The gospel introduces us to ourselves again, so that we may know evenas we've always been known! 1 Cor 13:12

"Neither Jesus nor Paul told people to “get born again”! You couldn’t even get yourself born the first time, how are you going to get it right a second time?

Jesus did say to Nicodemus unless you’re born from above (meaning unless you realize that you originate from above) you would have no interest or appetite for heavenly things! John 3:13

God is not man’s idea; mankind is God’s idea. Man began in God, not in his mother’s womb. God says to Jeremiah, “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb” Jer 1:5 Mankind is by design the god-kind.

(You'll enjoy "Thoughts on the new birth" in my book Divine Embrace! Kindle or print)"

- Francois du Toit

Yes, it occurred to me that the phrase "born again" was used only in the context of addressing the Jews to give up their natural identity as Jews and embrace their true identity as sons and daughters of God, together with other members of the human race, regardless of ethnicity, nationality or religion.

As I learnt recently, Jesus could be telling Nicodemus to give up his natural identity as a Jew and adopt a new identity as a child of God in the family of humankind. (Jesus had said in another place that the kingdom of God is within us.) If Nicodemus sees himself only as a Jew, he will see himself separate from other people who are seen as non-Jews. But if he sees himself as a child of God in the family of humankind, he will see himself as one with other fellow human beings and there is no separation between him and other people.

Similarly, Peter wrote to the Jews about "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever", which I believe is about renewing their mind to see themselves not as Jews by natural descent but as children of God by spiritual descent. In the same way, we are all made in the incorruptible image of God and we all began in God, as mentioned in the post.

I like what 1 Cor 13 said about that which is perfect has come.

"But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away." 1 Corinthians 13:10

Yes, the perfect has come in the person of Jesus, and we no longer see ourselves through a glass darkly but we see ourselves face to face with our Beloved in the mirror of our divine beauty. Indeed, the gospel introduces us to our true divine self, and we shall know even as we are known by Divine Love.

"Doomsday was never God's idea"

"Doomsday was never God's idea; it is a doctrine invented by religion to distract from the powerful message of the cross
Religion cannot bear the thought of an innocent world
That would make them lose both their power and their income"
- Francois Du Toit

I agree with his observation that religion is about power and money, so it is perhaps no wonder they invented the idea of doomsday to control people with fear and make money as well from the sales of their books, CDs, DVDs, etc about doomsday theories.

Yes, God's idea is never about doomsday, but about the unveiling of Christ in us the hope of glory - it is not about the destruction of the physical world but about the transition from the old world system of law and control to the new world system of grace and freedom. The message of the cross is indeed about dying to the old way of thinking and living in condemnation and conformity, and resurrecting to a new and higher way of thinking and living in peace and authenticity. The cross brings to end the illusion of separation and unites humanity as one family of God/Divine Unconditional Love.

God is love, and there is no fear in love, for perfect love casts out fear. For God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Rest in the consciousness of his closeness - FDT

Rest in the consciousness of his closeness! Separation is an illusion! Oneness was God's idea all along! He desires to express himself thru your touch, your voice, your presence; he is so happy to dwell in you! There is no place in the universe he would rather be!" - Francois Du Toit

When we discover Jesus’ identity, we discover our own identity

We all may have some sort of identity crisis at some points in our life – we may either have a poor, beaten down image of ourselves, or an elevated view of ourselves. We would ponder over questions like “where do we come from?”, and “what is our purpose in life?” But once we realise who Jesus Christ is, we will actually discover our true identity – that we are made in His image. Jesus has come to be our perfect representative, and all His divine attributes of power, love and sound mind become ours.

The only accurate picture of ourselves we can have is to see ourselves in Jesus’ image. The following is an awesome revelation shared by Francois du Toit.

“In Matthew 16 Jesus asks the most important question in the Bible, “Who do men say that I the son of man am?” By revelation, Simon asserts in response that Jesus is not the son of Joseph, but the Messiah. He is the promise of man’s redemption, the image and likeness of God fully displayed in human form; the son of the living God.

Notice how Jesus responds to him: “Blessed are you Simon son of Jonah, for flesh and blood have not revealed this to you but my Father. If I am the son of God, then so are you. I have come to reveal that man began in God, and not in father’s seed or in his mother’s womb! Jer.1:5. Your surname is no longer derived from your father in the flesh but from the Rock that begot you. (“You have forgotten the rock that begot you and the God who gave birth to you…” Deuteronomy 32:18. “Look to the Rock from which you were hewn…” Isaiah 51:1) Upon this Rock, I will build My church (Greek, ekklésia).”
- Francois du Toit

“Hades is a compound word like most Greek words, ha, negative, or not + ideis, to see. Thus the blindfold that traps mankind in ignorance about their true identity will not prevail”
- Francois du Toit

The gate of hades in Caesarea Philippi, Israel, where Peter confessed Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the Living God. It is a rocky place, where the main cave was traditionally known as the 'gate of hades'. Jesus took the opportunity to give Peter the revelation of his true identity in Christ, and said the gates of ignorance shall not prevail against the church upon this revelation of their identity in Christ.

Hades is a place of ignorance, where there is an absence of knowledge of God nor the true identity of humankind. Praise the Lord for the revelation, for when people’s eyes are opened to see who Jesus is, and realise He is their true identity, the gates of ignorance shall not prevail against the church. Instead, the knowledge of the Lord shall fill the whole earth, as more and more people shall see their true identity in Christ, through the preaching of the gospel. And they and we all shall continue to be transformed from glory to glory into His same image, as we behold His glory and see ourselves in Him as in a mirror reflection: “Christ in you, the hope of glory” and “as He is, so are we in this world”.

It’s all about relationship. God created us to have fellowship with Him. Because of Adam’s disobedience, man lost his original identity. But by Jesus’ obedience at the cross, man was restored to fellowship with God.

We now realise the significance of Jesus giving Simon bar Jonah (son of Jonah) a new name Peter, which means “rock”. It’s wonderful how Francois drew out the revelation from the old testament to explain the new testament concerning Jesus as our new identity. Jesus is the Rock of Ages, and He has hidden us in that Rock - “For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God (who is our Rock)” (Colossians 3:3)