I love this perspective! I believe all animals have the same consciousness and souls, like us humans. Where do they fit into this notion of reincarnation and spiritual growth?
I feel the same way. I see animals as sharing the same divine consciousness we do. Their lives are about love, joy, and presence, and they grow spiritually too. I believe their souls keep evolving through reincarnation, often here to teach us compassion and how to live more gently.
In New Thought, which is that path I follow and teach, being "born again" is not about joining a religion or being saved by an outside force. It is about waking up to the truth of who you really are, a powerful, creative, divine being. For me, it meant finally letting go of the fear and guilt I had carried for years and learning to trust the quiet voice within. Being born again is a personal shift in awareness. You begin to see that you are not separate from the Divine but an expression of it. Each time you choose love over judgment or possibility over doubt, you are born again. It is not just one moment. It is a way of life, a commitment to grow, to listen, and to live from your deepest truth.
when Jesus said, “You must be born again” (John 3:7), He wasn’t speaking about awakening to our inner divinity or aligning with an internal voice. He was describing something far more radical: a supernatural rebirth by the Spirit of God, necessary for entering the Kingdom of God.
Let’s walk through what Jesus actually said.
1. Being Born Again Is Not a Metaphor for Self-Discovery—It’s a Spiritual Rebirth from Above
Jesus said to Nicodemus
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
— John 3:3, ESV
The Greek for “born again” (γεννηθῇ ἄνωθεν, gennēthē anōthen) can mean “born from above.” Jesus wasn’t talking about personal awareness or a gradual inner realization. He was speaking of a new birth initiated by God, not man.
Nicodemus was a highly moral, religious man. Yet Jesus told him even he must be born again—implying that no amount of religion, effort, or introspection can bring about the new birth. It is a gift of grace, not a fruit of human potential.
2. We Are Not Already Divine We Are Spiritually Dead Without Christ
The New Thought belief that we are already divine and simply need to realize it sounds empowering—but it contradicts the biblical diagnosis of our condition.
Paul wrote:
“You were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked…”
— Ephesians 2:1–2
And Jesus said:
“That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”
— John 3:6
We are not born spiritually alive. We are born fallen, sinful, and separated from God. That’s why we need new life—not from within ourselves, but from the Holy Spirit.
3. The “Quiet Voice Within” Can Be Deceiving .. We Need the Holy Spirit and God’s Word
While introspection and self-examination are important, Scripture warns that the human heart is deceptive:
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”
— Jeremiah 17:9
Instead of trusting our inner voice, we are called to submit to the voice of Christ and the Scriptures. The new birth comes not by listening to self but by receiving the living Word:
“Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”
— Romans 10:17
4. Being Born Again Is Not a Lifestyle Upgrade—It’s a Total Transformation by Grace
You said being born again is “not just one moment,” and I would agree in part—it leads to a lifetime of change. But it does begin in a moment—when a person repents and believes in Jesus Christ.
“To all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.”
— John 1:12
Being born again is not discovering who you’ve always been—it’s becoming someone you’ve never been before: a new creation.
“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
— 2 Corinthians 5:17
5. You Don’t Need to “Awaken” to Your Divinity—You Need to Be Saved by Christ’s Sacrifice
Jesus didn’t come to show us that we are divine. He came to save us from sin and reconcile us to the Holy God.
“God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
— Romans 5:8
That is the good news: not that we are already one with God, but that God in Christ has made a way for us to be united with Him—through the cross and resurrection. We must believe in Him to have eternal life:
“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”
— John 3:36
Friend, the idea that you are divine may feel freeing, but it ultimately leaves you with yourself as savior. Jesus offers something better: His life for yours.
He doesn’t ask you to awaken to your truth. He calls you to die to yourself and live through Him:
“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.”
— Galatians 2:20
To be born again is to be made alive by grace, cleansed by the Spirit, and adopted into the family of God—not because of who you are, but because of who He is.
