First Born Of Man

The Spirit Of God enlightens people to His Word (see The Cure For The Carnal Mind) and by means of doing so, seals (conceives - see the Fact Finder question below) His people to await being truly "born again." The future children of God are first born of man:

"^15:45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. ^15:46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. ^15:47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. ^15:48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. ^15:49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly." (1 Corinthians 15:45-49 KJV)

Jesus Christ was the prime example of how those born of mankind may be born of God kind:

"^15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. ^15:21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. ^15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. ^15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming." (1 Corinthians 15:20-23 KJV)

"Ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise"

Genuine Christians all have one Father, through conception by His Spirit. Living a Christian life (see Christian Living) means living toward the time when The Father's children will be born, from the true Church of God:

"^4:2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; ^4:3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. ^4:4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling [see The Process Of Conversion]; ^4:5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, ^4:6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. ^4:7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ." (Ephesians 4:2-7 KJV)

The various responsibilities of service are not a pompous "ranking," but merely different means of effectively being Examples To The Flock.

"^4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; ^4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: ^4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

^4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive [see False Christs and False Prophets]; ^4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ [see The Messiah's Triumphal Entry Into The Temple]: ^4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love." (Ephesians 4:11-16 KJV)

The Holy Spirit provides the means to overcome, but effort is required to overcome.

"^4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. ^4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. ^4:31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: ^4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." (Ephesians 4:29-32 KJV)

Fact Finder: As Christ's people look forward to a future birth, in what state are they now?
See Spiritual Conception

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This Day In History, May 21

996: Otto III was crowned the Roman Emperor at age 16 by Pope Gregory V (see Emperors and Popes).

1471: King Henry VI was murdered in the Tower of London during the Wars of the Roses. Edward IV took the throne.

1536: The General Assembly of Geneva, Switzerland officially embraced Protestantism by accepting the evangelical faith of the Swiss reformers.

1809: The Battle of Aspern-Essling, Napoleon's first serious personal defeat, fought between a French and allied army of 73,000 men, and 115,000 Austrians under Archduke Charles around the towns of Aspern and Essling near Vienna. Austrian loses were 23,400 men, French losses over 23,000.

1940: British tank forces attacked General Erwin Rommel's 7th Panzer Division at Arras, slowing his blitzkrieg of France.

1956: The US exploded the first airborne weapon of mass destruction with a hydrogen bomb over the Bikini Atoll in the Pacific.

1960: 5,700 people were killed in southern Chile by the by strongest earthquake on record: magnitude 9.5

1991: Former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was killed by a bomb hidden in a bouquet of flowers while campaigning in India's southern state of Tamil Nadu.