In America we use the term born-again Christian. We don't know what we are talking about. We are referring to a religious conversion of some kind.

The Apostles, as recorded in the Book of Acts, never preached being born again.

To be born again is not referring to religious conversion. It is speaking of the Divine Substance of God being planted in our personality, like in the parable of the sower.

The parable of the sower is the main parable of the Kingdom of God. The seed that is sown is the Word of God, or Christ. In one instance the seed is snatched away before it germinates. In another it is crowded out by the cares of life and dies. In another it is in rocky soil (a hard heart) and does not send down roots. In time of severe trouble it withers and dies.

In a fourth instance the seed falls on an honest and good heart and brings forth eternal fruit. The amount of fruit varies from one person to another.

It is the Kingdom that is born in us (Paradise is not born in us!), and this is why we must be born again to see or enter the Kingdom.

The Kingdom of God is Christ, the Word of God, born in us. As Christ then is formed in us through all the graces God provides, we become increasingly righteous, holy, and obedient to God.

The only valid proof that Christ is being formed in you is that you are growing increasingly capable of recognizing good and evil (the tree of the knowledge of good and evil for which Adam and Eve were not sufficiently prepared) and increasingly willing and strong enough to reject the evil and choose the good.

Can you see that this is God's response to the original rebellion?

If Adam and Eve had been able to discern between good and evil, and willing and strong enough to reject the evil and choose the good, they still would be with us. (Talk about a population explosion!)

Can you seen now why Satan has diverted Christian thinking from the Kingdom to going to Paradise to live forever in a mansion? Satan desires that every believer go to Heaven to live in a mansion and do nothing so Satan can be free to enjoy himself. What Satan wants is for sin to continue in the earth.

The Kingdom of God is the Word of God formed in us a line at a time. It requires patient endurance if we are to be able to stand up under the dealings of God.

What is the big picture? The big picture is that of God creating people forever. Of the increase of Christ's Kingdom and of peace there shall be no end.

What is going on now? Now there is being formed a governing priesthood. The priesthood is being prepared to govern God's children forever. We are, as James says, a firstfruits of mankind.

To be continued.