Posted on 09/23/2022 5:15:46 AM PDT by metmom
“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ Nicodemus said to Him, ‘How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?’” (John 3:3–4).
Jesus’ shocking statement was far more than Nicodemus had expected. Incredulous, Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” Nicodemus did not misinterpret Jesus’ words; he replied in the context of the Lord’s analogy. How could he start all over, go back to the beginning? Jesus was telling him that entrance to God’s salvation was not a matter of adding something to all his efforts but rather cancelling everything and starting all over again.
At the same time, Nicodemus clearly could not grasp the full meaning of what this meant. Jesus was making entrance into the kingdom contingent on something that could not be obtained through human effort. If spiritual rebirth, like physical rebirth, was impossible from human effort, then where did that leave this self-righteous Pharisee, since the system in which he had placed his hope was powerless to save?
Far from minimizing the demands of the gospel, Jesus challenged this most religious Jew to admit his spiritual bankruptcy and abandon everything he was trusting in for salvation.
Be sure as you proclaim the gospel that you challenge your listeners to give up what they think will get them to heaven.
Ask Yourself
On one hand, adherence to the law (as Nicodemus saw it) seems like a long-forgotten pursuit. But there are plenty of folks down the street or within the sound of your voice who are clinging to the hopes of their good works. How does this show itself? How can you counteract it as you witness to them?
From Daily Readings from the Life of Christ, Vol. 1, John MacArthur. Copyright © 2008. Used by permission of Moody Publishers, Chicago, IL 60610, www.moodypublishers.com.
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Studying God’s Word Ping
The nagging little voice continues to say my sins will keep me out of heaven.
Only the bigger voice tells me that BELIEVING in what GOD has revealed to me will cancel out the fears that the other voice tries to amplify.
Hey I have that voice too.
Seems to me that you and I are *His* prize possessions that *he* just has to have or *he* will never be happy.
Fight that nagging voice with Scripture. It wounds deeply.
Acts 16:31
So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
John 1:12
But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God—
John 3:36
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever rejects the Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains on him.”
John 3:18
Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
John 5:24
Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment. Indeed, he has crossed over from death to life.
I wonder what verses Jesus challenged Nicodemus to refer to when it came to a new birth?
Ezekiel 11:19?
Jeremiah 31:33?
Psalm 51:10?
These MAcArthur threads are like a compact Sunday School lesson! And this is one of Pastor’s best.
MacArthur is a gem!
Absolutely fabulous Preacher.
What about all them OTHER hoops we 'sposed to jump thru??
--Catholic_Wannabe_Dude(Hail Mary)
There are too many hoops to count that were invented by men.
However, I do believe there is a verse somewhere about having a special haircut and if you don’t have it - well....bye!
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