shall be aborted. The Second Conception Scriptures speak of our second yalad (concep- tion) as mental (of the lebab), not fleshly. Truth comes by means of the word of Yahweh (i.e., the word of Yahweh being Yahu Yahweh and the words of truth he received from father Yah- weh and spoke). Keph states: We have been ajnagennhvsa~ (anagen- nesas; conceived again) 28 to a living hope through the resurrection of Yahushua from among the dead, incorruptible inheritance and un- defiled and unfading, reserved in the heavens for us, who by the power of Yahweh is being guarded through trust, for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 29 Again he points out: Having been conceived again not out of corruptible seed but of incor- ruptible, BY THE LOGOU (WORD) OF THE LIVING EL and abiding eternally. 30 21 John, 1:12f. 22 1 John, 2:29. 23 1 John, 4:7. 24 1 John, 5:1. 25 1 John, 5:4. 26 1 Cor., 4:15. 27 Heb., 6:4–8; cf., 2 Pet., 3:7–10; Prov., 1:22–24; Joel, 2:28–32; Acts, 2:14–21. 28 SEC, Gk. #313. 29 1 Pet., 1:3–5. 30 1 Pet., 1:23. B ORN F ROM A BOVE 3This divine seed, accordingly, is the sacred ruach. Jacob, the brother of the messiah, writes Every good act of giving and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the father of lights, with whom there is no vari- ation, or shadow of turning. Hav- ing willed it, he ajpekuvhsen (apekuesen; bred forth) 31 us by the word of truth, to be a kind of first- fruits of his creatures. 32 Therefore, we are conceived, bred forth, by the sacred ruach of truth by means of the mes- siah as the word, but we shall not be born from above until the quickening by the sacred ruach and the fire baptism of the messiah. Between these two events (conception and birth), one must grow, constantly developing the divine nature. If we do not endure until the end, we shall be aborted. 33 Led by the Ruach Conception begins by incorporating the truth of Yahweh (trust) and then by having that ruach of truth lead us. The apostle Saul notes that we are not to live by the flesh but to live in the ruach and walk in the ruach. 34 In another let- ter, he writes: Yet you are not in the flesh, but in the ruach, if so be that the ruach of the deity dwells in you. Now if any man does not have the ruach of the messiah, he is not his. And if the messiah is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the ruach is life because of justification. Yet if the ruach of him (father Yahweh) that raised up Yahushua from the dead dwells in you, he that raised up the messiah from the dead (i.e., father Yahweh) shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his ruach that dwells in you. Therefore, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if you live after the flesh, you shall die: but if live. For as many as are led by the ruach of the deity, they are the sons of the deity. For you have not re- ceived the ruach of bondage again to fear; but you have received the ruach of adoption, whereby we cry “Abba (father)!” The ruach itself bears witness with our ruach, that we are the children of the deity. And if children, then heirs; heirs of the deity, and joint heirs with the messiah, if indeed we suffer to- gether, so that we will also be glori- fied together. 35 Accordingly, if one has the ruach of truth in him and is led by this sacred ruach, he will later be an heir according to the promise and, as a re- sult, be “born from above” by being clothed with the sacred ruach, quickened into eternal life, and undergoing perfection. Accordingly, the sacred ruach both leads and brings us to birth. Nicodemus Should Have Known In John, 3:1-12, we find Yahushua the messiah and the Pharisee named Nicodemus involved in a discussion regarding the doctrine of being born from above. It is important to notice that in this conversation, Yahushua chastises Nicodemus for not understanding this concept, saying, “You being a teacher in Israel and these things you do not know?” 36 It is clear, since the teachers in Israel taught Scriptures, and since none of the New Testament documents had yet been composed, Yahushua was admonishing Nicodemus for not knowing the promises of Scriptures. His comment also shows that one can find the doctrine of “born from above” in the Old Testament. Therefore, before we can fully understand the Old Testament doctrine of yalad maal, we must first examine the conversation between Yahushua and Nicodemus. Yahushua tells 31 SEC, Gk. #616.. 