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Transformation Through Spiritual Process
To renew yourself, die to the old every day. Jesus spoke about death as a prelude to resurrection, and he also spoke about the need to be born again. Christian doctrine has focused almost entirely on trusting in the resurrection of Jesus as a sign that every soul will be resurrected one day. But when he said, “You must be born from above,” Jesus put the emphasis on transformation in this lifetime, not some faraway future.
Being born from above means a rebirth in spirit. Some individuals may be able to organize their spiritual life around one dramatic breakthrough, but for most, spiritual rebirth is a process akin to the long process that causes people to mature psychologically.
The spiritual process brings transformation steadily, one step at a time, yet the overall result is dramatic. One’s attachment to the ego and its belief in separation, including the ultimate separation of death, is being jettisoned.
If being born again is a process, you can contribute to it every day. In fact, this is the only viable way to creatively shape the spiritual path so that it belongs to you personally. From Jesus’ perspective, however, none of these labels is the true you; they distract from the reality that you are spirit embodied in flesh.
If you wanted to, you could redefine yourself every day. As the fixed self gives way to a dynamic, fluid self that is open to the unknown, freedom dawns. In that freedom, you go beyond death by discovering that you encompass life and death in a state of pure Being.
The external influences aren’t the real you, and until you go through the process of detaching yourself from old definitions, you cannot confront the unknown. Everything new that comes your way winds up passing through a filtering process until it fits your likes and dislikes, social status, income, education level, and so on.
Spiritual experience is unfiltered; it comes directly and spontaneously.
Adapted from The Third Jesus: The Christ We Cannot Ignore, by Deepak Chopra (Harmony Books, 2008).
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add your comment »I agree with Lars - intepretation of the Holy Bible can be sometimes confusing but Jesus Christ was absolutely and succinctly clear about being Born Again.
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JESUS CHRIST DECLARES we need to be born again to be saved. This conversion of our nature is a gift from God to anyone who truly believes in Jesus. The Holy Spirit begins the rebirth process in us as we surrender to Jesus in earnest, heartfelt prayer. At that point we become justified and holy before Almighty God. And we remain justified and holy by keeping Jesus first in our lives.
Please understand that we ourselves have no part in our conversion other than to stay surrendered to God´s will. So there is no way we could "contribute to our born again process".
Conversion is the work of God in us. So the Source is external - yet He works within. The result?
" I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me ". *
Praise the Lord !!!
*Galatians 2:20
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LOVE IT ~!! See this is so how I feel since my surgery and able to walk again. Being now a metamorphosis like the Frog too this is how, actually transformed from a death state to a new form of life, to renew the spirit its whats happening now in my life!! Blessings to all~ Cool Thank You Deepak!!
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There is a slight difference between enlightened living and rebirth. ;) The resurrection was a display to us that what we think of as death to the body is not death to the spirit. That IS the transformation to a new life. What you are experiencing now is not the absolute, as I am sure you are aware. Do not confuse the scripture, that you must be born again. It's NOT the same as living in this moment. There are certain steps that lead to enlightenment, and it's NOT just being in the now. The spirit can guide you but you must know the difference between spiritual and physical living. One thinks of self, the other thinks of the whole.
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"The ego must that Spirit may live."
It's just that simple, yet humans make
it just that difficult. Choose you this
day who you will serve. Life or death.
Spirit or ego. Love or fear.
Have an amazing day.
Lisabeth
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The grass knows when to grow.
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...According to the Gospels: "if any man (person) would come after me, let him (person) deny himself (person) and pick up his (person) cross and follow me." (parenthesis my own). Nicodemus, the Jewish ruler from the Sanhedrin Council also inquired of Jesus concerning being born again. Before now, I have never heard of "self redemption". This topic is one that cannot be adequately addressed without referring to why Jesus came, otherwise, the distortion is going to severely mis-lead someone. Could it be that "self redemption" is a play on semantics that when stated another way it means: "you make the choice?" If in fact that is the case, I agree. For me, mankind does have the power to choose redemption. Shalom.
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Die in the old paradigm and be born in a new one.
Every day I die and I feel like I am peeling away all social conditioning and releasing the self constrained by ego.
Thank you!!!
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very true words,
Thank You so much :-)
Isabel
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