Here are three scriptures which might help people understand what born again really means:
(I will highlight in Red the significant phrases)
1/
Isaiah 66:5-8
Hear the word of Jehovah, YOU men who are trembling at his word: "YOUR brothers that are hating YOU, that are excluding YOU by reason of my name, said, ‘May Jehovah be glorified!’ He must also appear with rejoicing on YOUR part, and they are the ones that will be put to shame."There is a sound of uproar out of the city, a sound out of the temple! It is the sound of Jehovah repaying what is deserved to his enemies.Before she began to come into labor pains she gave birth. Before birth pangs could come to her, she even gave deliverance to a male child. 8 Who has heard of a thing like this? Who has seen things like these? Will a land be brought forth with labor pains in one day? Or will a nation be born at one time? For Zion has come into labor pains as well as given birthto her sons.
2/
Romans 9:24-26
It is as he says also in Ho·se´a: "Those not my people I will call ‘my people,’ and her who was not beloved ‘beloved’; 26 and in the place where it was said to them, ‘YOU are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’"
3/
John 16:1-21
"I have spoken these things to YOU that YOU may not be stumbled. 2 Men will expel YOU from the synagogue. In fact, the hour is coming when everyone that kills YOU will imagine he has rendered a sacred service to God. 3 But they will do these things because they have not come to know either the Father or me. 4 Nevertheless, I have spoken these things to YOU that, when the hour for them arrives, YOU may remember I told them to YOU."These things, however, I did not tell YOU at first, because I was with YOU. 5 But now I am going to him that sent me, and yet not one of YOU asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 But because I have spoken these things to YOU grief has filled YOUR hearts. 7 Nevertheless, I am telling YOU the truth, It is for YOUR benefit I am going away. For if I do not go away, the helper will by no means come to YOU; but if I do go my way, I will send him to YOU. 8 And when that one arrives he will give the world convincing evidence concerning sin and concerning righteousness and concerning judgment: 9 in the first place, concerning sin, because they are not exercising faith in me; 10 then concerning righteousness, because I am going to the Father and YOU will behold me no longer; 11 then concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged."I have many things yet to say to YOU, but YOU are not able to bear them at present. 13 However, when that one arrives, the spirit of the truth, he will guide YOU into all the truth, for he will not speak of his own impulse, but what things he hears he will speak, and he will declare to YOU the things coming. 14 That one will glorify me, because he will receive from what is mine and will declare it to YOU. 15 All the things that the Father has are mine. That is why I said he receives from what is mine and declares [it] to YOU. 16 In a little while YOU will behold me no longer, and, again, in a little while YOU will see me."Therefore some of his disciples said to one another: "What does this mean that he says to us, ‘In a little while YOU will not behold me, and, again, in a little while YOU will see me,’ and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?" 18 Hence they were saying: "What does this mean that he says, ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about." 19 Jesus knew they were wanting to question him, so he said to them: "Are YOU inquiring among yourselves over this, because I said, In a little while YOU will not behold me, and, again, in a little while YOU will see me? 20 Most truly I say to YOU, YOU will weep and wail, but the world will rejoice; YOU will be grieved, but YOUR grief will be turned into joy. 21 A woman, when she is giving birth, has grief, because her hour has arrived; but when she has brought forth the young child, she remembers the tribulation no more because of the joy that a man has been born into the world.
I would expect to find those who have been "born again" inside the ................................... Ex-Jehovah's Witness Community!
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