August 15, 2017 - There was a man of the Pharisee’s named Nicodemus, a ruler of Jews, who came to the Lord Jesus one night seeking answers to his questions of salvation and eternal life.
Jesus answered 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? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5)
Many people have the same question as did Nicodemus.
All people are first, born to a human mother, born of flesh and blood and bone. All are born into sin due to the sins of Adam, all are doomed to sin at birth.
Jesus explained it this way; “Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as He is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning.” (1 John 3:7)
Jesus was born not of an earthly father, his seed was of the Holy Spirit of God. One who is born-again is also born of the Holy Spirit of God, washed and made pure by the blood of Jesus that the Holy Spirit can then dwell within that person, becoming a helper, a comforter, a daily guide through life’s perils.
Once born-again you must understand that you are then more like God, washed by the blood, set aside from the world, becoming more in His image.
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” (Genesis 1:26)
This likeness is not visible, it is the likeness of the Spirit of God and the only creature blessed with this Spirit of God is man. Our earthly bodies are only shells, tents in which our spirit resides until it is no longer needed and we are called home.
Many may say, “I just cannot understand.” That is understandable, but keep in mind that part of being born-again is that one must have faith and trust in the Lord.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Trust in the Lord, be obedient to him, acknowledge Him in all you do, giving all glory to him for all you have.
“Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born-again, not of perishable seed (human seed) but of imperishable, (Spiritual) through the living and abiding word of God.” (1 Peter 1:22-23)
One comparison to being born-again, being saved from the penalty of sin forever, would be in the exodus of the Israelites from bondage under the Egyptians.
As with salvation, God lifted them up from their bondage and carried them across the great wilderness, crossing over the river Jordan into the Promised Land to become a new people, living under a new set of rules, living with their God in their new home.
A very similar thing happens when one is saved or born-again. Once born-again, one is lifted from the bondage of sin, carried away from one’s old (sinful) life in the world into a new (righteous) life in Christ, becoming a new person, living in a new world (the spiritual world) under a new set of rules, living with one’s God in a new home, a spiritual home.
Jesus is the cornerstone of the church and each of his followers are living stones being built up as a spiritual house.
“So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow into salvation.” (1 Peter 2:1-2)
I beg you today, leave the bondages of sin, accept the free gift of salvation, become a new creature born of the Spirit of God washed forever clean by the precious blood of Jesus shed on the cross for the sins of all people. Jesus paid it all, all you have to do is to believe and accept his free gift of eternal life in heaven with our Lord. May His blessings be yours this day…
