“YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN!”

John 3:1-7                                           (ESV)

"1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a RULER OF THE JEWS.

2 This man came to JESUS by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from GOD, for no one can do these signs that you do unless GOD is with HIM."

3 JESUS answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of GOD."

4 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?"

5 JESUS answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the SPIRIT, he cannot enter the kingdom of GOD.

6 That which is born of the FLESH is FLESH, and that which is born of the SPIRIT is SPIRIT.

7 Do not marvel that I said to you, 'YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN.'"

No one was born a Christian.  The flesh does not produce redemption.  R.C. Sproul.

This quote was recently seen on a social media site, and I can't agree with it more.  Countless numbers of people declare when asked if they are going to Heaven, that because they have been a good person and tried to do the right thing they should be allowed into Heaven.  Even Nicodemus, being a RULER OF THE JEWS, wanted to find ETERNAL LIFE, or more probably, find the way to avoid ETERNAL DEATH!  

His questioning of JESUS was sincere, but FLESHLY.  He could not accept that GOD IS SPIRIT (John 4:24) and having our SPIRIT reborn is THE ONLY WAY to enter the Kingdom of GOD!  You have to, BY FAITH accept that HE IS, and rewards we who seek HIM (Hebrews 11:6).  Unless some people have physical PROOF that JESUS is the SON OF GOD, they refuse to submit to HIM.  Unless they can "make sense" out of HIS STORY, they can't TRUST IN HIM.  

We have to accept the first part of Hebrews 11:6, "WITHOUT FAITH, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE GOD..".  No Nicodemus, and everyone else who thinks they are "good enough" to enter Heaven, because of Adam and Eve's sin you were born with a sin nature that you CANNOT escape.  No matter how good a person is, and no matter how gruesomely bad a person is, we ALL must accept that "YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN"! 

JESUS not only rose from the dead, defeating death, hell and the grave, HE lived a PERFECT LIFE to sacrifice HIS HOLINESS for my wickedness.  Wickedness is a harsh word, but my life is wicked compared to HIS HOLINESS!  No one, no matter their pedigree, was born a Christian!  The only way we can SEE the Kingdom of GOD is to make sure we have submitted to "YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN"!!!