"And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!" (Matthew 12:49)

It is amazing how I will be the first person to challenge the article above with this verse which to me, shows that Jesus indeed called His disciples brethren, and that to me means that they were born again even before our Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead.

Yes, they were born again. Even when they were "called" and believed in Jesus to follow him, they left their "everything" to follow Christ means salvation during their time. Do you know that there is a "salvation" according to the OT also? But it is based on type and shadows. Abraham "believed" God and it was counted to him for righteousness. This according to the OT types and shadows is salvation. Children of Israel being "saved" from Egypt which is type and shadow of the world and bondage is a type and shadows of OT salvation which was written for our example.

Thanks for the insight.

Goshen360:

Yes, they were born again. Even when they were "called" and believed in Jesus to follow him, they left their "everything" to follow Christ means salvation during their time. Do you know that there is a "salvation" according to the OT also? But it is based on type and shadows. Abraham "believed" God and it was counted to him for righteousness. This according to the OT types and shadows is salvation. Children of Israel being "saved" from Egypt which is type and shadow of the world and bondage is a type and shadows of OT salvation which was written for our example.

Thanks for the insight.

Thanks for the good examples you gave up there. It is those who teach and preach the "WOF" doctrines that seem to believe otherwise. They teach that it was only after Jesus became born again after His resurrection that His disciples became born again. They claim that they were not saved before then, which I don't agree with.

BTW. What happened to the thread that someone opened on how to be free from por.no.grapy? Is it deleted, transferred or just hidden? And why?

I eventually found out that it has been moved to the section in the link below.

https://www.nairaland.com/960112/please-help-me-fear-por..n..o..graphy#up

"And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!" (Matthew 12:49)

This verse should also silence those who think Jesus did not have any natural siblings (i.e. half brothers and sisters).

"And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother" (Matthew 12:49,50)

All those who desire and do the will of God are now the Lord's brethren.

OLAADEGBU: I eventually found out that it has been moved to the section in the link below.

https://www.nairaland.com/960112/please-help-me-fear-por..n..o..graphy#up

bumped.

OLAADEGBU:

Thanks for the good examples you gave up there. It is those who teach and preach the "WOF" doctrines that seem to believe otherwise. They teach that it was only after Jesus became born again after His resurrection that His disciples became born again. They claim that they were not saved before then, which I don't agree with.

BTW. What happened to the thread that someone opened on how to be free from por.no.grapy? Is it deleted, transferred or just hidden? And why?

Are you saying that the disciples were born-again before the resurrection? At what point then, did they become born-again and how?

hehehehe

italo:

Are you saying that the disciples were born-again before the resurrection? At what point then, did they become born-again and how?

Yes. When they were called and they responded, they forsook all and followed Him.

In other words, you are saying that a born-again Christian can go to hell, like Judas.

OLAADEGBU:

Yes. When they were called and they responded, they forsook all and followed Him.

italo:

In other words, you are saying that a born-again Christian can go to hell, like Judas.

Yes, if they die in their backslidden state.

Here's what you said on this thread https://www.nairaland.com/814144/justified-faith-works/2

OLAADEGBU: A Christian does not deliberately commit sin, if a Christian sins, it is against his will.  One who is born again does not habitually commit sin.  He falls rather than dives into sin, he resists rather than embraces sin. 

You are saying then, that Judas was a born-again Christian and he sinned by stealing money from Jesus and betraying him, but it was not all deliberate. It was against his will. He resisted, rather than embrace the betrayal and stealing.

True or false?

italo:
Here's what you said on this thread https://www.nairaland.com/814144/justified-faith-works/2



You are saying then, that Judas was a born-again Christian and he sinned by stealing money from Jesus and betraying him, but it was not all deliberate. It was against his will. He resisted, rather than embrace the betrayal and stealing.

True or false?

The moment a Christian begins to sin deliberately he ceases to become a Christian, he becomes a sinner who sins naturally, just as a fish swims in water naturally. You are on your own if you deliberately begin to sin wilfully on a regular basis.

"Whosoever is born of God does not commit sin; for his seed remains in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God" (1 John 3:9).

Where is italo to answer my kweshuns?

Brother Olaadegbu,

In addition to my first comment, take a look at this:

I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. Jude 5.

It was a salvation but an OT salvation and that kind of salvation requires practices such as physical high priest, washing of sins by blood of goats and bulls, righteousness by works, etc but the NT salvation is based on better covenant by which we draw nearer to God. Hebrews 7:19

Goshen360: Brother Olaadegbu,

In addition to my first comment, take a look at this:

I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. Jude 5.

It was a salvation but an OT salvation and that kind of salvation requires practices such as physical high priest, washing of sins by blood of goats and bulls, righteousness by works, etc but the NT salvation is based on better covenant by which we draw nearer to God. Hebrews 7:19

The OT salvation is based on faith just as the NT is. The OT saints believed the promise that God will overcome death looking forward to the coming of the Messiah while we in the NT believe in the fulfilled promise when we look back at what Christ has done on the Cross 2,000 years ago. Abraham believed God and it was imputed for him as righteousness and therefore he has become the father of all those who believe.

Besides, what's the difference between Disciples and brethren?

And which has more insight and revelation?

Goshen360: Besides, what's the difference between Disciples and brethren?

And which has more insight and revelation?

To become a brother in Christ is when one gets born again, when the new life in Christ begins but being a disciple is when the brother or sister in Christ is trained in the doctrines of Christ. All believers should endeavour to become disciples of Christ and be trained in the ways of the Master.

bumped.

OLAADEGBU:

To become a brother in Christ is when one gets born again, when the new life in Christ begins but being a disciple is when the brother or sister in Christ is trained in the doctrines of Christ. All believers should endeavour to become disciples of Christ and be trained in the ways of the Master.

From brethren to disciples or vice versa?