JP7: RELIGIOUS OR RIGHTEOUS?

I frequently need to hear messages that I don’t want to hear.   Sometimes it's from the bathroom scale, sometimes the message comes from a trusted friend, but most of the time the news I don’t want to hear comes from God’s written word.  The Spirit inspired word serves to correct my thinking and acting while challenging me to leave my favorite comfort zones.  

I wonder if this need to hear the truth was true of our friend Nicodemus as Jesus speaks an unusual but helpful answer.  

The Apostle John recorded the conversation like this,

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.  This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”  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.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’  The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”  John 3:1-8

A member of the Jewish ruling council, Nicodemus was closely observing the signs that Jesus was performing and grew curious to learn more.  And, as a student of the Old Testament law and prophets, Nicodemus was searching, trying to clarify Jesus’ identity. One can almost hear him thinking to himself, “Could Jesus be the Messiah?”  

Perhaps an urgency to know Jesus better leads Nicodemus to visit our Savior at night, possibly to avoid trouble from fellow council members.   The verbal exchange between the two is instructive.  Nicodemus pays Jesus a compliment, then Jesus flatly states, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (v.5)  

Instead of relishing words of recognition, Jesus stays focused on the mission.

Nicodemus needed to hear that his religious heritage and practices are no substitutes for spiritual birth.  Like Nicodemus, we need to hear the liberating truth that there is only one way to see the kingdom of God.  

It’s hard for us to hear that there is only one way to do something.  We like options and we want independence.

‍

Only people who are born of the Spirit can enter God’s kingdom.  If there was any other way Jesus would have told Nicodemus.

‍

What does Jesus mean when he says that we must be born of the Spirit?

‍

He means that the Spirit of God actively makes us aware of our personal sin and God’s coming judgement against us.  Simultaneously, the Spirit makes us aware of God’s amazing grace, which as the old hymn says is “greater than all our sin.”  

‍

We are born again the moment when we respond to the gentle winds of the Spirit by confessing and repenting (to turn away from) of our sin.  We do so trusting the finished work of Jesus on the cross to save us from God’s just punishment and his resurrection to give us new life for all eternity.

‍

Jesus sees through all pretense to the true condition of our hearts, just like he did with Nicodemus.

‍

And, guess what? He still deeply loves us. Do you believe that God loves you no matter how far away from God you may be? That’s why Jesus went to the cross. Jesus willingly received unto himself the just punishment, shame, and guilt that our sin deserves.  

The prophet Isaiah put it this way, “We all like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way, but the Lord has laid on him (Jesus) the iniquity of us all.”  (Isaiah 53:6)  The punishment that Jesus took was shameful, severe, and all sufficient.

The apostle Paul explains, “He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,” (ESV) Titus 3:5-6  

This truth confirms that no amount of spiritual tradition, church attendance, bible knowledge, or religious good doing will make us righteous enough to open the door to heaven.

‍

If we could earn heaven on our own apart from Christ, then Jesus brutally died for nothing.  God would never waste his only Son like that.  

Jesus’ evening talk clarified the matter for Nicodemus and it changed Nicodemus’s life and eternity.  He boldly stood up for Jesus during his trial before the Jewish council (John 7:50-52) and later risked his reputation and possibly his life by preparing Jesus’ body for burial (John 19:39-42).  With the wind of the Spirit filling his soul, Nicodemus experienced a new birth and went from trusting his religious heritage to trusting Jesus as Lord.  Only the Spirit of God can change us like that.

Are you stuck in patterns of sin and shame that you can’t shake?  Could it be that you have not been born again by the Spirit and are powerless to overcome the sin nature that we all inherited from Adam?  If so, simply trust Jesus to save you by confessing your guilt, repenting of your sins, and committing to follow Jesus as Lord. By doing so, the Holy Spirit will move into your soul and guide you safely into the kingdom of God.

Have you been born again?

PRAYER:

Jesus, thank you for breathing new life into me and making a way for me to live for you now and through all of eternity.  Help me to remember that the gospel of Jesus not only had the power to save me, but has the power to make me into the image of Christ each day.  Forgive me when I trust in religion before your righteousness.  Help to remember that when I am weak, you are strong.  Amen.