NORSK
Our daughters found it timely to make some fun on my behalf when I in my Norwegian version of the blog wrote that “my birth certificate is issued in Stavanger”. The correct way of referring to this document in Norwegian, translates “my birth record”, which again sounds strange in English.
Today I will take this certificate or 'record' one step further. The point is that the certificate bear witness to the fact that a birth has taken place and that I as a consequence am registered as a citizen of the kingdom of Norway.
Do I have an equivalent certificate to bear witness to the fact that I am a citizen in the kingdom of God?
Several bible verses may be used as a certificate, and since this is about being born of God, I choose this:
If you have read the blog in recent days, you will remember that John had a strong focus on water and blood. Some will immediately associate the elements with baptism and communion, and the symbolism of the sacraments will have links to the new birth.
However, for John the water and the blood primarily represent the birth fluids. He interprets them as the physical evidence to the fact that Jesus was human. The Spirit of truth gives the divine confirmation that Jesus is a physical human being as well as the son of God, but the same Spirit also confirms that the new birth has taken place in those who believe.
Therefore, the pilgrimage to Jerusalem is only the first stage. From the place of birth, the 'born of God continues to walk into all the world as the visible 'Jesus' people can see and touch today.
‘Manna’ for today:
Today I will take this certificate or 'record' one step further. The point is that the certificate bear witness to the fact that a birth has taken place and that I as a consequence am registered as a citizen of the kingdom of Norway.
Do I have an equivalent certificate to bear witness to the fact that I am a citizen in the kingdom of God?
Several bible verses may be used as a certificate, and since this is about being born of God, I choose this:
For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.For years I wondered what this means. That the Spirit testifies, was fine, but what about the water and the blood?
1 John 5:7-8
If you have read the blog in recent days, you will remember that John had a strong focus on water and blood. Some will immediately associate the elements with baptism and communion, and the symbolism of the sacraments will have links to the new birth.
However, for John the water and the blood primarily represent the birth fluids. He interprets them as the physical evidence to the fact that Jesus was human. The Spirit of truth gives the divine confirmation that Jesus is a physical human being as well as the son of God, but the same Spirit also confirms that the new birth has taken place in those who believe.
Therefore, the pilgrimage to Jerusalem is only the first stage. From the place of birth, the 'born of God continues to walk into all the world as the visible 'Jesus' people can see and touch today.
‘Manna’ for today:
The new birth is the new incarnation--------------------------------------
Ingen kommentarer:
Legg inn en kommentar