"UNLESS ONE IS BORN OF …"
Nicodemus was the
Jewish teacher, not an ordinary teacher and he came to Jesus by night
for a private audience. The conversation that took place, we read in
today’s ch, 3 in John’s gospel, challenges our thinking and
understanding. Jesus said, “…unless one is born of water and the spirit, he cannot enter
the kingdom of God.” We need to understand this within the context of
the unfolding words of Jesus. Many Christians like to say they are
“born again,” but what did Jesus mean?
Nicodemus admitted. “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from
God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him”
[John 3 v.2] His words lead Jesus to respond, “unless one is born again he cannot see
the kingdom of God” [v.3]. This rebirth, we believe, involves the
action of God in responding to what he sees in the heart of the one
seeking to be re-born. We recall God’s words through Isaiah, “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him (or her) who is of
a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to
revive the heart of the contrite.” [57 v.15] See also ch. 66 v.2
Thus there is a ‘rebirth’ in the heart of one who is genuinely “born
again” because of divine action from above. A relationship is
established, that is ongoing from the time the person themselves in
‘born of water.’ Jesus makes the comment, “Whoever receives his
testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true” [3 v.33.] This
reaction to Jesus’ teaching is the evidence that one is also born of the
spirit and has a real personal relationship with God.. The opposite to
this is, “He who is of the earth, belongs to the earth and speaks in an
earthly way” [v.31]. There is no middle path!
We
must ask ourselves – in what way do we speak? Is God’s word daily
‘feeding’ our minds? This is the ‘food’ that alone can create evidence
that we have been truly born of both water and of the spirit. Those who
have not taken and digested this ‘food’ - “cannot see the
kingdom of God?” [v3] Surely the kingdom is now near – what a final
heart-wrenching experience it will be for those who fail to “see” it.
May that not happen to you or me.
No comments:
Post a Comment