John Ritenbaugh, countering the notion that the Bible is simple to understand, suggests that while secret things belong to God, He reveals the mysteries to the saints. Though there are mysteries to the kingdom of Heaven, they become clear once they are revealed. Because God's Word is deep, the revelation of its mysteries is a process beginning with a simple concept, onto which is added multiple layers. We must learn how God looks at every subject in the Bible. Peter, a well-taught apostle, found Paul's epistles difficult to understand, having to analyze them very carefully in order not to twist them. Though justification is not enough to suggest "born again," the gestation or fetus analogy does not adequately depict the sanctification process in which there has to be volition, judgment, and conscious choice. Fetuses are unable to choose to go through the sanctification process. God calls those things that are not as though they already are, dealing with us as though we are already maturing adults (not unresponsive fetuses), seeing the glorification while we are still in the sanctification stage. God is creating a new race of beings-beings that will be above angels. When Jesus became baptized, He set an example of what we as disciples must do in order to become offspring of God. We begin as born from above (spiritually circumcised in the heart) babes (immature Christians), but "brethren" nevertheless, having a changed heart that we never had before. While we move through the sanctification process, we incrementally displace our carnality with God's Holy Spirit, transforming us into the image of Jesus Christ. God looks upon us as already born. If we grow in grace and knowledge and fulfill our part of the covenant, God will glorify us and give us eternal life at the resurrection.

Adam and Eve Adoption Adult Angels Anothen Babes Baptism Barclay, William Begotten analogy Bible is 'simple" to understand Birth Born again Born from above Brethren Dove Circumcision Citizenship Complexity Conversion Co-worker Creation Divine intervention Family of God Fetus Fully Functioning Free moral agency Gennao Glorification Hard to understand Holiness Immanuel Impregnated with Holy Spirit Invisible John the Baptist Justification, sanctification, and glorification Milk Mikvah Mystery New creation Nicodemus Parable Receiving Holy Spirit Revealed knowledge Salvation Sanctification Satan the Devil Secret things Simple Solid food Spirit of God Spiritual circumcision Submitting to God"s commands Supernatural Studying Technical word Transformation Volition Womb of church analogy