New Birth and Resurresction

Ok, Eric, here's one for you.

In Jesus' interaction with Nicodemus, he says , "Unless one is born of the water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." So, Jesus seems to say there is an ontological mismatch between spirit and flesh.

Yet, it seems that Jesus is talking about new birth--being born again--a transformation that occurs long before death.

But then Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:50, "Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God , nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable ... the dead will inherit the imperishable ..."

So, Paul is obviously talking about the resurrection; not new birth. Yet, there is still an ontological problem: perishable being cannot survive imperishable being.

What is the relationship between the transformation that is new birth (and in-dwelling Spirit) and resurrection?

An obvious hint is: "if He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead dwells in you, who raised Christ Jesus will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you." (8:11)

It doesn't seem correct to say that Christians just slowly grow into an ontological change that enables them to survive the new heavens and the new earth. Something dramatic happens at conversion.

But how do we define the relationship between the Christian and the Holy Spirit? That seems to be the key.


(P.S. please pray for my hands: I seem to be losing control all the time. My next appointment with the neurologist is May 23)