Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Mt. 1 ... Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. 19Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. 20But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
This was not a natural birth. Jesus was born of the Holy Ghost.
Jesus says the same must happen with us. Unless we are born of the Spirit of God, we will not be able to see the kingdom of God. Jn. 3 (We will not understand the things of the Spirit of God unless we are born of the Spirit of God. I Cor. 2 ... the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God)
It is only by the will of God that anyone can be born of the Spirit of God. I can't cause it to happen. You can't cause it to happen. Only God can cause a person to be born of the Spirit of God.
Paul grieved because he knew many of his kindred by the flesh would be lost.
Romans 9 ... I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, 2That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. 3For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: 4Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; 5Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
I have a similar grief because I see many who call themselves Christians today and many who say they are "pastors" and I know they are not born of the Spirit of God.
But there is an elect of God that has the Spirit of God. There is a remnant that is of God.
And these are the real children born of God, born of HIS Spirit, by HIS will ... not born by their own will for this won't work. But these are the ones born of the will of God.
Romans 9 ... Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: 7Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. 8That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. 9For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son. 10And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; 11(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) 12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. 13As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
14What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. 15For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 16So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
Those who are born of the Spirit of God are the children of God. You can join a church. You can be baptized in water and still not be born of the Spirit of God.
First, there must be repentance. For it is the Holy Spirit Who convicts us of our sin.
If you went forth at church and was baptized and you did not see yourself as a sinner, then you are not born of the Spirit of God. But when God revealed Himself to us, we saw ourselves as sinners and then the Spirit of God was working to change us from within.
Jesus said ... Jn. 3:6 ... That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Those of us who have had this type of change know how different we are now from the way we were before when we were just flesh.
Unless you are born of the Spirit, you cannot understand the things I write. If you are born of the Spirit you will understand what I say.
Jn. 8 ... Jesus says ... Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 44Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 45And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.