Unless a Man Is Born Again
Throughout his ministry, Jesus frequently butted heads with the stubborn and legalistic Pharisees. His bulletin, which stood in direct opposition to their power and principles, centered around a spiritual transformation of the heart, not a captious adherence to the law.
To experience salvation and truly see the kingdom of God at work in one'due south life, Jesus taught that we must cast aside the old, sinful life to become new creations—transformed, renewed, and reformed by the God'due south grace, non personal works.
Jesus would later say that we must be "born again."
This idea of being "born again" (one of the most powerful and prevalent themes in the Christian organized religion) actually emerged from a conversation with a Pharisee. In John 3, Nicodemus—a Pharisee and member of the Jewish ruling council—came to Jesus at night with a seeker's center and a question regarding the deeper meaning of salvation.
Jesus' answer would non only change his life; it would change the lives of hereafter Christians and like-minded seekers forever.
Who was Nicodemus in the Bible?
Nicodemus, a name in Greek which means, "victory of the people," was a member of the Sanhedrin, a regional body of religious leaders and Jewish scholars charged with handling matters of Jewish law and religion. Equally a member of this body, Nicodemus would accept been a well-educated, privileged, and influential man, responsible for knowing about any teacher or public figure who might lead the people astray.
One night, Nicodemus came to Jesus in private to ask about things he had heard and seen. Some believe that he came as a spy for the Sanhedrin, looking to discover the nature of Jesus' ministry or trap him in an reply that could exist used against him in the courts. While this couldprovide an caption for Nicodemus's motivations, there is not enough bear witness in the text to support this theory.
Equally a previously published Christianity.com article explains, the fact that he came to Jesus in individual, rather than challenging him publicly, as other Pharisees had ofttimes washed, might reveal more than almost his heart and possible motivation.
Everything nosotros know nigh Nicodemus comes from John's gospel. What nosotros read in John 3 is that Nicodemus came to Jesus, starting the conversation with a statement, not a question:
"Rabbi, nosotros know that You have come from God as a teacher, for no one can practise these signs that You do unless God is with him."(John three:2)
Nicodemus, at the very least, was different than most Pharisees in that he acknowledged Jesus' authority and divine wisdom from the starting time. He may not take been an outright laic or follower of Jesus (at the time), simply he could non argue against what he had seen and heard.
As Matthew Henry writes in his Commentary on the Whole Bible, "his (Jesus') miracles were his credentials."
Nicodemus had witnessed the miracles of Jesus and heard his teachings. At present he sought answers and came when he knew he could speak to Jesus one-on-ane.
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What Did Nicodemus Ask Jesus and Why?
To Nicodemus' initial statement, Jesus responded, "truly, truly, I say to you, unless 1 is built-in once again, he cannot meet the kingdom of God" (John 3:ii).
This response clearly befuddled the inquisitive Pharisee, who rapidly asked, "how tin can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born, tin can he?"(John 3:4)
Nicodemus would ask a very logical question to clarify a very spiritual truth.
In his mind, information technology didn't make sense how a person could exist built-in a 2d time or how ane would render to their female parent'south womb to do so. In purely physical terms, he was right. Information technology isn't possible. Merely the mysteries of God and the wonders of His kingdom are not ever apparent or understood in purely literal or concrete terms.
In fact, to the earthly heed, the wonders of God ofttimes seem like foolishness. Nicodemus would soon notice that existence "born once again" has nothing to do with physical rebirth.
Matthew Henry writes, that "such is the nature of the kingdom of God (in which Nicodemus desired to be instructed) that the soul must be re-modelled and moulded, the natural man must get a spiritual man, before he is capable of receiving and understanding them."
Even prior to Jesus, Scripture spoke of the depth and mysteries of the Creator:
- "Telephone call to me and I volition answer you, and will tell you great and subconscious things that you have not known."(Jeremiah 33:iii)
- "It is the celebrity of God to conceal things, but the celebrity of kings is to search things out."(Proverbs 25:2)
- "Tin you notice out the deep things of God? Can you observe out the limit of the Almighty? It is college than the heaven – what can you practice? Deeper than Sheol – what can you know? Its measure is longer than the earth and broader than the body of water."(Job eleven:7-nine)
God, in His infinite power and divine wisdom, is often shrouded in mystery beyond the scope of homo understanding. This does not hateful that He cannot be known or has intentionally subconscious himself from the globe. To understand the divine nature of God, still, we must seek out divine wisdom and allow ourselves to exist "transformed past the renewing of our minds." (Romans 12:2)
In his chat with Nicodemus, Jesus said that, "unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is built-in of the flesh is flesh, and what which is born of the Spirit is spirit."(John 3:5-6)
Nicodemus' inability to empathise what Jesus meant demonstrated Jesus' indicate perfectly.