Thank you for sharing your convictions. I honor the sincerity of your faith. As a New Thought teacher, I also walk a spiritual path rooted in love, devotion, and personal transformation, but I see it through a different lens.
When Jesus spoke of being “born again,” I hear a universal invitation to awaken. In Greek, as you noted, anōthen means “from above,” but it also carries the sense of being born anew, again, or from a higher place within. For many of us, that higher place is the divine spark, the Christ-consciousness already present in every soul. Not separate from God, but of God.
New Thought does not teach that we are already perfected. It teaches that we are evolving, growing into the awareness of our divine potential. That awareness doesn't deny grace, it honors it. It is through awakening to our unity with the Source that we find transformation. Not through shame, not through fear, but through conscious alignment with divine love.
You wrote that introspection and the “quiet voice within” are deceptive. But many of us experience that inner voice as the same Spirit Jesus promised would guide us into all truth. We believe the Kingdom of God is within, as He said (Luke 17:21), and that the Spirit does not only descend. It arises in stillness when we are ready to receive it.
You speak of salvation as a single moment. I see spiritual growth as ongoing, moment by moment. We are not waiting to be saved from ourselves, but invited to awaken through ourselves, to live more fully in compassion, integrity, and unity.
At the heart of this is a truth we both cherish: Love is the way. Whether you call it grace, or awakening, or Christ within, every soul must choose.
I am not here to argue scripture. I am here to live love. You may see the divine as something to be reached. I see it as something to be realized. We are each walking a path toward Truth, and I trust that Spirit meets us where we are.
Blessings to you on your journey. We may see differently, but I believe we are all seeking to live in alignment with something higher. And that is holy.
You know… conviction alone is not the measure of truth. You wrote, “I see it through a different lens” and “I see spiritual growth as ongoing, moment by moment.” But respectfully, it does not matter how we see it. What matters is how God has revealed it.
Truth is not subjective. Jesus didn’t say, “Perceive your own way into life.” He said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). You may describe the “Christ-consciousness” within, but Christ is not a concept or spark inside us waiting to be discovered—He is the risen Lord who commands all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30).
You quoted Luke 17:21—“the kingdom of God is within you”—but ignore the context. Jesus was speaking to Pharisees who did not follow Him, and the better rendering is “in your midst” or “among you.” The Kingdom was not arising from within their fallen hearts, but standing before them in the person of Christ.
New Thought may teach that we are evolving into divine awareness—but Scripture says we are “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1) and must be made alive by the Spirit of God, not awakened by inner insight, but born again by divine grace (John 3:3–6). The new birth is not self-realization—it is a sovereign work of God.
Charles Spurgeon once said:
“You must be born again. It is not enough to make a new resolution. It is not enough to cleanse the outside of the cup and platter. You must be made a new creature in Christ Jesus. Nothing less will do.”
To be born again is not awakening to a higher self—it is dying to self and being raised in Christ. It is not aligning with a universal energy—it is trusting in the blood of Jesus that atones for sin. Any path that bypasses the cross is not a higher way—it is deception.
You wrote, “I am not here to argue scripture. I am here to live love.” But love rejoices in the truth (1 Corinthians 13:6). To deny truth in the name of love is neither loving nor faithful—it is, as Spurgeon put it, “a cruel kindness.”
I do not write this out of pride, but out of love for your soul. May the Spirit of God reveal to you not just an inner spark, but the blazing glory of the crucified and risen Christ. He is not a guide within—He is the Lord above, and every knee will bow to Him.
Until then, consider what you teach. Because it is border line HERESY! Shalom.
Thank you for your heartfelt reply. I hear your concern, and I can feel the sincerity in your words. Please know that I speak not to dismiss your faith, but to express mine.
Yes, conviction is not proof of truth. But neither is a single interpretation of scripture. Humans have wrestled with the meaning of Christ’s words for two thousand years. That struggle is not rebellion, it is the very act of seeking.