32 James, 1:17f. 33 Cf., Mark, 13:13; James, 5:7–11. 34 Gal., 5:19–26. 35 Rom., 8:9–17. 36 John, 3:10. 4 B ORN F ROM A BOVENicodemus that “unless anyone is gennethe an- othen (yalad maal; born from above), he cannot Yahushua states: He who comes a[nwqen (anothen; from above) is above all. He who is out of the earth is out of the earth, and from the earth speaks. He who comes out of the heavens is above all, and what he has seen and heard this he testifies; and his testimony no one re- ceives. Therefore one who is a[nwqen (an- othen; from above), is from above, out of the heavens. One who is yalad maal is born anew, but this time he is born from that which comes out of heaven, the messiah and the sacred ruach, and not from the flesh which comes out of the earth, for man is dust and shall return to dust. Nicodemus clearly understood that the words yalad maal referred to the entire process from conception to birth, but he could not un- derstand how it again was possible: How can a man, being old, be yalad? Can he enter into the womb of his mother a second time and be yalad? 37 Yahushua then explains this important doc- trine by stating: Verily, verily I say to you, unless anyone be yalad (born) out of water AND of ruach he cannot ENTER into the government of Yahweh. That which is yalad (born) of flesh IS FLESH; and that which has been yalad (born) of ruach IS RUACH. Do not wonder that I said to you it is needful for you to be yalad maal (born from above). The ruach (wind) blows where it wills, and its sound you hear, but (you) know not where it comes or where it goes: so is everyone that has been yalad (born) of the ruach. 38 can these things be?” Subsequently, Yahushua admonished him for being a teacher in Israel and yet not knowing Scriptures. He then gives Nicodemus an important clue: Verily, verily I say to you, that which we know we speak, and that which we have seen we bear witness of; and our witness you receive not. If earthly things I said to you, and you trust not, how if I say to you heavenly things will you trust? 39 Yahushua’s response shows that he could not explain to Nicodemus how these things hap- pen because Nicodemus was not even able to understand his earthly parables of yalad maal, i.e., being yalad of ruach was like being the ruach (wind, unseen force), the Hebrew word ruach meaning both wind and ruach. Therefore, one entering the kingdom of Yah- weh had to be like the wind, a ruach being (un- seen force), which you can detect its sound but could not see from whence it came and where it goes. However, if one becomes a ruach being, he gains eternal life in the kingdom of Yahweh. As we shall see, our example is the messiah, who after being resurrected and quickened into immortality, was able to appear and disap- pear within a closed building, the doors and windows locked shut. Nicodemus had incorrectly looked at only the process, asking, “How is one born a second time.” The first question Nicodemus should have asked himself was, “Where is eternal life promised within Scriptures?” Herein lies the answer to what kind of process to which the messiah was referring. Abraham and his seed were promised an Eternal Inheritance which included the eternal possession of the land from the Nile to the Euphrates rivers. To pos- sess the land for eternity requires that the heir 37 John, 3:4. 38 John, 3:5–9. 39 John, 3:11f. Nicodemus responded by asking “How can these things be?” B ORN F ROM A BOVE 5lives eternally. Therefore, Yahweh must make the heir a ruach being in order that he can be- that one be sinless for eternity, he must be quickened into an eternal, sinless state. To do this, the saved must possess the divine nature. The Messiah Our Example The messiah became a descendant of Abraham so that he could receive the Eternal Inheritance. He continued to be sinless (that is, he neither broke any one of the requirements in the Covenants of Promise nor in the Torah of Moses). Yahushua, therefore, stands as our ex- ample of being born from above. To this issue, the following scriptures speak. Saul tells us: . . . that he might be the FIRST- BORN (prototokon), 40 OF MANY BRETHREN. 