Nicodemus came to Jesus by night to ask Him questions regarding the kingdom of Heaven. This daily devotional looks at how Jesus explained that His kingdom is a spiritual kingdom.
Nuggets
- Being born again can be a hard concept for non-believers to understand.
- While we are never going to fully understand God’s ways, Jesus did explain a ouch about the process of salvation to answer Nicodemus’ questions.
Devotions in the Never Alone: The Holy Spirit in Our Lives series
Nicodemus came to Jesus asking Him the hard questions regarding the kingdom of Heaven. He wasn’t exactly sure that he understood what Jesus meant.
Jesus took the time to explain it to Nic. We can learn much by studying what He said.
Let's Put It into Context
Here is a running list of nuggets for the series.
How Can That Be?
“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?’” (Jn. 3: 4 ESV)
Being born again can be a hard concept for non-believers to understand.
We can read this to sound like Nicodemus had no clue what Jesus was talking about when He was discussing being born again. Really, that is easy to see.
We don’t know everything that God does. “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts’” (Isa. 55: 8-9 NIV).
The biggest problem doing that was that Nic was thinking physical. He had no clue about spiritual.
Well, don’t we all do that? We hook new information onto what we know. If we don’t have the hook, the new information is incredible.
But it isn’t just the information that is that comes through. If we are absolutely certain what we think is true, we discount what we hear. If our pride gets into the way, we may think we have authority and rank to back up what we think.
Maybe Nic wasn’t saying that was a totally preposterous concept. Asking how doesn’t necessarily equate to no way.
How many of us take things literally? That was the slant of Nic’s question.
Look at Mary. She was able to ask how in belief (Lk. 1: 34).
We said in the last devotion that, for whatever singular or multiple reasons he was there, Nicodemus did seem to have come to learn the truth. Jesus would have had something to say about it if he hadn’t.
Jesus patiently answered Nic’s questions. He didn’t berate him for being a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin and not knowing this.
All of Nic’s questions were answered fully.
Jesus’ Answer to Nic’s Questions
“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’” (Jn. 3: 5-6 ESV)
While we are never going to fully understand God’s ways, Jesus did explain a ouch about the process of salvation to answer Nicodemus’ questions.
God sent Jesus to be Savior and Redeemer. He also sent the Holy Spirit to be Comforter and Guide.
God is spirit, and Jesus had been and is again. We need to be born of Spirit through salvation.
Verses 5 and 6 reiterate that we cannot have salvation without the Holy Spirit. This only comes through God.
Tipple argued that new birth wasn’t a new concept to the Jews. Normally, it was only applied to a Gentile who was converting to Judaism.
I don’t see it. Nic wouldn’t have asked the how question if he would have been familiar with new birth being a thing.
Resource
But think about it. Jesus instructs us as to what is expected of us. We have to submit to God’s Will. This brings godliness into our lives.
The whole purpose of is for us to change our heart. We have to change worldly moral character to spiritual graces.
That is accomplished through the work of the Holy Spirit. We are born from above.
Jesus said that, without the Holy Spirit, we cannot enter the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is a spiritual kingdom that describes His sovereign reign.
Robertson’s definition might help us understand what Nic thought. He wrote, “That domain on earth where God was visible and God ruled. The Jewish kingdom was a theocracy: a kingdom in which God’s power was manifest by miracles, and in which His laws were promulgated.”
Resource
One of Jesus’ major missions was to proclaim the kingdom of God. “Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel’” (Mk. 1: 14-15 ESV).
There is that one little word that was included: baptism. Baptism is the symbol of our conversion experience, providing the physical evidence that we have died and been buried to sin and have risen in a new spiritual life with Jesus.
Baptism is a visual act of repentance and belief. It is not a part of salvation.
To read a related devotion, click the button below.
Baptism by water is to show the change that baptism by the Spirit makes.
I like how Beith described what that meant. He wrote, “This describes a change of condition, from guilt and condemnation to righteousness and acceptance. “Water” emblematically represents Christ’s obedience as the substitute of those who are saved by Him, and to be “born” represents the application of that obedience for salvation.”
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We don’t want to put baptism down as being a work. Works can’t save us.
Robinson said baptism does help us feel like we are entering the kingdom of God.
Verse 6 is a good reminder. Once the original sin occurred, we were born of flesh.
Yes, we are still made in God’s image, but we are also made in Adam’s image. That means the sinful nature is in us from birth.
To read a related devotion, click the button below.
Glossary
The flesh is polar opposite of where the Spirit is.
We are baptized because of obedience. God wants us to — it is His Will. We follow Jesus’ example of His obedience.
Making the Connections
We get so caught up judging God things based on worldly standards. God is so much bigger and better than anything our wee little minds could come up with that He just smashes expectations and makes things better.
Whitelaw explained one reason why we do that. He wrote, “The danger of reasoning that what is impossible in nature must be impossible in grace.”
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Grace trumps impossible every time.
Jesus was calling Nicodemus to be more than just a spiritually-born person. He wasn’t saying that being a nominal disciple was enough. We’ve also called this being a formalist, too.
- Nominal disciples are those boasting they loved God without even trying to imitate Him — those who dig on religion and its rituals without having a change in heart.
- A formalist is a person who gives the appearance of being a disciple, but in reality, isn’t.
We have to be genuine in our salvation. It is our goal to imitate God in all things.
How Do We Apply This?
- Believe even when we don’t understand or see.
- Don’t try to understand what Jesus hasn’t explained.
- Change our inward character to that of godliness and holiness.
- Follow the ordinance of baptism through obedience.
- Discern what God tells us is necessary for our understanding.
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Father God. You have invited us into Your kingdom. You change our character when we ask so that we can gain entrance to Your kingdom. Thank You for the sign of baptism to demonstrate this change of spirit. Amen.
The ABCDs of Salvation
If you have not become a believer in Christ, please read through the
Plan of Salvation and prayerfully consider what God is asking you to do.
A – admit our sins
B – believe His Son Jesus is our Redeemer
C – confess God as Sovereign Lord
D – demonstrate that commitment by making any changes needed in our lives to
live the way in which God has called us
The Disciple’s Job Description
What do you think?
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