In John chapter 3, we have the account of Nicodemus, a Pharisee, a religious leader who adhered strictly to the Law but lacked spiritual understanding to what God was truly seeking in him & us. When he approached Jesus at night, Jesus perceived that his lovely statement about Him ("Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him."), was veiled with the inference that 'I too am a devoted teacher of God's Word & obedient to every command of God'. Jesus, seeing right into his heart as Jesus usually did with people, came out with, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
At this comment, Nicodemus must have thought ('marvelled'): "this is something new I've never heard of before". Or more likely, he believed that he had one up on Jesus, that He speaks with forked tongue when saying that a re-birth (or, a second chance) must be given to a person to come out for another try to be righteous enough to enter God's Kingdom. So Jesus went on to explain that was not the meaning, but that just as in a physical birth (by water), so there must be a spiritual birth (a rebirth by God's Spirit) to enter God's Presence. In the flesh, we are sinners destined for punishment, as those devoid of God & spurning His Love for us. But when we repent from our sins & turn to God by faith in Jesus' Work at Calvary, then a spiritual re-birth takes place, whereby our human spirit is renewed & refreshed by God's Spirit.
Of course, the story in John 3 was pre-Cross, but the Truth was laid out before Nicodemus, & we can only wonder how those words he heard from Jesus would have affected his heart at the time of Jesus' crucifixion. We know that in John 19:39, Nicodemus voluntarily spent much money to purchase the necessary embalming ingredients for Jesus' Body, which might indicate something of a spiritual work in him earlier on & culminating at the Cross.
At this comment, Nicodemus must have thought ('marvelled'): "this is something new I've never heard of before". Or more likely, he believed that he had one up on Jesus, that He speaks with forked tongue when saying that a re-birth (or, a second chance) must be given to a person to come out for another try to be righteous enough to enter God's Kingdom. So Jesus went on to explain that was not the meaning, but that just as in a physical birth (by water), so there must be a spiritual birth (a rebirth by God's Spirit) to enter God's Presence. In the flesh, we are sinners destined for punishment, as those devoid of God & spurning His Love for us. But when we repent from our sins & turn to God by faith in Jesus' Work at Calvary, then a spiritual re-birth takes place, whereby our human spirit is renewed & refreshed by God's Spirit.
Of course, the story in John 3 was pre-Cross, but the Truth was laid out before Nicodemus, & we can only wonder how those words he heard from Jesus would have affected his heart at the time of Jesus' crucifixion. We know that in John 19:39, Nicodemus voluntarily spent much money to purchase the necessary embalming ingredients for Jesus' Body, which might indicate something of a spiritual work in him earlier on & culminating at the Cross.
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