Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” (John 3:3)
One quiet night, Jesus is approached by Nicodemus, a wealthy religious leader and teacher in Israel. Jesus looks Nicodemus in the eye and tells him he must be born again. Confused, Nicodemus wonders how this is possible, especially given his high status as a teacher of God’s Word. Jesus continues to explain that he must be born of the Spirit, comparing the Spirit to the wind, which we cannot see or predict.
“For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.” (1 Peter 1:23)
When someone claims to be born of God, there should be evidence of Christ becoming a regular part of their nature. Just as planting an apple tree produces apples, when the Gospel of Jesus Christ takes root in your heart through faith, and you confess your need for His forgiveness and Spirit, you will experience more of Jesus in your life.
“Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, worship idols, commit adultery, are male prostitutes, practice homosexuality, are thieves, greedy, drunkards, abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)
As Christians, we still struggle with our sinful nature. Paul discusses this in Romans 7, and even toward the end of his life, he calls himself the chief of sinners. This acknowledgment doesn’t stem from a reckless abandonment of sin, but rather from realizing how far he falls short of being like Jesus in every way.
This awareness leads him to rely on Jesus’ mercy and grace more than ever. Is Christ growing in you more and more? If not, could it be that you need to take Jesus’ words more seriously than you thought?
“So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’” (John 3:7)
There is a clear distinction between struggling with sin as a believer and blatantly disregarding God’s Word. God knows who belongs to Him.
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, I acknowledge that You sacrificed Yourself and died for my sins, and that You rose from the grave so that I could have eternal life. Please forgive me of all my sins and come into my heart. Be my Lord, my God, and my Savior. Grant me the power of Your Spirit to live for You all the days of my life. In Your heavenly name, Amen.
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Rob Lavallee
Scriptural Seeds Ministries
Scriptural Seeds Ministries 