You believe truth is revealed solely through Scripture. I believe truth is also revealed through direct experience of the divine. Jesus said, “the Spirit of truth… will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13). That Spirit lives. It still speaks. It doesn’t contradict love, it fulfills it.
I understand your reading of Luke 17:21 and respect it, but many scholars acknowledge that “within you” remains a valid translation, especially when seen through the lens of mysticism and metaphor, which Jesus often used. Parables, after all, are not theology textbooks. They are invitations to look deeper.
You say New Thought bypasses the cross. I say it seeks to embody what the cross revealed: that love sacrifices, that life overcomes death, and that we are called to rise, not just once, but daily. Death to ego, yes. But rebirth into compassion, service, and a radical sense of oneness with God and all life.
You quote Spurgeon. I honor his legacy. But I also draw from Emerson, Holmes, Fillmore, and others who followed Christ by listening inwardly and walking outwardly in peace, mercy, and justice. To me, that is faith in action.
I do not deny Christ. I embrace the living Christ in a way that calls me to deeper accountability, not to dogma, but to love. Not to condemnation, but to transformation. You see heresy. I see a different path to the same light.
If the Spirit leads you one way, I respect that. But the Spirit has also led me here to trust in divine love, to listen in stillness, and to teach others to awaken gently, not through fear, but through grace.
May peace be with you, truly. And may we both continue to seek, in humility and courage, the living truth that sets all souls free.
I was not expecting AI responses. I suppose it’s necessary when there is no basis to “your truth” other than “you”. You don’t stand alone. But you do stand amongst be wolves, regarding Truth. Scripture interprets itself. There’s no need for Gnosticism. Do you have the definition of based now that’s not a problem. But you do deny his work with your teachings. You cannot have His love and deny His judgement.
If the Spirit leads you one way, I respect that. But the Spirit has also led me here to trust in divine love, to listen in stillness, and to teach others to awaken gently, not through fear, but through grace.”
I love this perspective! I believe all animals have the same consciousness and souls, like us humans. Where do they fit into this notion of reincarnation and spiritual growth?
I feel the same way. I see animals as sharing the same divine consciousness we do. Their lives are about love, joy, and presence, and they grow spiritually too. I believe their souls keep evolving through reincarnation, often here to teach us compassion and how to live more gently.
Animals have so much to teach us. I truly believe they are far more evolved than we humans...
Ah, but we must be born again. Just not in the way you think…
https://substack.com/@christopherlind
In New Thought, which is that path I follow and teach, being "born again" is not about joining a religion or being saved by an outside force. It is about waking up to the truth of who you really are, a powerful, creative, divine being. For me, it meant finally letting go of the fear and guilt I had carried for years and learning to trust the quiet voice within. Being born again is a personal shift in awareness. You begin to see that you are not separate from the Divine but an expression of it. Each time you choose love over judgment or possibility over doubt, you are born again. It is not just one moment. It is a way of life, a commitment to grow, to listen, and to live from your deepest truth.
when Jesus said, “You must be born again” (John 3:7), He wasn’t speaking about awakening to our inner divinity or aligning with an internal voice. He was describing something far more radical: a supernatural rebirth by the Spirit of God, necessary for entering the Kingdom of God.
Let’s walk through what Jesus actually said.
1. Being Born Again Is Not a Metaphor for Self-Discovery—It’s a Spiritual Rebirth from Above
Jesus said to Nicodemus
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
— John 3:3, ESV
The Greek for “born again” (γεννηθῇ ἄνωθεν, gennēthē anōthen) can mean “born from above.” Jesus wasn’t talking about personal awareness or a gradual inner realization. He was speaking of a new birth initiated by God, not man.
Nicodemus was a highly moral, religious man. Yet Jesus told him even he must be born again—implying that no amount of religion, effort, or introspection can bring about the new birth. It is a gift of grace, not a fruit of human potential.
2. We Are Not Already Divine We Are Spiritually Dead Without Christ
The New Thought belief that we are already divine and simply need to realize it sounds empowering—but it contradicts the biblical diagnosis of our condition.
