DID JESUS DIE SPIRITUALLY ?
Exposing the JDS Heresy
POINT 8
THE FIRSTBORN, OR THE FIRST BORN AGAIN?
The JDS teachers cite Colossians 1:18, where Christ is called "the firstborn from the dead," in support of their claim that Jesus Christ was the first man to be born again.
Jesus, they claim, was born again in the Pit of Hell, and was the first man to be born again under the New Covenant.
Another passage which they cite, that is said to indicate the new birth of Jesus in Hell, is Acts 13:33. Although the passage is speaking of the physical resurrection of Jesus, the JDS teachers place great stress on the term "begotten" in this verse.
God...hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day I have begotten thee.
Why did Jesus need to be "begotten" from the dead? Because He had died spiritually, the JDS supporters teach. He was the first begotten from spiritual death. In support of this erroneous theory, they also cite Revelation 1:5 where Jesus is said to be "the first begotten of the dead" (KJV).
One JDS proponent actually goes so far to say that Jesus instituted the Church in Hell, when He was born again in the Pit! Jesus became the "firstborn among many brethren" we are told (Romans 8:29). In God's wisdom, according to this delusion, He did not wait until later, but started the Church in Hell. One wonders, in view of such unscriptural assertions, to what lengths their false doctrine will ultimately lead them.
Jesus, we are informed, was righteous, then on the cross became unrighteous and went to Hell, and in the Pit was made righteous once more. If so, then how could He be the Jesus of the Bible Who is said to be unchangeable? According to Hebrews 13:8 the writer states: "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever." It is all too evident that the "Jesus" of the JDS fraternity is "another Jesus" spoken about in II Corinthians 11:3-4 and Galatians 1:6-9. Note also Malachi 3:6.
In dealing with the question under consideration "Is Jesus the firstborn, or the first born again?" one important fact should be noted first of all. Although there are two different terms used by the KJV translators, which the JDS teachers cite, namely, "firstborn" and "first begotten," the latter term does not occur in the Greek New Testament.
The term "first begotten" (Hebrews 1:6; Revelation 1:5) does not occur; the term which is used in Hebrews 1:6 and Revelation 1:5, as well as in several other passages, is "firstborn."
Furthermore, the meaning of the term "begotten" in Acts 13:33 is clearly stated to be a reference to the physical resurrection of Jesus, and completely rules out, therefore, the fanciful notion that this passage implies that Jesus was born again in the Pit. One JDS teacher, without any scriptural basis whatsoever, dogmatically states that Acts 13:33 speaks of two resurrections -- one physical and one spiritual! He contends this in spite of the clear fact that this passage speaks of Christ's physical resurrection from the dead, not His re-birth in the Pit.
In verses 28-29, Paul speaks of Christ's physical death and the burial of His body in a sepulchre; and in verses 30 and 33 he speaks of His physical resurrection from the dead. The resurrection of Jesus in the Bible always has reference to the resurrection of His body, not His spirit, since His spirit did not die (I Corinthians 15:20-23; Luke 24:36-46). The JDS teachers superimpose the erroneous idea of an additional "spiritual" resurrection upon such passages.
THE BIBLICAL MEANING OF "FIRSTBORN"
Inasmuch as Acts 13:33 has been shown to be a reference to the physical resurrection of Jesus, not His "rebirth," and since it is the term "firstborn," NOT "first begotten," which occurs in the Greek of the New Testament, we next turn to the biblical meaning of "firstborn," and its misuse by the JDS teachers.
The term "firstborn" in Scripture is used not only to refer to the physical birth of the first child to be born into a family, but the term also speaks of position and inheritance rights. Thus, the term refers not merely to birth, but also to birthrights, as well as to position or status.
Because the firstborn were preserved among the Israelites in Egypt when the Egyptian firstborn were slain by God at the time of the inauguration of the Passover, every firstborn male (man and beast) was consecrated unto the Lord (Exodus 13:2). From this, we are clearly shown shown the special position the firstborn held in God's sight -- they were His and had to be consecrated unto Him.
Moreover, in Israel the firstborn son possessed special rights and privileges. He succeeded his father as the head of the house, and received a larger portion of the inheritance; these were his birthrights. The nation of Israel is called God's firstborn and was, therefore, entitled to special privileges and blessings, as compared to the heathen nations (Exodus 4:22). In this same sense Jesus Christ is called the firstborn (Romans 8:29; Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:6).
The term in such passages speaks of position, rank, legal rights, and special privileges. It NEVER has any reference to the new birth or being born again; such a concept is completely foreign to its biblical meaning and come out of the fertile imagination of thee JDS ministers, not the Bible.
In Colossians 1:15, Jesus is said to be the creator of all things. It is in this context that He is called "the firstborn of every creature" (literally "of all creation"). Immediately following this declaration, the Apostle states: "for by him were all things created...by him, and for him" (Colossians 1:16).
The clear implication here is that, as Creator of all things for Himself, Jesus Christ has the "firstborn rights" to all creation. The terminology speaks of His dominant position and rank as the first Heir to all creation. This fact is also clearly stated in Hebrews 1:2, where we are informed that God has appointed Jesus "heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds." Again, the Messianic reference in Psalm 89:27 also speaks of God making His Messiah"...my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth." 1
Note: David here, as in many passages, is a type of the Messiah.
Thus, the New Testament speaks of the firstborn rights of inheritance, and of the exalted position of Jesus, not of His rebirth. Colossians 1:18 makes this fact plain:
And he is the head of the body, the church...the firstborn from the dead; that in all things HE MIGHT HAVE THE PREEMINENCE.
Again, we find that their reliance solely upon the English translations has resulted in the JDS teachers basing their doctrine on a term that does not actually occur in the Greek New Testament (i.e., "first begotten") in passages they cite in an effort to prove Jesus had to be born again, or "begotten spiritually" from the dead. Likewise, their error is compounded in their failure to understand the biblical meaning and usage of the term "firstborn," which refers to birthright and position, not to the notion that Jesus was the first born again.