Love8

Love Lesson

Lesson 8: by turtle

John 3:1-3 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we
know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. 3 Jesus answered and said unto
him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Nicodemus recognized Jesus as being a man from God and that Jesus could only perform miracles if God was with Him. We too must see Jesus as
human. But Jesus was more then just human but also God.
Jesus' reply is quite interesting he says that one must be born again to do what??? What does it mean to be born again?

Jeanette writes in with, "We all must be BORN AGAIN to enter God's Kingdom...HEAVEN. To be born again is to take Jesus as your Savior
and to love God and give yourself to Him wholly and live every day by His Word and trust Him.

Turtle response and continuation: Your are correct Jeanette. Let's look at Christ response to the matter. What was Christ response?

Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered,
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is
flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou
hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. Nicodemus answered and
said unto him, How can these things be?
John 3:4-9 KJV

Everyone of us must be born of God's Spirit. What does this mean? It means simple that God changes our hearts when we believe and put our
trust in Him. When we turn from out sin (disobedience to God) and turn to Him, Christ comes and lives in our hearts. We are then born of the
Spirit of God. Only God can give man this type of new birth. Flesh gives birth to flesh and Spirit gives birth to spirit.
1.Now Nicodemus ask, "How can this be?" So my question to you is how can this be?? How can this happen.

Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know,
and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. 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

2,What does Christ response mean??

Christ is asking Nicodemus do you not understand about what I speak for after all you are a master of Israel. Master referring to a teacher of the
law. Nicodemus was a Pharisee, but yet he did not seem to grasp all that Christ was speaking. Often times we look at the Bible purely from a
physical perspective, but really God word needs to be looked at from a spiritual perspective. To be born of God is to be Spiritual reborn. This is
something only God can do in our hearts, soul and mind. And it happens when we choose to believe and except Christ as Savior.

3. Christ then goes on to ask

John 3:11-12
11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

Christ wants to know if he explains it to him in a earthly sense and does not believe, how will he understand in a heavenly sense.? What Christ is
saying is do you look at things from a physical or spiritual aspect.

Example would be:
1. Seeing miracles take place yet not believing they are real and from God.
2. If you need groceries and some shows up with a bag you might say it is coincident, or you might view it has God's provision. So if you do not
see it has God provision you won't see the spiritual side of things. If you see it has God's provision you will see it as something spiritual.
John 3:13-16
13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

So Christ goes on to explain using the examples of Moses and the serpent being lifted up due to the Israelites sin. Anyone that looked at this pole
would live and those who did not would die. Which Nicodemus would of known about. But what he struggled with was verse 14 not
understanding that Christ was speaking of Himself when he said the Son of man be lifted up. He is talking about his death on the cross and taking
away the sins of the world for anyone that would look upon him.

4. Christ's Purpose in Coming

John 3:17-21
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only
begotten Son of God.
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

Christ purpose in coming was not to condemn but to save those that would believe in Him. Those who do not believe or refuse to believe is lost in
sin. Some choose not to believe simply because they do not have desire to know of God. So it is a simple choice whether or not to believe in God.
Whether you love God or love evil. And the truth is it is your choice.