SPIRITUAL REBIRTH FOR THE CATHOLIC - PART ONE

Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. ² This man came to Jesus^] by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him.” 

³ Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God [Heaven].” 

⁴ Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 

⁵ Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water [Physical Birth] and the Spirit [Spiritual Rebirth], he cannot enter the kingdom of God [Heaven]. ⁶ That which is born of the flesh is flesh [Physical Birth], and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit [Spiritual Rebirth]

 (John 3:1-6 --Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition - RSVCE) 

In John 3:3 reveals to the Jewish Pharisee Nicodemus, and to all of mankind, that in order for us sinners to enter into the Kingdom of God [Heaven], we need to have our spirits “born anew” (made alive again). – Now after hearing this declaration from Jesus in John 3:3, the question now arises… “When did our human spirits ever die?”    

The truth according to the Bible is that all humans who have ever lived on this earth (except for Jesus Christ) were born into this world “physically alive”, but “spiritually dead”. – In addition, all humans who have ever lived on this earth (except for Jesus Christ) were born into this world as being “sinners” according to Romans 3:23. … How did this happen?   

Well, it all began in the Garden of Eden! – God told Adam in Genesis 2:16-17 – (DRCB- Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible) 

“ Of every tree of paradise [Garden of Eden] thou shalt eat: But of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat. For in what day soever thou shalt eat of it, thou shalt die the death”. -  

Well, most everyone knows the story from childhood that Adam and Eve ate of the fruit of the forbidden tree, BUT …did they ‘drop over dead’ in that day that they ate of the forbidden tree as God had said they would in Genesis 2:17? —NO!— They did not drop over dead! --- So, did God lie? —NO!— Because Adam and Eve did die that day they ate the forbidden fruit, but their death was NOT a ‘physical death’. … they both died what is known as a “SPIRITUAL DEATH” that day! 

What is a “Spiritual Death”? - The word “death” means “separation”. – After Adam willfully sinned against God by eating the forbidden fruit that was offered to him by his wife Eve, both he and Eve became “spiritually separated” from God…they were both ejected from the Garden of Eden and their being in close “spiritual fellowship” with God was terminated. 

The Catholic Bible tells us the following in Romans 5:12,18 – (DRCB -Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible)… 

“Wherefore as by one man [Adam] sin entered into this world and by sin [physical and spiritual] death: and so [physical and spiritual] death passed upon all men, in whom all have sinned. -- Therefore, as by the offence of one, unto all men to condemnation…”    

The above verses tell us that all humans (with the exception of Jesus Christ) have inherited “spiritual death” (spiritual separation from God) through Adam’s sin …and even worse… we have all been CONDEMNED to Hell and an eternal lake of fire for having sinned against our God! 

The ‘Good News’ is that Jesus Christ tells Nicodemus, and all of us sinners, that we can be SAVED from God’s judgment of ‘eternal condemnation in Hell and a lake of fire’ if our “dead spirits’ become “born anew’’ (“made alive again”) by the Holy Spirit of God (John 3:5). 

So, is “Spiritual Rebirth” by the Holy Spirit of God essential for the salvation of a sinner’s soul from Hell and the eternal lake of fire?—ABSOLUTELY!—Jesus tells us that we will NEVER SEE HEAVEN unless we become ‘spiritually born again”!   

SO HOW DOES A ROMAN CATHOLIC BECOME “SPIRITUALLY BORN AGAIN?” – Is it through “Water Baptism” (as the Vatican Hierarchy in Rome teaches), or is it through an event called “Holy Spirit Baptism” (as Jesus Christ Himself teaches in the New Testament of the Catholic Bible)? 

Please see my next post entitled… ”SPIRITUAL REBIRTH – PART TWO”