Born of flesh, the human listen cannot grasp the mysteries of the kingdom of God or understand the fullness of God. This level of understanding tin can only come from a spiritual transformation and re-forging of a mind that is made new or "born over again" through Christ.
This is why the Pharisees often struggled to understand or have the bulletin and ministry of Jesus. They were too entrenched in their ways and reliant on their political ability and influence to accept any kind of spiritual transformation or philosophical surrender.
They were the religious elite and thrived on the public's perception of them beingness the ultimate intellectual authorization in spiritual matters. But earthly influence and political status are irrelevant in the kingdom of God.
"To be built-in again is to be built-in of the Spirit" (Matthew Henry). This was something the Pharisees merely could not fathom.
What Does Nicodemus Demonstrate virtually Faith?
Nicodemus, however, came curious and eager to learn more than well-nigh Jesus' teachings. His heart had been stirred and mind challenged, and equally is true to Scripture, those who seek the Lord and answers to the mysteries of his kingdom volition not be disappointed (Jeremiah 29:xiii, Deuteronomy 4:29, Luke xi:9).
While Jesus may have gently admonished Nicodemus, a teacher of the law, for his initial ignorance, asking, "are yous the instructor of Israel and practice not understand these things?"(John three:9), he nonetheless guided him to understanding with a reference to Erstwhile Testament narrative that pointed to his eventual cede.
"As Moses lifted upwardly the serpent in the wilderness, still must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life."(John 3:14-15)
The conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus clearly planted the seed for Nicodemus' own spiritual transformation.
Some take noted that Nicodemus came to Jesus discretely and by nighttime. It is possible that he didn't want others to know of this meeting, least of all the Pharisees, and that he may have tried to keep his emerging religion hidden from the earth out of fear of public scrutiny. That would soon change.
Nicodemus afterward would publicly defend Jesus when the Pharisees questioned whether or not to seize Jesus (John vii:51). And even after Jesus' decease, Nicodemus was seen, along with Joseph of Arimathea, bringing myrrh and spices to the tomb of Jesus after he had been crucified (John 19:39).
As Matthew Henry writes, "though at present he came by night, afterward he owned Christ publicly."
Photograph Credit: ©GettyImages/BrianAJackson
Why Does the Bible Address Being Built-in Over again?
Jesus spoke of being "born once again" to explain what must happen in the heart, mind, and soul of the believer who is transformed by the grace and forgiveness of God. Birth is the beginning of all life, and to exist born of the Spirit, one must start at the pes of the cross.
John the Baptist heralded Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), and equally Paul wrote to the Corinthians, "therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come up." (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Our old, sinful life died with Christ. New life is born of His resurrection. Every bit Matthew Henry writes, to be born once again, "we must have a new nature, new principles, new affections, new aims."
Reborn in Christ, everything must conform to His image and will. In Him, we are given fresh eyes, fresh motivations, a fresh heart, and a fresh start.
Nicodemus discovered something about the mysteries of God and meaning of salvation in his conversation with Jesus. Non long after Jesus talked of being built-in again, he delivered one of the well-nigh famous passages of Scripture, one which encapsulated the entirety of the Gospel.
"For God and then loved the globe, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him, shall not perish, but take eternal life."(John three:xvi)
The spiritual rebirth and new life offered through the grace of Jesus Christ is more than but a quick fix to an earthly sickness. It is a spiritual cure that allows us to feel and enjoy a spiritual eternity with Christ. The Pharisees had sadly fallen into the trap of legalism, and in doing so, missed the heart of God in Christ.
Thankfully, Nicodemus' seeking heart overcame his earthly grooming and the narrow-mindedness of his spiritual colleagues.
As it says in Jeremiah, "y ou volition seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart"(Jeremiah 29:thirteen); and Nicodemus did indeed find Him. It seems that the best manner to understand what it means to be "born again" is to experience it for oneself, and that is certainly proven in the life and transformation of Nicodemus.
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Source: https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/bible-study/what-does-nicodemus-know-about-being-born-again.html
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