INCOMPLETE

   “Born again” which is a “must be” (John 3:7) does not mean it is finished. It does imply that God finished what He had to do, but the born-again person has just started. He or she is changed but maturation from “larvae” to butterfly has just started. Many disciples remain “caterpillars” and Paul addressed that in Corinth.

  This commentary from the second epistle to the Corinthians, applies to everyone. Everyone is incomplete. Humans all are works in progress. Perfection is the goal, but everyone falls short. “Not me!” you exclaim, “I AM a good Christian.” “I AM” is God; you ARE NOT. Hence, even the best of the best are somehow incomplete.

  Adam was created complete. His human soul was imbued entirely with the Holy Spirit of God. That everything was “very good” (Gen 1:31) that God created does not translate the best; everything was “entirely good.” Adam’s soul was full of God’s “Goodness,” or Virtue. Virtue flowed from Adam to Eve and Eve became “entirely good.” Indeed, the two were filled with the Holy Spirit. They were fully generated from the dust and God’s Spirit to living souls with material bodies. That is our goal as Christians; that is our hope!

  “Life” is defined by scripture as imbuement with God’s Spirit (Gen 2:7). Adam was generated an alive being. Things that are not alive are not “beings;” they are matter. “Regeneration,” therefore, is not “born again” (John 3:7) but whenever a person becomes complete. God completed Adam when he breathed His Spirit into an empty soul. Consequently, Adamkind is completely regenerated whenever they are breathed unto fully. Even Christians have a mind to hold their “spiritual breaths” and not take all that God has to offer.

  With that said, “filled with the Holy Ghost” is, perhaps, not the best translation. To this point, I have used the word “imbued.” That means to “permeate some thing” (Merriam-Webster) which in turn means, “to spread through.” The Greek word where “filled” is translated means “accomplished” or “furnished” as well. When someone is born again, the regeneration process commences and is accomplished sometime thereafter. Thus, I use “imbued” because rebirth is the beginning of a process to completeness. Regeneration is complete when Adamkind becomes like Adam — full of life with the fullness of God’s Spirit. David knew what that meant when he wrote, “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy Presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Psalm 16:11).

  “Thou” (God) “will show me” (those who trust in Him), “the Path (the Way to) “of life” (process of regeneration); “in thy Presence” (God manifested, or Jesus) “is fullness of joy” (the evidence of the Holy Spirit) “at thy right hand” (is Jesus) “are pleasures” (glory) “forever more” (eternal life).

  The key word in that Psalm is “joy!” It is evidence of having begun the regeneration process begun when the sinners are born again, as is written, “And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost” (Act 13:52). Luke’s appraisal was validated by Paul, “For the kingdom of God is… righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost” (Rom 14:7). Serving the Ghost of Jesus, for actual disciples, should not be burdensome but a joy! That is why the Ten Words (Ten Commandments) are Ten Ways, or opportunities, to please God rather than burdensome requirements.

  Regeneration, therefore, is the Way to salvation. Salvation begins at rebirth. It is a beginning because it is the event wherein anyone is saved from “sins that are past” (Rom 3:25). Regeneration continues as sins are renounced and they become fewer and fewer as the new creature becomes acclimated to pleasing God.

  Rebirth is a “new attitude” with the heart circumcised. Thus, the regeneration process is begun until all the old flesh is discarded. The Way to do that is, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Mat 6:24) to where He is Present, and that is in Paradise in heaven. Carrying the Cross for Jesus is denying one’s own flesh in favor of God’s Flesh.

  Regeneration is not about returning to the condition at natural birth, but the condition of Adam as generated in the beginning before sin. Of course, that was when God’s Holy Spirit was exhumed by Satan by originally sinning. Knowing that the prize lies ahead should bring joy if the eye is on the “prize” (Phil 3:4), and the “runner” “presses forward” to receive the prize. Of course, the “prize” is the Presence of God (Jesus) forever (eternal life.)

  It seems that some in the Corinthian Church were “born again” but regeneration had stalled. Of course, completion is when the dead Corinthians in Christ shall rise (1 Thes 4:16). After rebirth, progress should be made toward completion, or full regeneration.

  Saul saw Jesus after He redeemed him, and the regeneration process commenced. Saul became Paul; he went from “doubtful” to “humbled,” as the names suggest. Saul was not fully humbled when he wrote to the Corinthians. He said, “We also are weak in Him” (2 Cor 13:4). Even Paul remained incomplete and he was an apostle… yet sinning Christians to this day think rebirth is completion! The Corinthians thought that as well and Paul was setting them straight.

  Paul said, “This also we wish, even your perfection.” (2 Cor 13:9). The New King James Version makes that plainer, “We pray, that you may be made complete.” When is completion? At perfection. When is perfection achieved? When God’s Work is complete in you; when a disciple is fully regenerated and fully alive again — like Adam when he was generated fully equipped for life and filled with God’s Presence.

  Paul ended with a request: “Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect (become complete; NKJV), be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you” (2 Cor 13:11).

  Rather than “filled” perhaps even “entwined” with the Holy Ghost is more accurate. Jacob wrestled with God and was entwined. Soon, he realized that the Man with whom he wrestled (entwined) was Jesus. With that wrestling match finished, Jacob knew with whom he had been entwined. That Presence was Jesus, as Jacob realized and said, “I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved” (Gen 32:30). Jacob was born again, just as Saul when he “wrestled” with God face to face. Saul was changed. He became Paul. Likewise, Jacob (heel grabber) became “Israel” (rigid for God). Jesus blessed Jacob by “preserving” him. Jacob, with his new name, “Rigid for God,” was safe thereafter from the evil one. God showed him that if he could outwrestled Jesus, then Satan should be much easier if he depends on God for his strength. (Paul wrote about that too in verse 2 Cor 13:4).

  When shall Jacob be saved? He will arise, still rigidly entwined with Jesus, and preserved for the day that he is snatched up to be in Glory with Jesus — the “Presence of God.” What will he be like? He shall have new flesh just like Jesus and in the image of Elohim; the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

  Regeneration is complete when disciples are remade in the image of Jesus. Even Adam has not been remade yet, but his new flesh is the skin of an innocent lamb until he is “reskinned” in the image of God and like Jesus.

  Paul prayed that the Corinthians be made complete (2 Cor 13:9). When will that be? When their new bodies join their immortal souls in Paradise. Thusly, disciples are saved from sin, the disciples who die entwined with Christ will have their immortal souls saved, and those who arise in Christ will have their flesh saved. Regeneration is complete when minds, souls, and bodies are in unity again in the Presence of God; face to face with Him, with Jesus, who like Paul seemed weak, as Jesus did in the presence of the Jews (2 Cor 13:4). But in the end, He was strong because He preserves and finally saves what He has preserved.

  When people are persuaded, they proudly announce, “I am saved!” Not so. They have been persuaded in their wrestling match with Truth, and will be preserved until regeneration is complete. What then is completion? “Be perfect — be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you” (2 Cor 13:11). “Completion” is perfection and it is the final attitude of the disciple. “Good comfort” is near to Jesus (Strong’s Dictionary), “of one mind” is entwined with each other in Jesus, and “living in peace” is loving. The outcome of completion is when? “When God shall be with you,” or more precisely, when you shall be with God, for He is always with you!

(picture credit: ZME Science):