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John 3:1-15 A reborn man of the Holy Spirit

관리자 0 1,271 2021.08.22 08:20
John 3:1-15 A reborn man of the Holy Spirit

There are two types of Christians, those who are born in flesh and others who are born again of the Spirit. The former feels empty and lives without assurance of salvation or the hope of heaven. The latter has assurance of salvation and lives for God and for His Kingdom. Shouldn’t we all live as Christians born of the Spirit?

Today’ Scripture portrays the story of Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews, and a Pharisee. He was influential, intelligent, and wealthy. But there must have been a sense of emptiness in his heart. He went to speak with Jesus at night, possibly because he was afraid or ashamed to visit Jesus. When he met Jesus, he said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the sings you are doing if God were not with him.” Nicodemus had a life-changing conversation with Jesus. Jesus spoke to Nicodemus about the kingdom of God, heaven when Nicodemus talked about physical signs (3, 5). Jesus said no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again. No one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. But Nicodemus has not been born again so he did not understand this (4, 6). Being born of water implies a baptism of repentance and being born through God’s Word. God also put His Spirit in us to be born of the Spirit. When we are first born, we are born in flesh. However, we cannot enter the kingdom of God in our flesh. We must be born again of the Spirit with a new heart and a new spirit to enter His Kingdom. Jesus emphasizes to Nicodemus that he must be born again (3,5,7). We must be born again as well. 2 Cor 5:17 tells us that when we are in Christ, we become new creation and the old has gone and the new is here. 1 Cor 2:13-15 write that we will know the things taught by the Spirit, and the work of God and His Kingdom.

 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. Ezekiel 36:25
For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 1 Peter 1:23
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. Ezekiel 36:26-27
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 2 Cor 5:17
13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. 14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. 15 The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, 1 Cor 2:13-15
What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. 1 Cor 2:12

We are born of the Spirit, not by good works or religious life. We are born again by putting our faith in Jesus who paid the price for our sins. In Him, we have redemption through His blood.

Being born again is supernatural thing. Jesus explains this by talking about the wind as an example. The wind exists though we cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit. Those who are born of the Spirit will believe in Jesus, receive God’s Word with open mind, communicate with God through prayer, and their hearts will be burning through praise and worship (1 Cor 2:12). Before Nicodemus met Jesus, he only thought of earthly things and did not understand heavenly things. But Jesus helped him understand the kingdom of God. Jesus said that just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him. Those who were bitten looked at it and lived. That snake represents Jesus on the cross. Those who look to the cross and believe in Jesus will be born again and receive salvation (14, 15). Later, Nicodemus was born of the Spirit. He defended Jesus, risking his life in John 7 and made a great contribution out of his wealth for the burial of Jesus in John 19.

What about us? If you believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sin and believe Jesus as your Savior and LORD, then you have been born again of water and the Spirit. Believe that He is with you, serve and expand His Kingdom in confidence and give glory to Him. May God bless you, Amen.

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