The Shepherds Way: Begotten from Above

Begotten from Above

Most all Christians today have heard of the phrase, “born again”. They understand it to mean that after accepting Jesus Christ as one’s savior a person has become a “new being”, a true Christian. This comes from the gospel of John ch.3. While at night, one of the religious leaders, a Pharisee named Nicodemus, comes to Jesus and asks him how a person can enter the Kingdom of God.

It is said that Nicodemus came to Jesus at night not to be seen of others, to avoid controversy. Jesus informs him that a person must be “begotten from above” to “see” the Kingdom of God. Our English versions say that a person must be “born again” but the original Greek means “begotten from above”. The Greek word for “born” used here in context means “begotten”, conceived – not actually birthed yet.

Whenever the Greek word (gennao) is used in conjunction with a male, in this case God Himself, it means conceived, not born. A man cannot birth a child but he may conceive one. (We also see this in 1^st John 2:29; 3:9; 4:7; 5:8,18) Also, to be “begotten from above” means that the father of this child is from heaven, God himself. Instead of begotten “again”, the Greek states unless one is begotten “from” (anothen) - meaning, from above, he cannot “see” (idein) the kingdom of God. When mother Mary became pregnant, she was impregnated by God and her child was “begotten of the Holy Spirit”. She became pregnant before marrying Joseph.

We see a parallel here in that the “bride of Christ”, his church, becomes “pregnant with believers” before the Marriage Supper of the Lamb – before she is married to the bridegroom (Christ Himself). It is okay to say that true Christians are already “born again” – we use this term – but to be more accurate, we (Christians) are “embryotic” and growing in the “womb of the Christian Church”. As Ancient Antiochene Christians we do not mind saying that Christians have become “born again” but it is important to understand what this truly means from God’s word.

We won’t experience the full “new birth” (born again) until our spirits receive our new bodies – we are born first a natural body and secondly a “spiritual” (1^st Corinthians 15:44).

The King James version properly sates that we are “being born again” (1^st Peter 1:23). This is a continual process of sanctification and consecration. True begotten children of God are part of the God Family – “the church of the first born” (Hebrews 12:23). So, to be truly “born again” (begotten of God) means that we can also “see” (idein) the Kingdom of God. As Christians we “see” it now, the Christian church is the Kingdom in Mystery. We are growing children of God already in his kingdom. However, it will not be until we ultimately have our new bodies at the commencement of the millennial reign that we become the Kingdom in Manifestation.

Jesus is called the “first born” child of God and His “only begotten Son”. Jesus was the first member of the church – Jesus is the “head” of the church and the rest of us become His body. The church is the “body of Christ” on Earth. When the “fallen world” looks at us they should be seeing the character and actions of Jesus Christ Himself.

We invite you to continue your Biblical studies with us here at “The Shepherds Way & Nugget of Truth”.

AACG (October 8^th 2025)

Begotten from Above Proper