Born of Women or Born of God?

Among all who were born of women there's not one greater than John the Baptist, but he who is least in God's Kingdom is greater than John. Jesus spoke those words and we could assume He was referring only to Himself as the greater one because we may think it's impossible for any one else to be greater than John. Beside that Jesus said John was Elijah who was prophesied to come. How could anyone be greater than Elijah except Jesus? Greatness in the Kingdom is not determined by the power displayed but by humility and service. He who is great in God's Kingdom is the servant of all. Both Elijah and John were born of women, not having received the new birth, but those born of God are greater than all the Old Testament saints.

God's plan to populate the earth was through the union of husband and wife and the womb as the portal of entry, but His plan to populate God's Kingdom is through the new birth. Jesus told Nicodemus he would not see the Kingdom of God except he be born again. Nicodemus began to reason how he could enter his mother's womb the second time and be born, but Jesus explained that it wasn't about recreating new flesh and blood but a new spirit man. When we are born again we are born from above or born of God as a new creation and as citizens of heaven. Those born from above are superior to the original man God made from the dust of the earth. Adam didn't have the Holy Spirit living on the inside directing and empowering him.

Owning Your New Identity

Jesus wants us to identify with the heavenly family and not the earthly. Those who are born of women are of this earth and their days are numbered, but those who are born of God are from above and have received everlasting life. God's plan wasn't only to save the people from hell, but to save them from everything inconsistent with eternity and heaven such as sickness, decay and death. As new heavenly creatures we re-present heaven on the earth. We are God's heavenly garden in the midst of chaos and darkness. We are now a new creation, old things have passed away and the new has come. We are to identify with our eternal family not the temporary flesh and blood we received in our mother's womb.

In Mark 3:31-35 Jesus was told that His mother and brother's were outside the house wanting to see Him, and He responded with an unusual question. "Who is my mother, or my brother?" Then He looked around the room and said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! for whoever does the will of the Father is my brother, my sister and my mother."

One might think Jesus was a bit confused, but both His and our eternal heritage is the family of God those who are obedient to their heavenly Father. Identifying with our temporary flesh and blood family or making it a priority over God's Kingdom shows we lack understanding of our eternal inheritance. Jesus lessened the importance of natural family because temporary flesh and blood does not inherit the Kingdom of God. One day Jesus told a man to come follow Him, but he wanted to stay with family until his father was dead and buried. Jesus said, "Let the dead bury the dead." Jesus was not promoting dishonor of parents, but emphasizing the greater value of God's eternal family. Paul says if we mind the things of the flesh we will die, but if our minds are set on the things of the spirit and eternity we will live. The family we identify with will determine the inheritance we receive and the reality we walk in either temporary flesh and blood or God's eternal family.

Identity Determines Inheritance

We all expect wonderful things some future day in heaven, but God wants us to enjoy the future now. His death opened the door to eternity we don't have to wait until we die to experience it. All that stands between time and eternity is our thought patterns and our beliefs. We are eternal creatures, all we have to do is believe it and act upon it. All the Father has is already at our disposal in the eternal spirit realm. The reason most haven't accessed it is because they are dwelling in the temporary realm of time and identifying with flesh and blood which doesn't inherit the Kingdom. Most are waiting to die, but Jesus died in our place and has invited us into eternal life now including an inheritance beyond our wildest imagination. Earthly mindedness binds us to the realm of time where decay and death are free to operate we must set our minds on things above and take our seat with Christ in heavenly places far above death, decay and the works of darkness.