Greetings, dear Fernando... and the greatest of love and peace to you! Yes, you are absolutely correct in what the WTBTS says on this matter. In the spirit of Priscilla and Acquila to Apollos, however, a man who glowed with the spirit, I would like to "expound to you more accurately" a few things you've misstated regarding the following, if I may. Thank you!
(1 Peter 1:23) . . .For YOU have been given a new birth, not by corruptible, but by incorruptible [reproductive] seed, through the word [or gospel of grace] of [the] living and enduring God.
It is not the good news (gospel) about the word that grants us that new birth; it IS the Word himself that does so... by granting us the Father's holy spirit. (John 17:17; John 14:6; John 1:1, 14; Hebrews 13:12). It is "through" him... because it is the Father's and comes to US... through him. He is the one who received that spirit when he came up from the Jordan... and then promised to dispense it (John 6:37, 38) and did, beginning with the Apostles - John 20:22). For those who think there is a contradiction between what the Bible "says" at one point and "says" at another regarding this, there is none. There is, however, a misunderstanding of what the "word" mentioned in Peter's letter IS. Or, rather, WHO it is. The good news ABOUT Christ isn't what saves us; it is Christ himself:
"THIS means everlasting life, their knowing you, the only true God... AND the One whom you sent forth, Jah eShua, your Chosen One." John 17:3
Peter didn't have the "gospel", dear one; he understood the gospel (good news):
... that, due to mercy (undeserved kindness), which some also call "grace", God will grant forgiveness of sin... so as to render one clean and thus "worthy" of everlasting life... which "cleansing" is done by faith in the atoning value and acceptance so as to BE cleansed... IN SPIRIT... of the SPIRITUAL blood of Christ... holy spirit... which blood is the same as God's, the One he received it FROM... which faith allows one to receive HIS (God's) blood... holy spirit... which He put in Christ... and which Christ, after proving himself as worthy to do so... dispenses to ANY who truly wish it (i.e., for a purpose of (1) gaining life, for themselves and their households - like Noah, Job, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, et al.... and UNLIKE Adham, who, rather than give HIS life for HIS household... gave his household up for the sake of his OWN life; and (2) building up the "temple" of God... by telling OTHERS of this wonderful GIFT... in the hopes that these might also be added as "living stones"... in the "temple" of God (which temple is being built by the SON of God, "Solomon"... JAHESHUA, the Chosen One of JAH. That by means of this "spirit"... holy spirit... such one can become ONE... with God... through being ONE... with Christ. As a man is "one" with a woman.
THAT is the "knowing" that grants such ones everlasting life: the bond with God, through Christ, that renders them a BRIDE of that One... and thus, "beloved" of God. That bond... is by means of such one have received God's life essence/force... His blood, breath... and semen (life generating properties)... so as to become a NEW "creation": a SON... which they aren't before such "union." A "son"... because although they are born FIRST of the earth/physical realm/flesh... they have been conceived so as to be born AGAIN... of the spirit/spirit realm/spirit body - the first of which is a slave (because it's "mother", the physical realm, is a slave - Hagar)... and thus in slavery, that body, to its physicality; the second, which is FREE (because IT'S "mother", the spirit realm, Jerusalem Above/Sarah... is FREE... and thus her "children"... those born in the manner of the SPIRIT, literally, into spirit bodies... are FREE (because spirit bodies are NOT enslaved to any physicality). The first, corruptible... and so dies; the second, incorruptible... and so does NOT die.
THAT... is the good news... of the kingdom [of God]... which is in total contrast to the kingdoms... of earthling man.
Peter did, though, have holy spirit, which spirit he received... from the Word (John 20:22; Acts 2:1-4).
The Kingdom is about humans being renewed and led from within, instead of being coerced and controlled by external rules, codes, threats and fear.
