I clearly remember the birth of my two children, although they were born six years apart, I remember preparing for each trip to the hospital. Accompany my wife to elevator rooms, instructors, nurses, doctors and family members. Anticipation and expectation. More than anything, I remember seeing my children for the first time and seeing my wife’s face when the nurses met her, these tight little people. I looked up and saw a picture of me holding my newborn daughter twelve and a half years ago. The birth of a child is truly a wonderful and unforgettable experience.
As wonderful as the birth of a child may be, it pales in relation to the miracle of spiritual birth. You see, my children were born in good physical health, and I thank God for that, but they, like all of Adam’s descendants, were still spiritually motionless. They’re born spiritually dead and they’re not alone, is it you, me and all the other deaths born?Death in sin (see Ephesians 2: 1). We were born dead because of the sin of our representative Adam The Apostle Paul teaches us that: “Did sin enter the world by a man, and by sin was death transmitted to all men, for all sinned?(Romans 5:12). And spiritual death is not the end. Even if we are born physically healthy, our spiritual death will be followed at some point by our physical death: “Because you are dust and dust, will you return?(Genesis 3:19).
- That is why Jesus said to Nicodemus.
- “Do you need to be born again?(John 3:7? AA).
- Spiritual dead cannot enter the holy presence of God.
- “If someone is not born again.
- Can’t he see the kingdom of God?(John 3:3).
- Then.
- To see the kingdom of God.
- The deadborn spirit must be brought back to life; there must be a spiritual resurrection.
There must be a new life, eternal life. ” You must be born again. Jesus’ words confused Nicodemus. ” How can a man be born, be old?Can you, perhaps, go back to your mother’s womb and be born a second time?(John 3:4). Here Nicodemus teaches us a lesson of non-understanding.
Nicodemus is not alone. There are a lot of professing Christians who don’t understand. When you listen to some talks, do you think Jesus just said, “You must be okay again?” According to many, we are not spiritually dead, we are simply on our deathbed and Jesus offers us the cure. All we have to do is reach out and accept it. Or we drown and Jesus offers us a lifeline, and all we have to do is grab it to save our lives. The picture painted by Jesus and the apostles, however, is much more deserted. In our natural Adamic state, we are not on our deathbed, we are in the grave. We do not float on the surface of the sea, we are lifeless at the bottom of the ocean. We are dead.
This is the point that Nicodemus and we must understand. When Jesus tells Nicodemus that he should be born again, he indicates that this is not something Nicodemus can do for himself. Just as we have no control over our physical birth, we have no control. about our spiritual birth; it is the sovereign work of the Holy Spirit; those who say that we are only spiritually wounded will say that we can be regenerated, born again, putting our faith in Christ. . We don’t think we’re being regenerated; we need to be regenerated if we want to believe. Regeneration precedes faith.
Our spiritual situation is similar in some respects to that of Lazarus in the tomb (see John 11). Lazarus was dead. He couldn’t do anything on his own to make a new living. Jesus commanded Lazarus to leave the tomb, but Lazarus could not react unless God gave him life in the first place. In the same way, we are spiritually dead and we can do it. nothing to gain spiritual life. Jesus commands us to believe in Him, but we can only react if God first gives us spiritual life. Jesus gives us his new life because He has overcome death; Once and for all. As Peter explains: “According to his great mercy, has he regenerated us in living hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead?(1 Peter 1: 3).
If you are a Christian, think about what God has done for you; consider the fact that you were born dead in sin; Jesus came to his grave. He commanded him to leave and gave him spiritual life and faith. Now you are born again and you are an adopted child of God (John 1:12). You are consistent with the Christ. Even if your physical body still dies, you can rest safely in the hope of the resurrection. Those in Christ will be resurrected (1 Corinthians 15:22). Our present body is perishable, but it will be resurrected enduring, never to die again. When God resurrects us, death will finally be devoured by victory.