Understanding New Birth - Part Six

 

 

Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel yand yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

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LESSON

The Holy Spirit's part in this new birth process was covered by Jesus' illustration in John 3. He said, "When you hear the sound of the wind blowing, when you see the branches of trees stirring as the wind blows do you know where the wind comes from? Where is it going? You see its effect, but can not tell its source. So is every one who is born of the Holy Spirit." (See John 3:8.)

The Holy Spirit effects the new birth-regenerates the individual. We may see the effect of the Holy Spirit's ministry, but we may not understand the method or source of the new birth.

 

Nicodemus did not seem to understand this. It was strange and new to him. Groping for words to express himself, he said: "How can this be?" And Jesus answered: "Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? ... If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?" (John 3:10,12).

 

In simple language, Jesus told this religious leader that if he did not appropriate or apply the simple truths Jesus gave him, it was useless for Him to offer more advanced truth. It would be just as foolish to put a child who has not mastered first-grade arithmetic in an advanced algebra class.

 

God does not force more light on those who are not interested in advancing. But He does make available all the depths of Christian truth to the hungry, eager heart.

 

The core of teaching on the new birth is found in the account of Jesus Christ and His death for sinners. Jesus used, as His closing illustration before Nicodemus, the Old Testament story of the bronze serpent raised up on a pole in the camp of Israel, and likened it to His own elevation on the cross.

 

The Old Testament story (found in Numbers 21:4-9) tells of the complaints and impatience of the Israelites. God tired of their constant murmuring, and sent serpents into the camp to bite the people and many of the people became ill and died.

The survivors cried out for mercy and God offered His remedy. "Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole:... every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live" (Num. 21:8). Moses fashioned a serpent out of bronze and did as God said. And, as the ailing populace looked in faith to the elevated serpent, they were healed.

 

However silly this might have seemed to them, these were the directions of God. So, man the sinner, bitten and infected with the venom of sin, is not to concoct spiritual lotions for sin. He is not to find relief from sin by humanitarian gestures. He will gain no help by seeking to fight sin in the energy of the flesh. He cannot pay God for redemption or "reconsecrate himself to God." He will pray ever so fervently-in vain, if he prays in his own wisdom. And if he looks at religious leaders or engages in self-examination, he will be no nearer salvation. For God has established only one way of redemption. Look to the cross on which Christ died. See Him there as substitute, Saviour and friend.

 

Many Bible scholars believe that the rest of this chapter contains John's commentary on Jesus' remarks. The well-known and much-loved John 3:16 is found in our text. Frequently, we misinterpret this text. This text is not speaking of the magnitude of quantity of God's love, but of its special quality. Literally, "in such a way, God loved the world, that He gave.. ."

 

Not all "love" is giving love. There is much that goes by the title of "love" which is desire, lust or passion. But God's love had an intelligent, giving quality that was willing to share heaven's finest with sinful man in order to provide redemption.

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