Several years ago, on a Saturday evening, I received a phone call. The person on the other end was informing me that a mutual acquaintance had passed away and his funeral was being held later that day. When I heard the news, I shuddered as a cold chill ran up my spine. The man who had died was a leader in a church. He was a leader in the community, and he had run for political office. He had given money to the poor. His contributions to the church were substantial. In my last conversation with him, which would have been several months prior, the thrust of the conversation revolved around his good deeds. He spoke to me of his giving, and his contributions to the community. He could speak religious language, but nothing was spoken by him about Christ or of his need for Christ. There was no mention of a relationship with Christ that involved repentance and faith. In fact, he wanted me to understand that he was a good man. Unless things changed in the last weeks of his life there was no indication that he was a man who had been born again. He had not been transformed.
There’s a story in The Gospel of John about a man named Nicodemus. He had every indication of a man well-heeled; a sophisticated man, educated, able to hold his own in the court of public opinion. His exemplary life could have been awarded a gold star. He was the pride of the community. When meeting others on the street there was always a smile and a nod of self-assurance…and yet there was a problem. He was a man not yet transformed.
In John 3 Nicodemus comes to Jesus at night. There is no need to think that Nicodemus was trying to avoid detection. This could be the case as a Pharisee and teacher, but it could very well be that he was looking to talk with Jesus undisturbed. He addresses Jesus with civility and respect. He calls Him a rabbi and affirms Jesus is sent from God. Nicodemus points to Jesus’ miraculous signs as a confirmation that Jesus was no ordinary man, but perhaps one sent from God. Notice the sobriety of Jesus’ language, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." By using the words ‘truly, truly’ Jesus is making this statement as a declaration of truth. Jesus is inferring that His statement carries with it authority and the burden of truth. It is if He is saying, ‘This is to be believed, you must be born again to see the Kingdom.’ If Jesus is to be believed then the new birth is necessary to see the Kingdom of God. No new birth, no kingdom. It is that simple. To avoid any confusion for Nicodemus, the original language carries the sense of being born from above. Again, it is like this, ‘I declare to you the truth, unless you are born from above, you will not see the rule and reign of God.’ This is not natural generation. This is not birth that comes about by a natural relationship between a man and a woman. Nicodemus did not get this from being born into a nice Jewish family. Nicodemus had every natural advantage for being a shoo-in into the Kingdom. He had lineage, he had theological training, he had recognition, he had years in temple worship, he had everything going for him, and yet Jesus speaks to him plainly…you must be born again. Something must take place in Nicodemus that is akin to the earthshaking significance of childbirth.
In other words, Nicodemus, you must be made new. To see Jesus Christ for Who He is you must become a new man. Jesus was not impressed with Nicodemus’ civility or his appearance of religion. He was not impressed with Nicodemus’ recognition of Jesus’ sign producing capabilities. Jesus knew what was in Nicodemus. This ought to be very sobering for us. What Jesus is looking for is a complete revolution. To see the Kingdom of God was to see God’s King in the person of Jesus Christ, and up until this point Nicodemus was still blind. He was willing to confer niceties on Jesus and His ministry, but He could not see who Jesus truly was.
Much of what passes for acceptable Christianity is not really Christianity in the true, biblical sense. Much of what passes for acceptable Christianity is Christianity that has not experienced the transforming work of the sovereign Spirit of God. We’re tempted to settle for much less, but God wants to make us new. His desire is that we are truly reborn. What does God want to do in Crook County? He wants to make us new. What does God want to do in our homes? He wants to make them new. What does God want to do in our interactions with our neighbors and friends? He wants to plant us as regenerated, transformed members of the Kingdom square in the middle of it all to show the transforming power of both the Kingdom and the King. But first it won’t come without a radical, pervasive, and transforming work of the Spirit. We must be born again.
Dan and Judy Morse live near Prineville, Oregon. Over the years Dan has done bi-vocational work, church planting, and served as a senior pastor in several churches. He now serves with InFaith, a ministry that assists small and rural churches. He can be reached at danjmorse@icloud.com
