I Have Questions

Today’s reading: Isaiah 65; Isaiah 66; Psalm 62; John 3 NASB

SCRIPTURE

“4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” 5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” 9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.” -John 3:4-9 NASB

OBSERVATION

As I visualize this setting - Nicodemus comes to Christ and basically says, “I know who you are but I have questions.”  I see Nicodemus intellectually puzzled and honestly stumped.

Notice what is happening in these verses. Nicodemus comes to Christ and basically says “I know who you are but have questions.” Jesus responds by saying that one must be born again to truly know Him and thus enter into the kingdom of His Father. 

Like Nicodemus I also hesitate over the imagery and the concept that Jesus is presenting.  I mean, come on!  Outside Christianity the phrase “to be born” (also called labour, birth, partus or parturition) is the culmination of a human pregnancy period with the birth of one or more newborn infants from a woman's uterus. It’s here I’ve come to appreciate Jesus’ willingness to along walk side people who tend to question and push back.  

I think that the doctrine of regeneration or the new birth is therefore critical in distinguishing why it is that one person finds Christ lovely and good and another judges Him repulsive. A natural heart (that is one which has not been granted the new and clean heart promised in Jeremiah and Ezekiel) looks upon Christ and sees condemnation and shame. The spiritual heart (that which has been quickened by the Holy Spirit) looks upon Christ and sees loveliness and compassion and grace. What I am suggesting theologically is that there is a logical (if not chronological) order to the doctrines of regeneration and belief. Regeneration preceding belief seems to be the logical order of salvation. An unregenerate heart will not trust Christ, because it does not deem Him trustworthy.

   

APPLICATION

Those who now believe (present tense) do so because they have already been born of God (past tense). In Greek the verb translated “has been born” is in what is called a perfect tense which suggests a completed action of the past with continuing effects in the present. In other words, what I think John is saying is that current belief is an effect of having been born again. Therefore, rather than saying “if you believe, you will be born again,” it is more theologically correct to understand that “if you have been born again, you will believe.” When God reveals Himself to a hardened heart it only further hardens in self-preserving rebellion. When God reveals Himself to a heart which He Himself has softened it responds by basking in His marvelous light. As the old saying goes, the same sun which hardens the clay melts the ice.

How do I understand why it is that some believe and others do not? I think I need to let Jesus answer that question for myself and others: “16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.” -John 3:16-21

PRAYER 

Jesus, thank you for making room for my questions and not taking offense as many do.  Lord, keep my heart and mind soft (always at Your feet - learning) and my firm in stance. -Trevor