What the Lord is Saying: This chapter is beginning to come to a close and it is chapter full of a lot that we hold dear in the faith. Jesus' encounter with Nicodemus still boggles my mind into thinking about the fact that to be born again happens by being "born of the Spirit (v. 8)." And the turning point in each person being born again is they are allowing their sin to be exposed to God (v. 20 - For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed). I don't know it is an amazing turn of the events for me. As people of God, it remains central to me that the difference between the follower and the non-follower is really recognizing our sin and our distance from God because of it. And yet what changes our condition is the Spirit of God working in us. And the reality is that Jesus is God in the flesh. God has given Jesus everything, the fullness of the Spirit (v. 34), speaking the words of God (v. 34) as God gives Jesus all things (v. 35). It is about Him increasing (v. 30) and conversely I decrease.
And now it is the crescendo of the passage, "He who believes in the Son has eternal life." Stated again, "He who believes in the Son has eternal life." And yet, we have seen that mere belief is not enough. The turning tide of every Christian is His obedience. "he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." A Christian works. We are created in Christ Jesus for "Good works. (Eph. 2:10)" We are to be about these deeds. Our life must change if we are truly in Christ; we must be a new creature (2 Cor. 5:17).
O God, in my life I just think of these people in my life that are lost and even those that are engulfed in a religion in which it seems to be so complicated in the deeds it expects from its flock. I think of the man the other day that is engulfed in Mormonism and I've spoken to so many like him. They are on this course that is not to glorify only God and live only for Jesus. Rescue him. Rescue. Awaken your spirit in my son Derek, in my Dad. Bring them into the life of Jesus and knowing Him as Savior and Lord. It is the only way. It is the only way. There is no greater joy knowing You and yet there is no greater angst and hurt than those who don't know you. I find that I want there to be something that saves them. Lord, I love your gospel and I must admit God, I hate it at the same time. I love you have saved me, but it hurts that others are taking a different course. I keep wanting their to be a different answer and yet it all comes down to you Jesus and the Spirit of God changing people's lives. O how I heart for these people that train themselves daily in the things of the flesh, steering their lives more and more away from submitting to God to submitting to self. They are becoming hardened, captured away from You God. Turn the tide God. Turn the tide in people's lives.
Summary: It's simple and profound, the Spirit draws us, we believe in Jesus, and we obey. All are needed. All must happen.
Promise: We must urge people to repent and believe today when we give them the gospel.
Prayer: O God, I've said it and I will continue to say. Knowing You is not because of me, but because of You. You get all the glory. You've given me eternal life. Help me to keep on getting out of the way and keep on remembering my sin and training myself for Godliness.
Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.
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