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     As Jesus began preaching, He said His kingdom was coming soon.  Three years later, He said it was not of this world.  He also declared to a Jewish supreme court judge, a person had to be born again in order to become a citizen of this unusual kingdom.  Jesus also said He was the king, however He left the earth, ascending into heaven (Matthew 4:17; John 3:2, 3; Acts 2:30-36; 1:9-11).  So when and where would this kingdom exist?

     Some 30 years later the apostle Paul said he was a citizen of Jesus kingdom (Colossians 1:13,14).  Paul had been born a Jew, thus was a citizen of the kingdom of ancient Israel (Romans 11:1; Galatians 1:14; Philippians 3:4, 5).  He was also born a Roman citizen (Acts 22:27-29).  If a person is to be born again and Paul said he was a citizen of Jesus kingdom, which implies he must have been born again, just what was this rebirth?

     As a zealous citizen of ancient Israel, Paul believed he was doing God’s will by persecuting the new Christians (who were former Jews).  He did so believing they were guilty of blasphemy by rejecting the Mosaic covenant given at Mt Sinai 1500 years earlier, which was the divinely given charter of the kingdom of Israel.  On his way to imprison or kill Christians, Jesus appeared to Paul in a vision (Acts 9:1-5; 22:4-15).  He asked, “Lord what should I do?” (Acts 9:6; 22:10).

     Following Jesus instruction he went to Ananias, a man in Damascus, who told him to be baptized for the forgiveness of his sins (Acts 9:18; 22:16).  Paul was a changed man — “Immediately, he preached about Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God” (Acts 22:20).  Paul later wrote regarding what God had done as the result of this rebirth, this baptism for the remission of sins — “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love” (Colossians 1:13,14).  In baptism Paul entered Jesus kingdom!

     This baptism was the rebirth, which Jesus taught the supreme court judge (John 3:3-5).  One had to be born of the water and the spirit to become a citizen of Jesus kingdom.  Just what is this baptism, this rebirth which is the being born into Jesus kingdom?  Is it significant today?  If so what is the significance?  Baptism is part of the mystery of Jesus kingdom!

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