The kingdom is much, much... much... more than that, dear one. The kingdom is literal. It is an earth/physical realm existing in harmony with the spiritual realm. It starts... with those who are to be rulers/subjects IN it being renewed within (i.e., renewal of the "man" they are on the INSIDE)... by means of God's holy spirit, His blood... through Christ... which helps one to "cleanse" the inside of the "cup", the physical body/vessel. So that God and Christ can come and make their abode/dwelling "place" IN such one... and thus LEAD such one BY that spirit. Such one can HEAR them speak to him/her... because the "voice" is now in their blood... and since marrow manufactures our blood... in their bones. The blood and bones SPEAK... they are the "conduits" for communication with God through holy spirit.
For those who scoff... they also speak to man; man, however, has to use physical "tools" to "read" what the blood/bones are "saying." Since man's concern is only with the physical, that is all he can HEAR. God and Christ are SPIRITS, though, and man's instruments cannot "interpret" the spirit's voice. Not yet. I don't believe they ever will... because there isn't enough time so that they can develop such tools.
However WBTS followers cannot see (or discern) the Kingdom. They are prevented from being spiritually regenerated and renewed from within (aka spiritually born again). They are prevented from hearing, embracing, yielding to and obeying the unabridged gospel or "good news". They are kept from coming to faith (a wide opening of their spiritual eyes). They are kept spiritually drugged and addicted to religion.
This is TRUE... but it's because they have not received the promised holy spirit. Indeed, they DENY it. Whether claiming to be "anointed" or of the "great crowd." As one of the "great crowd", they deny it every time they pass that plate of bread and glass of wine by. That "passing"... is part of the invitation... to COME! It is the offering of LIFE: Christ's flesh and blood... by means of which ANYONE who partake of it CAN live. Not necessarily WILL, but CAN. When they pass it by, they are "passing over" life. For Christ IS the Life (John 14:6). And so it is the "leaves" from the TREE that he is (True Vine, Root of Jesse, Sprout!)... that one MUST eat... to live forever. By eating and drinking... one is taking life into oneself. And it obedience to this "least" thing... that DEMONSTRATES ONE'S FAITH... in the life-giving power OF Christ, by means of his flesh and blood.
In turn, it is that demonstration of faith that puts one in line to receive life. Doing so, however, does not necessarily GRANT life - if one does eat/drink, but is "unclean" themselves while doing so... one is eating and drinking "judgement against oneself." How is one "unclean", while eating and drinking? For one... they could still be touching "the unclean thing." With the exception of Christ, the only one who could do it, if anyone touches something unclean, THEY become unclean by means of their touching it.
Hence, anyone who eats and drinks... but has not SEPARATED themselves and QUIT touching the "unclean thing", cannot be taken in as sons and daughters. They are still UNCLEAN. If, though, they do separate themselves and quit such touching... THEN they can be taken in. They are taken in...by means of an ANOINTING... choosing (as sons/daughters)... with holy spirit. Christ, because he was clean, pristeen, INSIDE... rather than becoming unclean when HE touched something unclean... cleansed the thing he touched. And that is what happens when one receives holy spirit and comes into union with him: his "touch"... by means of his blood... cleanses them.
(John 3:3) . . .“Most truly I say to you, Unless anyone is born again, he cannot see [or discern] the kingdom of God.”
No one is born again, yet, per se, dear one. Many have been givena TOKEN of that birth... the anointing with holy spirit... so that it's good as done (because God and Christ don't lie)... and so we can say such one is "born again," but that is not totally accurate. Even so, such one's don't see the kingdom of God, but see an IMAGE of that kingdom. It is when we ARE born again, when we literally put off the physical flesh... and put ON the incorruptible body of SPIRIT... the one that is FREE... and can go in and out between the two realms... that we born... AGAIN. First in the physical body; THEN... in the spirit body. This birth is effected either by a resurrection TO such a body (for those in union with Christ but dead at the time he returns... or a changing (metamorphosos/"twinkling") of those in union with him... but have NOT died and thus are alive when he returns.
