Firstborn

Since
Cowboy responded to my last post I have been in prayer concerning my
response to Him, especially in light of his comments over at Heidi's.
He left me with the following verse to back up his claim:

For
those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to
the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many
brethren;

Romans
8:29 NASB

The
point in question has to do with just what firstborn among many
means.

On this,
you're simply mistaken and it's the reason I pointed it out in my
blog post the way I did. You can find the evidence in Romans 8:29,
for one.

The verse you
quoted was him speaking before he was resurrected. He most certainly
was the only begotten son then. Now he's the first
born among
many
because he came to make the way for us to follow him.

That's what
the born-again experience is about. It's also why I pick these nits
with you. These are silly religious ideas. This very misunderstanding
plays into things I read in this post and your comments at my place
that disturb me.

I'm not a mere mortal and neither are you, as just one example.

Digital
Cowboy

Based upon
what he wrote you can make what conclusion you want, but I am quite
sure Cowboy has taken "firstborn" to mean a chronological order
of birth. I do believe I can show that simply by using the Word that
Cowboy is the one who is mistaken.

First we go
to Colossians:

13 For He rescued us from the domain
of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14
in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 15 He is the
image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For
by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth,
visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or
authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17
He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. 18 He
is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the
firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first
place in everything. 19 For it was the Father's good pleasure for
all the fullness to dwell in Him, 20 and through Him to reconcile all
things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross;
through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.

Colossians
1: 13-20 NASB

Putting
things in context shows that in this case the title firstborn has to
do with preeminence not with order of birth, the same can be said for
Romans 8:29.

15 For you
have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you
have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out,
"Abba! Father!"
16 The Spirit Himself
testifies with our spirit
that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of
God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so
that we may also be glorified with Him.18 For I consider that the
sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with
the glory that is to be revealed to us.19 For the anxious longing of
the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 20
For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but
because of Him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself
also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom
of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole
creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until
now. 23
And not only this,
but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we
ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as
sons, the redemption of our body.
24 For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope;
for who hopes for what he already sees? 25But if we hope for what we
do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it. 26 In the same
way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to
pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with
groanings too deep for words; 27 and He who searches the hearts knows
what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints
according to the will of God. 28 And we know that God causes all
things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who
are called according to His purpose. 29 For those whom He foreknew,
He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so
that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30 and these whom
He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also
justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. 31What
then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against
us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for
us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?

Romans
8: 15-32 NASB

Again,
context is everything. When verse 29 is shown in the context of the
other verses it becomes clear that the writer is not discussing birth
order, but preeminence. Why go through the trouble of showing that we
are adopted into the Kingdom only to say we are begotten children?
Yeshua was very clear when discussing salvation with Nicodemus that
He was the only begotten Son. This was a direct reference to His
earthly birth and the divine nature of His conception. Yeshua had no
need for a spiritual rebirth as we need due to our sin nature. Yeshua
is specific that being "Born-again" is a birth of the spirit when
our new nature in Him is born.

While I
am sure that Cowboy will respond that this is simply religious talk,
brought upon by years if indoctrination in religion, he can be rest
assured that it had nothing to do with it. I have had a strong
disdain for most organized religion for some time. I have found that
most churches take a dim view upon someone who calls himself a
prophet and challenges the conventional wisdom. All of my
conclusions have been from seeking the Holy Spirit and asking for His
guidance. At one point I was even open to the idea that Cowboy could
be right, but the Spirit squashed that real quick.

I will
address some of the other things he has said but those are for
another post and another time.