41 John the divine similarly states: Yahushua the messiah, the trustful witness, THE FIRSTBORN OUT OF THE DEAD, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. 42 Saul also writes that it was Yahushua, the son of Yahweh: . . . who came out of the spermatos (descendants) of David according to flesh, who was marked out to be the son of the deity in power, ac- cording to the ruach of sacredness, OUT OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD—Yahushua the mes- siah our sovereign. 43 He adds elsewhere: The messiah is firstborn of every creature, head of the called out ones, THE FIRSTBORN (PROTO- TOKOS) OUT OF THE DEAD. 44 But now the messiah has been RAISED OUT OF THE DEAD, HE These statements do not mean that one is born from above merely because he is resur- rected; but rather, the messiah was the first of those resurrected who was then born from above. Many others were resurrected from the dead prior to Yahushua, 46 but they were simply revitalized as corruptible fleshly beings and died later. Although all die and are resurrected with incorruptible bodies, the wicked can still meet destruction at the end of the Millennial Judg- ment Day if they fail to repent. Yahushua dif- fered from these examples in that he was the firstborn and the first fruit from among those that died. That is, he returned to his former glory by being resurrected and then having his body quickened into a ruach being. Therefore, he was the first human (with incorruptible ruach-type flesh) to be “born from above.” Additionally, an important point is made in these passages: Yahushua was firstborn, not of the living but of the dead. Moreover, he is the firstborn of many brothers, which informs us that many will follow him in this birth process. This birth, accordingly, is not a spiritual expe- rience or a regeneration in the present flesh, as so many would have us believe. Instead, it is an actual birth as a ruach being, quickened after a resurrection into eternal life—for that born of ruach is ruach. That Yahushua returned to his previous glory as a ruach being but retained his ruach- type incorruptible flesh body is demonstrated in several ways. To begin with, the messiah (before his death and resurrection) asked fa- ther Yahweh to restore him to his former glory, which he held before the world was. 47 In accor- dance with this theme, Saul tells us that today’s man is the image of the first Adam (i.e., earthly, flesh from the elements of the ground). 40 SEC, Gk. #4416. 41 Rom., 8:28–30. 42 Rev., 1:5. 43 Rom., 1:4. 44 Col., 1:15–19. 45 1 Cor., 15:20. 46 E.g., see 1 Kings, 17:8-24; 2 Kings, 4:18-37, 13:20-21; Matt., 9:18, 23-26; Luke, 7:11-17; John, 11:1-44, 12:1, 9, 17. 47 John, 17:5. 6 B ORN F ROM A BOVENext, however, he will be in the image of the second Adam (the messiah), the man after he body), but who was later re- turned to his former glory as a ruach being. 48 After his resurrection, Yahushua was quickened into immortality, that is, born from above, at which time he was able to return to the third heavens. Indeed, after the mes- siah’s resurrection and quick- ening, he appeared in the midst of the disciples who were in a locked building. Nevertheless, once manifested, the people in the room could feel his flesh and bones (which other ruach beings, not being of human fleshly composition, cannot manifest themselves in the same way). 49 Yahushua, therefore, repre- sents the firstborn of a new kind of creation—a ruach being who can manifest himself in his human flesh-and-bone form. We Are To Be Like the Messiah All of those attaining to eternal life must be born from above like the messiah, who is the firstborn out of the dead and the first-fruit of those fallen asleep. According to Isaiah and Job, Yahweh is not yet finished with man’s cre- ation. 