John 3:1-12
1Now there was a man from the Pharisees, Nicodemus his name, a ruler of the Jews. 2This one came to Him by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come a teacher from God, for no one is able to be doing these signs which You are doing unless God is with him.” 3Jesus answered and said to him, “Most positively, I say to you, unless someone is born from above (born again), he is not able to see the Kingdom of God.” 4Nicodemus says to Him, “How is a person able to be born, being old? He is not able to enter into the womb of his mother a second time and to be born, is he?”
5Jesus answered, “Most positively, I say to you, unless someone is born from water and Spirit, he is not able to enter into the Kingdom of God. 6The having been born from the flesh is flesh, and the having been born from the Spirit is Spirit. 7Stop marveling that I said to you, ‘It is necessary to be born from above (born again).’ 8The Spirit breathes where He desires, and you hear His voice, but you do not know from where He comes and where He goes. (cp. John 20: 22; Acts 2: 2-4) In this manner is every having been born from the Spirit.”
9Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How are these things able to happen?” 10Jesus answered and said to him, “You are the teacher of Israel, and you do not know these things! 11Most positively, I say to you, We speak what We know, and We testify what We have seen, and do not receive Our testimony. 12If I said to the earthly and do not believe, how if I should say to the heavenly will believe?
Good Day Child of God! "Father? Your Will Be Done!" What you are reading above is a perfect example of someone with a bent in their thinking as they parse the Greek to transliterate this Gospel. It may seem innocent enough, but the small words tell of someone who thinks a certain way.
This is not new, in fact, most Theologians, those experts in Biblical Studies, are actually fairly religious in not only their thinking, but in their actions. Their bent can be easily found by checking their Church affiliation.
Today's easy lesson: This is one of the simplest of all the verses in the Bible. Except for the idea that Jesus refers to Himself as We, which many take to be He and the Apostles, read it again, and see if that is the intent you get from the verses. It is arguable, so I am not going into it now, it won't matter in your daily Life whatever the answer is.
What is important here is that in times past, in older Bible translations, the words born again are used exclusively when Jesus is speaking to Nicodemus. This whole section is a test to a Pharisee, that is someone so learned in the Law, that of all people Nick should know what Jesus is trying to say. The problem is Nick's mind is firmly set on things on earth rather than on the One who is both not of the earth, and not visible. To make it plain, Jesus is playing with Nick as though He were speaking in parables, which He is not.
What is the message? John tells us what Jesus is saying. Being born of water is being born of a woman, period. If you are not born, you don't exist. Being from above requires Faith and/or Trust, and when that happens at the point in time that Jesus is speaking to Nicodemus, it is Faith in the Father, not Jesus as the Messiah. However, Nicodemus is fixated on the Law, it's both his job and his pride. Neither of those things will glean God's favor. Pastors, teachers of the Bible, Preachers, all of you that think your hard work and belief system is going to get you to heaven, you have it wrong. Faith in God's Provision in Christ Jesus having done the work none of could do to please the Father, is the single answer to what is meant by being Born Again. Do you Believe in what Jesus did? Do you Trust that His work is done for you and that is your ticket to Heaven? Then you are given the Holy Spirit, and now are born of water through your mother, and born of the Spirit through the tiny Faith you have in God's Provision in Jesus' work. That is it. Nothing more is needed but perhaps a respectful thanksgiving to your Father for His Love and Care. Have a Grace Day!
Brother Glenn
This blog link: http://askgodsword.blogspot.com/
Complete New Testament Grace Studies link: http://gracehouseministry.blogspot.com/
1Now there was a man from the Pharisees, Nicodemus his name, a ruler of the Jews. 2This one came to Him by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come a teacher from God, for no one is able to be doing these signs which You are doing unless God is with him.” 3Jesus answered and said to him, “Most positively, I say to you, unless someone is born from above (born again), he is not able to see the Kingdom of God.” 4Nicodemus says to Him, “How is a person able to be born, being old? He is not able to enter into the womb of his mother a second time and to be born, is he?”
5Jesus answered, “Most positively, I say to you, unless someone is born from water and Spirit, he is not able to enter into the Kingdom of God. 6The having been born from the flesh is flesh, and the having been born from the Spirit is Spirit. 7Stop marveling that I said to you, ‘It is necessary to be born from above (born again).’ 8The Spirit breathes where He desires, and you hear His voice, but you do not know from where He comes and where He goes. (cp. John 20: 22; Acts 2: 2-4) In this manner is every having been born from the Spirit.”
9Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How are these things able to happen?” 10Jesus answered and said to him, “You are the teacher of Israel, and you do not know these things! 11Most positively, I say to you, We speak what We know, and We testify what We have seen, and do not receive Our testimony. 12If I said to the earthly and do not believe, how if I should say to the heavenly will believe?
Good Day Child of God! "Father? Your Will Be Done!" What you are reading above is a perfect example of someone with a bent in their thinking as they parse the Greek to transliterate this Gospel. It may seem innocent enough, but the small words tell of someone who thinks a certain way.
This is not new, in fact, most Theologians, those experts in Biblical Studies, are actually fairly religious in not only their thinking, but in their actions. Their bent can be easily found by checking their Church affiliation.
Today's easy lesson: This is one of the simplest of all the verses in the Bible. Except for the idea that Jesus refers to Himself as We, which many take to be He and the Apostles, read it again, and see if that is the intent you get from the verses. It is arguable, so I am not going into it now, it won't matter in your daily Life whatever the answer is.
What is important here is that in times past, in older Bible translations, the words born again are used exclusively when Jesus is speaking to Nicodemus. This whole section is a test to a Pharisee, that is someone so learned in the Law, that of all people Nick should know what Jesus is trying to say. The problem is Nick's mind is firmly set on things on earth rather than on the One who is both not of the earth, and not visible. To make it plain, Jesus is playing with Nick as though He were speaking in parables, which He is not.
What is the message? John tells us what Jesus is saying. Being born of water is being born of a woman, period. If you are not born, you don't exist. Being from above requires Faith and/or Trust, and when that happens at the point in time that Jesus is speaking to Nicodemus, it is Faith in the Father, not Jesus as the Messiah. However, Nicodemus is fixated on the Law, it's both his job and his pride. Neither of those things will glean God's favor. Pastors, teachers of the Bible, Preachers, all of you that think your hard work and belief system is going to get you to heaven, you have it wrong. Faith in God's Provision in Christ Jesus having done the work none of could do to please the Father, is the single answer to what is meant by being Born Again. Do you Believe in what Jesus did? Do you Trust that His work is done for you and that is your ticket to Heaven? Then you are given the Holy Spirit, and now are born of water through your mother, and born of the Spirit through the tiny Faith you have in God's Provision in Jesus' work. That is it. Nothing more is needed but perhaps a respectful thanksgiving to your Father for His Love and Care. Have a Grace Day!
Brother Glenn
This blog link: http://askgodsword.blogspot.com/
Complete New Testament Grace Studies link: http://gracehouseministry.blogspot.com/
