Gift vs. Prize

1. You linked John 3:3 and James 1:17 as both using anothen, "above," but then you go on to say that it cannot be shown that "being born from above is a gift."

2. The next verse in James says, "Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures" (James 1:18, ESV, emphasis mine)

3. Precisely because my "being born again is from above," wrought by God, why it is a gift.

4. It's a good gift of God. No one chooses into which family he is born. Do you know of anyone?

 

That's not what I said. I'll type more slowly. Being born from above is a gift, in that it is not something that you earn, but it is never referred to as a gift.

 

It was not my intention to misrepresent you. At least we both agree that it is a gift.