50 We are sons of Yahweh now (like chil- dren in our mother’s womb), but what we shall be is not yet manifested .51 Those led by the ruach are sons of Yahweh (in the pregnancy stage), but the manifestation of the sons does not happen yet .52 We are to be in the image of the second Adam (the messiah), that is, having an incorruptible ruach-type flesh body ,53 who after his resurrection returned to his former told Nicodemus, we must be born from above, and that born of flesh IS FLESH, but that born of ruach IS RUACH .55 This glory to which Yahushua has returned is still to be revealed, and we cannot receive it until the messiah is made manifest after his re- turn. 56 After he does return, we are to be partakers of the divine nature, being of the same sinless nature as that of father Yahweh, and Yahushua. 57 Therefore, we must have both substance (ruach bodies and form) like Yahweh and the sinless, divine na- ture of Yahweh. In Philippians, as an example, we read that we shall be like the messiah and father Yah- weh. 58 Meanwhile, Keph reports that we shall receive shares in “the divine nature.” 59 When we are born from above, both substance and nature are made immortal. Those Born From Above Cannot Sin Since Yahushua had been human, he became a special kind of ruach being. Unlike the angels, Yahushua and all humans born from above out of Yahweh become by nature beings that cannot sin and also have life within themselves. We must attain to this sinless state in order to inherit eternally. The apostle John tells us that sin is de- fined as transgression of the Torah.60 He adds: And now, little children abide in him (the messiah), 61 that when he is 48 1 Cor., 15:47. 49 John, 20:19–28. 50 Isa., 64:8; Job, 14:14f. 51 1 John, 3:1f. 52 Rom., 8:12–19. 53 1 Cor., 15:47. 54 John, 17:4. 55 John, 3:3–12. 56 1 Pet., 5:1–4. 57 2 Pet., 1:3f; cf. 1 John, 3:1-2; Phil., 3:20f; 1 Cor., 15:47; 1 Pet., 5:1-4; 2 Pet., 1:3-4. 58 Phil., 3:20f. 59 2 Pet., 1:3f. 60 1 John, 3:4. 61 See v. 24. Yahushua, therefore, represents the firstborn of a new kind of creation—a ruach being who can manifest himself in his human flesh-and-bone form. B ORN F ROM A BOVE 7manifested we will have boldness, and not be put to shame from be- everyone who practices righteous- ness out of him has been gegevnnhtai (gegennetai; yalad; conceived). 62 John then points out that what we shall be is “not yet manifested.” Yet we shall be like fa- ther Yahweh when he appears at his coming (i.e., immortal, sinless ruach beings). Beloved, now we are children of the diety and NOT YET it was man- ifested what we shall be; but we know that if he be manifested, LIKE HIM WE SHALL BE; FOR WE SHALL SEE HIM AS HE IS. Therefore, it is not yet manifested what we are to become, but when we are manifested we shall be like him. And everyone that has this hope is in him, purifies himself, even as he is pure. 63 John goes on to point out that this manifes- tation of the little children of Yahweh, at which time we shall be made pure like the messiah, those gegennhmevno~ (gegenne-menos; yalad; born) cannot sin: Little children, let no one lead you astray; he that practices righteous- ness is righteous, even as he (the messiah) is righteous. He that prac- tices sin is of ha-satan; because from the beginning ha-satan sins. For this was manifested the son of the deity, that he might undo the works of ha- satan. ANYONE who has been gegennhmevno~ (gegenne-menos; yalad; born) OUT OF THE DEITY DOES NOT PRACTICE SIN, because his (the messiah’s) sperma (collective seed) abides in him, AND HE IS NOT ABLE TO SIN, BECAUSE HE HAS BEEN gegevnnhtai (gegennetai; YALAD, born) OUT OF THE DEITY. Anyone that does not practice right- eousness is not out of the deity, and he that loves not his brother. For this is the message FROM THE BE- GINNING, that we should love one another. Not like Cain, who was out of that wicked one (Satan) and slew his brother. And on what account did he slew him? because his works were wicked and those of his brother righteous. 