In a philosophical/theological discussion that incorporates the efficacy of prayer, and with whom lies the initiative of being born again by the Holy Spirit, a school of thought strongly advocates persistent prayer (see doctrines advocated by Paul), and suggests that the initiative lies with man. However, this contradicts the teachings of Christ, and the summation of the prophets in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). In the opposing schools of thought between Pauline doctrine, and the teachings of Christ, the tie-breaker lies in the scriptures in Proverbs 2:6; For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
Let us dive in, Jesus Christ is quoted in Matthew 7: 7-8; “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. This was pointed out by the party espousing that the initiative lies with man, to seek, and to knock. Furthermore, in Matthew 6:33; But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. However, there is a caveat, Jesus Christ taught that prayers should be short, concise, and sincere, in Mark 12: 38-40; As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honour at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.” In Matthew 6:5-8; “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
In approaching the issue of seeking God, the Holy Spirit in the Book of Psalms, Psalm 24: 3-6; Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god. They will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God their Saviour. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, God of Jacob. This brings us to a conundrum, where is the man, whose hands are clean, and whose heart is pure. Where is the man, who has never had an impure thought? Because as Christ said even our thoughts will be judged. Therefore, who is the man who by his own volition can seek God, and appear in His presence. And before we start engaging in tautology generated by Christ being the Son of God (though Christ mostly refer to himself as Son of Man), it is the Holy Spirit who gives birth to new spirit beings, and not beings that are dead or separated from God the Holy Spirit, that calls forth their own spiritual birth. So what is the way out of this spiritual and philosophical cul-de-sac?
The word of God, informs us in Jeremiah 31: 34-35; “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord.But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”
However, before God writes on man’s heart, we are informed in Ezekiel 11:19; “I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.” This is a clear statement from Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, that the initiative lies with the Holy Spirit, and not with man. This perspective is leading us out of the cul-de-sac, in John 3: 3-6; Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh (cue, the pastors, prophets, and church leaders baptising with water, citing literal and specific instructions given by Jesus Christ to specific disciples), and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Finally, in John 3:13; No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. Does this mean that Jesus Christ, the Son of Man is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit? In Matthew 5: 34-35; But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne;nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. I suppose those who seek Him out of their own volition, would have to pose the question to Him, when they find Him. This publisher is not advocating not seeking God.