Paul wrote:
“You were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked…”
— Ephesians 2:1–2
And Jesus said:
“That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”
— John 3:6
We are not born spiritually alive. We are born fallen, sinful, and separated from God. That’s why we need new life—not from within ourselves, but from the Holy Spirit.
3. The “Quiet Voice Within” Can Be Deceiving .. We Need the Holy Spirit and God’s Word
While introspection and self-examination are important, Scripture warns that the human heart is deceptive:
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”
— Jeremiah 17:9
Instead of trusting our inner voice, we are called to submit to the voice of Christ and the Scriptures. The new birth comes not by listening to self but by receiving the living Word:
“Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”
— Romans 10:17
4. Being Born Again Is Not a Lifestyle Upgrade—It’s a Total Transformation by Grace
You said being born again is “not just one moment,” and I would agree in part—it leads to a lifetime of change. But it does begin in a moment—when a person repents and believes in Jesus Christ.
“To all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.”
— John 1:12
Being born again is not discovering who you’ve always been—it’s becoming someone you’ve never been before: a new creation.
“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
— 2 Corinthians 5:17
5. You Don’t Need to “Awaken” to Your Divinity—You Need to Be Saved by Christ’s Sacrifice
Jesus didn’t come to show us that we are divine. He came to save us from sin and reconcile us to the Holy God.
“God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
— Romans 5:8
That is the good news: not that we are already one with God, but that God in Christ has made a way for us to be united with Him—through the cross and resurrection. We must believe in Him to have eternal life:
“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”
— John 3:36
Friend, the idea that you are divine may feel freeing, but it ultimately leaves you with yourself as savior. Jesus offers something better: His life for yours.
He doesn’t ask you to awaken to your truth. He calls you to die to yourself and live through Him:
“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.”
— Galatians 2:20
To be born again is to be made alive by grace, cleansed by the Spirit, and adopted into the family of God—not because of who you are, but because of who He is.
Thank you for sharing your convictions. I honor the sincerity of your faith. As a New Thought teacher, I also walk a spiritual path rooted in love, devotion, and personal transformation, but I see it through a different lens.
When Jesus spoke of being “born again,” I hear a universal invitation to awaken. In Greek, as you noted, anōthen means “from above,” but it also carries the sense of being born anew, again, or from a higher place within. For many of us, that higher place is the divine spark, the Christ-consciousness already present in every soul. Not separate from God, but of God.
New Thought does not teach that we are already perfected. It teaches that we are evolving, growing into the awareness of our divine potential. That awareness doesn't deny grace, it honors it. It is through awakening to our unity with the Source that we find transformation. Not through shame, not through fear, but through conscious alignment with divine love.
You wrote that introspection and the “quiet voice within” are deceptive. But many of us experience that inner voice as the same Spirit Jesus promised would guide us into all truth. We believe the Kingdom of God is within, as He said (Luke 17:21), and that the Spirit does not only descend. It arises in stillness when we are ready to receive it.
You speak of salvation as a single moment. I see spiritual growth as ongoing, moment by moment. We are not waiting to be saved from ourselves, but invited to awaken through ourselves, to live more fully in compassion, integrity, and unity.
At the heart of this is a truth we both cherish: Love is the way. Whether you call it grace, or awakening, or Christ within, every soul must choose.
I am not here to argue scripture. I am here to live love. You may see the divine as something to be reached. I see it as something to be realized. We are each walking a path toward Truth, and I trust that Spirit meets us where we are.
Blessings to you on your journey. We may see differently, but I believe we are all seeking to live in alignment with something higher. And that is holy.
You know… conviction alone is not the measure of truth. You wrote, “I see it through a different lens” and “I see spiritual growth as ongoing, moment by moment.” But respectfully, it does not matter how we see it. What matters is how God has revealed it.
