Born of Water and the Spirit (John 3:1-15)
1
Jesus performed many miracles and signs since he started his public ministry. Although he was from a carpenter family, he had more authority than any other teachers in the country. One night Nicodemus came to him. Nicodemus, a Pharisee and a leader of the Jews, tried to do righteous things before God. Like other Pharisees, he meditated upon God's Word, prayed to God daily, went to the synagogue with offerings, and fasted regularly. Like other Jews, he believed that he could be saved by his works and by obedience of the Law. He visited Jesus one night, because he wanted to find out whether all about Jesus and his miracles that he heard were truly from God. Furthermore, he wanted to hear from Jesus if he really was from God. He seemed to be a very open-minded person.
Nicodemus said to Jesus: "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God."
But Jesus' answer was quite an unexpected one. He opened his mouth with a rather shocking reply: "Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the Kingdom of God without being born again (or without being born from above)."
Nicodemus was very much interested in the signs and miracles that Jesus performed, but Jesus started his conversation with what he thought most important for any person although his answer was seemingly irrelevant to the question of this visitor.
This is quite different from a way in which we deal with non-Christians. As Christians, we are reluctant to mention Jesus Christ or salvation unless our conversation partner asks us about Jesus or salvation. We even think that it is discourteous if we speak about Jesus when our conversation partner does not want to know about him. Thus, we usually speak about worldly things, thinking that this is a polite way of respecting our non-Christian friends.
Jesus' answer seems to be even rude to Nicodemus, considering his position of a member of the Sanhedrin Assembly and his religious career as a Pharisee. He was a congressman and a religious leader.
"Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the Kingdom of God unless he is born again (or born from above)."
Nicodemus was embarrassed and confused at Jesus' answer. This Jesus, who was from a lowly family spoke boldly about salvation to Nicodemus, who regarded himself as a very religious man as well as a righteous man before God.
Nicodemus asked Jesus: "How can any one be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother's womb and be born again?"
His question was even cynical.
Jesus answered: "Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'"
"Born of water" is "born of the flesh." That is, "born of water" is our natural physical birth. A baby, who is surrounded by water in his/her mother's womb, comes out to the world as the water breaks. This is the firth time birth.
But, to enter the Kingdom of God, one needs to be born one more time. That is, he or she needs to be born of the Holy Spirit. That is, the spiritual birth. This is the second time birth.
No one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of the Spirit.
Paul in Acts 19:2 asked some disciples from Ephesus: "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?" That is, believers should receive the Holy Spirit.
Then, what does it mean by 'born of the Spirit,' 'born again,' or 'born from above'?
Jesus says in John 6:44: "No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me."
The Holy Spirit leads us to the church. Coming to the church is an evidence that the Spirit is working in us, but we don't call this "born of the Spirit" nor "baptism with the Spirit."
Yet, there are several evidences that approve that you are born of the Spirit. One of the sure evidences is that you confess from your deep down heart that you were a sinner and that your sin is forgiven by the blood of Jesus Christ.
Do you not have an assurance of forgiveness of your sins? You need to be born again by the Spirit.
To be born of the Spirit, you need to invite Jesus into your heart and life, and accept him and confess that Jesus is your personal Savior.
Nicodemus said to Jesus: "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God."
But Jesus' answer was quite an unexpected one. He opened his mouth with a rather shocking reply: "Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the Kingdom of God without being born again (or without being born from above)."
Nicodemus was very much interested in the signs and miracles that Jesus performed, but Jesus started his conversation with what he thought most important for any person although his answer was seemingly irrelevant to the question of this visitor.
This is quite different from a way in which we deal with non-Christians. As Christians, we are reluctant to mention Jesus Christ or salvation unless our conversation partner asks us about Jesus or salvation. We even think that it is discourteous if we speak about Jesus when our conversation partner does not want to know about him. Thus, we usually speak about worldly things, thinking that this is a polite way of respecting our non-Christian friends.
Jesus' answer seems to be even rude to Nicodemus, considering his position of a member of the Sanhedrin Assembly and his religious career as a Pharisee. He was a congressman and a religious leader.
"Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the Kingdom of God unless he is born again (or born from above)."
Nicodemus was embarrassed and confused at Jesus' answer. This Jesus, who was from a lowly family spoke boldly about salvation to Nicodemus, who regarded himself as a very religious man as well as a righteous man before God.
Nicodemus asked Jesus: "How can any one be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother's womb and be born again?"
His question was even cynical.
Jesus answered: "Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'"
"Born of water" is "born of the flesh." That is, "born of water" is our natural physical birth. A baby, who is surrounded by water in his/her mother's womb, comes out to the world as the water breaks. This is the firth time birth.