THAT is when such ones are born... again: in the SPIRIT. That is why their adoptive "mother", Jerusalem Above... "Sarah"... the spirit realm... is said to be barren: her child, "Isaac", has not been FULLY born. It is only the "head" of that "child," our Lord, Christ... who has been born. The rest of his "Body" is awaiting their birth... which occurs all at once, not person by person. It occurs when Christ returns to raise/change us... at which time a nation... is BORN... IN ONE DAY. Thus, those who have died do NOT proceed those who have not died into the kingdom - they all go with Christ at the same time. This is the fulfillment of our Lord's words:
I... am the resurrection... and the life. He who believes in ME... and as has died... will be brought back to life; and he who believes in me... and has NOT died... will NEVER die."
That is because the first are resurrected to bodies that don't die (as participants of the FIRST resurrection... which is of those who were in union with Christ, ONLY, and takes place BEFORE the 1,000 years start - the second resurrection, of those who were NOT in union with Christ). The second are changed... from their physical bodies to bodies that don't die, bodies of SPIRIT... and so never dying prior to.
(Romans 10:17) . . .So faith follows the thing heard. In turn the thing heard is through the word [or gospel message] about Christ.
Faith, dear one... follows the thing heard... through Christ. Not through the word ABOUT Christ. Abel, Seth, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David... the Prophets... John the Baptizer... Saul of Tarsus... the Apostles... and those in union with Christ by means of holy spirit today... HEAR from Christ. Not by reading or hearing some message ABOUT Christ. Christ IS the Word that we must HEAR... so as to HAVE faith. Because he is the one who GRANTS us faith... a "fruit" of holy spirit.
That is why the writer to the Hebrews stated... at Hebrews 12:18-25 as to what's different for us than what Israel received at Sinai:
"For YOU have not approached that which can be felt and which has been set aflame with fire, and a dark cloud and thick darkness and a tempest, and the blare of a trumpet and the voice of words; on hearing which voice the people implored that no word should be added to them. For the command was not bearable to them: “And if a beast touches the mountain, it must be stoned.” Also, the display was so fearsome that Moses said: “I am fearful and trembling.”
Unlike Israel, who received a PHYSICAL manifestation of God being and speaking with them... flames, a dark cloud and wind... the blare of a trumpet (Michael's voice!)... and a voice speaking to them in audible words... and a warning that no one, not even a beast, tough the mountain lest it be stoned (all of which was SO frightening to them, they asked that it stop... WE have approached something different, something SPIRITUAL (vs. physical):
"But YOU have approached a Mount Zion and a city of [the] living God, heavenly Jerusalem, and myriads of angels, in general assembly, and the congregation of the firstborn who have been enrolled in the heavens, and God the Judge of all, and the spiritual lives of righteous ones who have been made perfect, and [Jesus] the mediator of a new covenant, and the blood of sprinkling, which speaks in a better way than Abel’s [blood]."
That "blood"... of "sprinkling"... is holy spirit. Through IT, God speaks to us, by means of speaking through Christ. So that the writer went on to say:
"See that YOU do not beg off from him who is speaking. For if they did not escape who begged off from him who was giving divine warning upon earth, much more shall we not if we turn away from him who speaks from the heavens. At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, saying: “Yet once more I will set in commotion not only the earth but also the heaven.”
This "heaven(s)" isn't the physical sky, as a physical man would presume; it is the SPIRIT realm... some of which is IN you... that has been PUT in you... by means of holy spirit... if you have received that "blood" IN you. Through it... God, through Christ... SPEAKS to you... from the spirit realm ("heavens").
And now YOU... can enter IT (the spirit realm)... because now, the kingdom, which is EVERYWHERE... is in your midst. Because it is in your blood... your bones... your kidneys... your heart. It is... inside YOU.
I hope this helps and I apologize if anything I shared offends - it was not intended to but only, again, to expound [as to] the WAY of God... which Way is our Lord, Christ... more accurately.
Again, peace to you!
Your servant and a slave of Christ,
SA