Truth is not subjective. Jesus didn’t say, “Perceive your own way into life.” He said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). You may describe the “Christ-consciousness” within, but Christ is not a concept or spark inside us waiting to be discovered—He is the risen Lord who commands all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30).
You quoted Luke 17:21—“the kingdom of God is within you”—but ignore the context. Jesus was speaking to Pharisees who did not follow Him, and the better rendering is “in your midst” or “among you.” The Kingdom was not arising from within their fallen hearts, but standing before them in the person of Christ.
New Thought may teach that we are evolving into divine awareness—but Scripture says we are “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1) and must be made alive by the Spirit of God, not awakened by inner insight, but born again by divine grace (John 3:3–6). The new birth is not self-realization—it is a sovereign work of God.
Charles Spurgeon once said:
“You must be born again. It is not enough to make a new resolution. It is not enough to cleanse the outside of the cup and platter. You must be made a new creature in Christ Jesus. Nothing less will do.”
To be born again is not awakening to a higher self—it is dying to self and being raised in Christ. It is not aligning with a universal energy—it is trusting in the blood of Jesus that atones for sin. Any path that bypasses the cross is not a higher way—it is deception.
You wrote, “I am not here to argue scripture. I am here to live love.” But love rejoices in the truth (1 Corinthians 13:6). To deny truth in the name of love is neither loving nor faithful—it is, as Spurgeon put it, “a cruel kindness.”
I do not write this out of pride, but out of love for your soul. May the Spirit of God reveal to you not just an inner spark, but the blazing glory of the crucified and risen Christ. He is not a guide within—He is the Lord above, and every knee will bow to Him.
Until then, consider what you teach. Because it is border line HERESY! Shalom.
Thank you for your heartfelt reply. I hear your concern, and I can feel the sincerity in your words. Please know that I speak not to dismiss your faith, but to express mine.
Yes, conviction is not proof of truth. But neither is a single interpretation of scripture. Humans have wrestled with the meaning of Christ’s words for two thousand years. That struggle is not rebellion, it is the very act of seeking.
You believe truth is revealed solely through Scripture. I believe truth is also revealed through direct experience of the divine. Jesus said, “the Spirit of truth… will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13). That Spirit lives. It still speaks. It doesn’t contradict love, it fulfills it.
I understand your reading of Luke 17:21 and respect it, but many scholars acknowledge that “within you” remains a valid translation, especially when seen through the lens of mysticism and metaphor, which Jesus often used. Parables, after all, are not theology textbooks. They are invitations to look deeper.
You say New Thought bypasses the cross. I say it seeks to embody what the cross revealed: that love sacrifices, that life overcomes death, and that we are called to rise, not just once, but daily. Death to ego, yes. But rebirth into compassion, service, and a radical sense of oneness with God and all life.
You quote Spurgeon. I honor his legacy. But I also draw from Emerson, Holmes, Fillmore, and others who followed Christ by listening inwardly and walking outwardly in peace, mercy, and justice. To me, that is faith in action.
I do not deny Christ. I embrace the living Christ in a way that calls me to deeper accountability, not to dogma, but to love. Not to condemnation, but to transformation. You see heresy. I see a different path to the same light.
If the Spirit leads you one way, I respect that. But the Spirit has also led me here to trust in divine love, to listen in stillness, and to teach others to awaken gently, not through fear, but through grace.
May peace be with you, truly. And may we both continue to seek, in humility and courage, the living truth that sets all souls free.
I was not expecting AI responses. I suppose it’s necessary when there is no basis to “your truth” other than “you”. You don’t stand alone. But you do stand amongst be wolves, regarding Truth. Scripture interprets itself. There’s no need for Gnosticism. Do you have the definition of based now that’s not a problem. But you do deny his work with your teachings. You cannot have His love and deny His judgement.
If the Spirit leads you one way, I respect that. But the Spirit has also led me here to trust in divine love, to listen in stillness, and to teach others to awaken gently, not through fear, but through grace.”