But, to enter the Kingdom of God, one needs to be born one more time. That is, he or she needs to be born of the Holy Spirit. That is, the spiritual birth. This is the second time birth.
No one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of the Spirit.
Paul in Acts 19:2 asked some disciples from Ephesus: "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?" That is, believers should receive the Holy Spirit.
Then, what does it mean by 'born of the Spirit,' 'born again,' or 'born from above'?
Jesus says in John 6:44: "No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me."
The Holy Spirit leads us to the church. Coming to the church is an evidence that the Spirit is working in us, but we don't call this "born of the Spirit" nor "baptism with the Spirit."
Yet, there are several evidences that approve that you are born of the Spirit. One of the sure evidences is that you confess from your deep down heart that you were a sinner and that your sin is forgiven by the blood of Jesus Christ.
Do you not have an assurance of forgiveness of your sins? You need to be born again by the Spirit.
To be born of the Spirit, you need to invite Jesus into your heart and life, and accept him and confess that Jesus is your personal Savior.
2
A church should not be a members-only-club like Costco or Price Club where its members are privileged to enjoy their rights. It should be a place for Christian disciples who decided to follow Jesus and serve others as Jesus served us by sacrificing ourselves. A "Christian" may be different from a "church member." Even though you are a church member, you may not be a Christian in the true sense.
Even a pastor may not be a Christian unless he is born of the Spirit. Only those who are born again of the Spirit, and thus belong to Christ, and are qualified to enter the kingdom of God are called Christians. One who attends the church and whose heart is not devoted to Christ should make every effort to find out whether he or she wants to belong to Christ or to the secular world.
John Wesley was a pastor who belonged to the Anglican Church. He was on the deck of a ship heading toward his homeland, England. After he was so exhausted at his mission land, Georgia, without much fruit, he was returning to England. His heart was troubled because he was unsure about his "born-again."
While walking around the deck, he heard songs of praising God by the Moravian Christians. And suddenly his heart was enlightened and he experienced God's grace. Later, after his return to England, while he was visiting one Moravian church on
Alders Street and listening to one person's reading the introduction part of Martin Luther's commentary on the Book of Romans, he felt at that very moment that he was born of the Spirit. Thus, he became the founder of the Methodist church as he was born again and experienced the grace of God.
Even a pastor may not be a Christian unless he is born of the Spirit. Only those who are born again of the Spirit, and thus belong to Christ, and are qualified to enter the kingdom of God are called Christians. One who attends the church and whose heart is not devoted to Christ should make every effort to find out whether he or she wants to belong to Christ or to the secular world.
John Wesley was a pastor who belonged to the Anglican Church. He was on the deck of a ship heading toward his homeland, England. After he was so exhausted at his mission land, Georgia, without much fruit, he was returning to England. His heart was troubled because he was unsure about his "born-again."
While walking around the deck, he heard songs of praising God by the Moravian Christians. And suddenly his heart was enlightened and he experienced God's grace. Later, after his return to England, while he was visiting one Moravian church on
Alders Street and listening to one person's reading the introduction part of Martin Luther's commentary on the Book of Romans, he felt at that very moment that he was born of the Spirit. Thus, he became the founder of the Methodist church as he was born again and experienced the grace of God.
3
To be born of the Spirit, we need to do several things on our side. First, you should entrust yourself to God. While attending the church, you may still have your own dirty room in your heart from which stinky smell keeps coming out. You may still do not want to put off your clothes of the old self. You do not want to throw away your old habits. When you still want to be the master of your small stinky room in your heart, you may not be able to pray well to God for the forgiveness of your sins. You cannot be born of the Holy Spirit even if you want to be born again.
You should open every room in your heart without hiding anything from your Lord, and ask God to forgive you your sins and to purify you from all unrighteousness. And accept Jesus as your personal Savior and ask him to lead your life.
Are you born again of the Spirit?
If you are not born of the Spirit yet, tell God that you want to be born again. And invite your Jesus sincerely into your heart and ask him to be your Savior and Master in your Christian life.
If you are born again, ask God to let you continue to grow spiritually in your Christianity and let you bear much fruit of the Spirit.
Being born again is the single most important thing to start your Christian life.
You should open every room in your heart without hiding anything from your Lord, and ask God to forgive you your sins and to purify you from all unrighteousness. And accept Jesus as your personal Savior and ask him to lead your life.
Are you born again of the Spirit?
If you are not born of the Spirit yet, tell God that you want to be born again. And invite your Jesus sincerely into your heart and ask him to be your Savior and Master in your Christian life.
If you are born again, ask God to let you continue to grow spiritually in your Christianity and let you bear much fruit of the Spirit.
Being born again is the single most important thing to start your Christian life.
No comments:
Post a Comment