64 Later on in this letter John adds: We know that anyone gegennhmevno~ (genne-menos; yalad, born) out of the deity DOES NOT SIN, but he that is gennhqei;~ (gennetheis; yalad, con- ceived) out of deity keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.65 That John is referring to the second birth given from out of heaven and not just the con- ception is demonstrated by the fact that all men, even those who are declared righteous (justified) by Yahweh but who are in this pres- ent world and in an earthly, fleshly form still sin. He even states that “we,” who are presently the body of the messiah, can commit sin. 66 Notice his use of the word “we,” which includes John. Yet John and those to whom he wrote, were baptized (even with the ruach) fol- lowers of Yahweh. Accordingly, John did not see himself as having yet come to birth, although he was clearly conceived. In Ecclesiastes, we read that even righteous men can still sin. 67 Since no man is righteous, those referred to in this passage are those declared righteous by Yahweh (e.g., Abraham, Job, Noah, etc.) Even the apostle Saul confesses that he is no good and sinful, 68 yet he had been baptized. 69 62 1 John, 2:28f. 63 1 John, 3:2f. 64 1 John, 3:7–12. 65 1 John, 5:18. 66 1 John, 1:8–10. 67 Eccl., 7:20. 68 Rom., 7:13–25. 69 See Acts, 9:14–20. 8 B ORN F ROM A BOVETherefore, the apostles knew that they were only conceived by the sacred ruach and that they riod, acquiring the divine nature. For that reason, Saul longed to be rid of his present body of this death. 70 Therefore, being born from above means that one has attained to a state of the di- vine nature that cannot sin; that is, it is impossible to sin by his sinless immortal nature. After the First Resurrec- tion, the messiah shall appear to those that await him apart from sin for salvation. 71 That is, he will appear to those who are without sin—being quickened, in the process of being born from above, out of the First Resurrection from out of the dead. They are sin- less not only because they have died and their sins have been paid for, which is part of the reason. However, because they have qualified for the Eternal Inheritance, the Torah of Trust has been written within their leb, by means of the New Covenant and their circum- cision of their leb and lebab. 72 Therefore, they are unable to sin—sin being the transgression of the Torah 73 —because it is now against their very nature to sin. Born of Water and Ruach Let us now return to the statement made by Yahushua to Nicodemus, that “Unless anyone be yalad out of water AND ruach he cannot enter into the kingdom of the deity.” 74 There can be little doubt that the concept of being born of water and ruach parallels the two types of baptisms experienced by Yahushua when John baptized him in the Jordan River: (1) the water baptism, which represents death and resurrection; (2) and the baptism of the ruach, which represents the stage of being clothed rectly footnotes this verse with the comment, “Allusion to baptism and its necessity.” 75 The Interpreter’s Bible refers to it as “the metaphors representing baptism and pentecost.” 76 To say one must be born of water and ruach is merely to say that one must be baptized with water and ruach. Both must occur before one can ENTER the kingdom of Yahweh (i.e., one must die and be resur- rected AND then be clothed by the sacred ruach before the end of Judgment to be quick- ened (permanently clothed) into eternal life and enter eternally into the eloahim). It is parallel in thought to Luke 16:16, “He that trusts AND IS BAPTIZED shall be saved, and he that does not trust shall be condemned.” Those who begin to trust in the truth are conceived. They must con- tinue to grow in that trust (incorporated truth) until mature enough to be baptized by the ruach (born from above). This is the heart of the clarification made by Yahushua. Any- one who is born of flesh, IS FLESH, i.e., our present state of flesh and blood cannot inherit the government of Yahweh. 77 Existing as only flesh-and-blood humans, we cannot help but sin. As flesh, we are unable to behold the face of father Yahweh. However, anyone born of ruach IS RUACH, i.e., a ruach being. Once we are clothed with ruach and then are quick- ened (given eternal life, permanently clothed) into ruach beings, we not only are unable to sin but can see the father’s face without being destroyed. 78 70 Rom., 7:24. 71 Heb., 9:28. 72 Jer., 31:31–34; Heb., 8:8–13. 73 1 John, 13:4. 74 John, 3:5. 75 NJB, p. 1749, n. 3c. 76 IB, 8, p. 439. 77 1 Cor., 15:50. 78 Rev., 22:3f. Therefore, being born from above means that a person has attained to a state of the divine nature that cannot sin; that is, it is impossible to sin by their sinless im- mortal nature. B ORN F ROM A BOVE 9Next >