Hi Friend!
Thank you for taking the time to read my article and respond so thoughtfully.
First, I think we agree on more than may initially appear.
I agree that anōthen can mean “from above.” In fact, I think that meaning more beautifully complements the idea of the New Birth, because I understand this Birth as something that truly does come from above—from God—rather than something we accomplish through our own human nature or beliefs.
And you are quite right that I did not attempt to address Romans 1–4. There is certainly much there worth discussing. An article can only carry so much Scripture before it becomes a book! 😊 I am also familiar with Paul's two-Adam framework, and I believe there is much in it that deserves careful consideration.
Interestingly, a significant part of my own recent spiritual journey has been spent among Jewish and Christian Messianic believers. I have learned much from them and have great affection for them, although that tradition does not inform my personal theology.
Where I think you and I differ most is in our understanding of the human soul.
You wrote that we have “only longings for sin and rebellion.” I certainly agree that the human condition contains powerful inclinations toward selfishness, sin, and separation from God. Where I differ is that I do not believe these inclinations originate in the soul itself. I believe they stem largely from the material-mind consciousness that develops as we mature within the human condition, often to the near exclusion of the soul-consciousness with which we were born.
Jesus said:
“Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” — Matthew 18:3
Jesus also said:
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one would be born from above, he is not able to see the kingdom of God.” — John 3:3
I believe that word “see” is important.
Jesus also teaches:
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“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” — Matthew 5:8
Only a purified soul can truly perceive God, and I believe only a purified soul can perceive His Kingdom.
I believe the soul is God’s creation made in His image, existed with Him before entering materiality, and is inherently capable of longing for its Father Creator. I understand Jeremiah’s words in a way that is consistent with this:
“Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you.” — Jeremiah 1:5
I believe the human condition gradually covers and obscures the soul with detritus, but does not destroy what God created. Through sincere seeking, prayer, and the reception of God’s Love (agápe), the soul can be progressively cleansed and purified, until it increasingly becomes what I believe God intended it to be: our surest faculty for knowing and communing with Him.
This is also why I place so much importance upon sustained prayer. I have come to believe that when someone decides that knowing God is more important than anything else, and devotes substantial time each day to quieting the mind and allowing the deepest longings of the heart and soul to reach toward Him, something begins to happen within us which can lead to great progress.
Two passages have become especially important in all Scripture to me:
“I Love those who Love Me, and those who diligently seek Me will find Me.” — Proverbs 8:17
And:
“You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” — Jeremiah 29:13
I am sure there are theological interpretations of both those verses capable of diminishing the enthusiasm of seekers like me. 😊 But I find it difficult to read promises such as these and conclude that God wishes us to seek Him less earnestly rather than more.
So perhaps this is where our respective understandings diverge: you see the deepest human longings as corrupted, whereas I believe beneath the effects of the human condition there remains a soul created by God that can still cry out for its Father Creator—and that God responds to that longing with His Love.
Thank you again for engaging with me. I am grateful to have made your acquaintance, dear brother. And I wish you only the very best on your path.
Love and blessings, my friend. 🌿🙏
