Click for audio: Attraction vs Expression
Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicode’mus 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, “Truly, truly, 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, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit (John 3:3-6).
For many, the idea of being born anew carries connotations of accepting the tenets of a religious doctrine, usually Christian, that inspires one with the hope of finding greater favor with God. What Jesus is referring to in his conversation with Nicodemus, however, is a completely new perception of the self. Most of us have carried a body-oriented self-image, which Jesus refers to here as the “flesh.” To be born of “water and the Spirit” is to be baptized or cleansed of the body-based self-perception and awaken to the spiritual nature. This is the symbolism behind baptism. It is the awakening to ourselves as a spiritual rather than a physical and mental/emotional being.
While much has been written about the law of attraction, it is not often pointed out that we cannot attract conditions that exceed the quality of our self-image. That which is born of flesh is flesh, which we generally rephrase as like attracts like. The new birth Jesus is talking about dissolves the self-image and brings the soul to the forefront of our awareness. This bringing forth is the law of expression. When Jesus advised to seek first the kingdom and the outer things would be added, he was saying that as you bring forth the soul, the law of attraction draws conditions that reflect the qualities of the soul. Your soul lacks nothing, is in a state of perpetual peace and has never experienced ill health or inharmony of any kind. Rather than working hard to intellectually visualize your interpretation of prosperity, your soul naturally draws healthy conditions through the law of attraction.