Why Christians Must be Born Again
Jesus Teaches Nicodemus
Nicodemus was disturbed in his thoughts. He was the teacher of Israel and Jesus was telling him that unless he was born again he wouldn't see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus questioned as to how a grown man could enter into his mother's womb a second time and be born?
The Wind Blows Where it Wishes
Jesus then expounded on the above point. "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the spirit." (John 3:8)
Similarly God breathed life into Adam, giving him a spirit. Also Solomon wrote "As you do not know what is the way of the wind, or how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child, so you do not know the works of God who makes everything." (Ecclesiastes 11:5)Although not visible itself, people are aware of the wind because they can see the effect it has on its environment. The same is true of the Spirit because in the Hebrew and Greek, both wind and spirit derive the same meaning.
The Son of Man Lifted Up
Jesus continued "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up." (John 3:14) In Numbers Chapter 21 the people complained and spoke against God and Moses and so He sent fiery serpents among them and many of the people of Israel died. The people repented and asked for the fiery serpents to be removed. God told Moses to make a fiery serpent on a pole and whoever was bitten, if they looked at it they would live. Moses made a bronze serpent put it on a pole, and whoever had been bitten by the serpents and looked at the serpent on a fiery pole lived.
Jesus is the remedy of the bite of sin and "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:21) Why were the people of Israel told to look at the serpent on the fiery pole? The Hebrew for look in this context is 'raah' which means to gaze, respect, take heed and consider. Maybe others also need to take a long hard long at their sinful lives and ask Jesus to forgive their sins.
Nicodemus Changed
Nicodemus approached Jesus by night as his followers may have pressed Him with many questions during the day. Being the teacher of Israel it is likely he wouldn't have wanted the Teacher giving Him a lesson in front of astonished onlookers who he was supposed to be teaching.
Jesus' words had a profound effect on his life though. When the religious authorities rejected Jesus, Nicodemus said to them "Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?" (John 7:50) Also when Jesus was buried "Nicodemus who at first came to Jesus by night, also came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds." (John 19v39)
Maybe there are other Nicodemus types seeking the truth and wanting to hear the still small voice. If so it is paramount to believe in Him and be born again.
Be Born Again
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