Spiritual Truths

THE DAILY WORD
By Jim Seekamp

Tuesday February 19, 2008

John 3:1-8 (NIV)
1. Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2. He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him."
3. In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
4. "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"
5. Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is 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."

Nicodemus interpreted Jesus' statement about being "born again" from a physical point of view. He was a member of the Jewish Ruling Council, and yet he actually thought Jesus meant that a man had to get back in his mother's womb to be born again!!

Jesus clarified by saying, "Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit." He made it clear that He was talking about the spiritual realm, not the physical!

Then He made it even MORE clear that it was a spiritual rebirth and not a physical one by His next statement: "You should not be surprised at my saying, `You must be born again.' 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."

Jesus made it clear that, just like how you can't see the wind, but it is still there, and you still feel it's effects; in the same way, when a person is born again, it is not an outward thing, but an invisible, spiritual thing.

Nicodemus's response illustrates well what Paul told us in 1 Corinthians 2:12-14:

1 Corinthians 2:12-14 (NIV)
12. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.
14. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Nicodemus had not been born again, so he did not understand. He did not have the Holy Spirit. Jesus' words seemed to be foolishness to him! That's why we need to pray for our unsaved friends and family; so they can understand the spiritual truths that can save them!

Ephesians 1:18 (NIV)
I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints...

Notice that Paul prayed for the "eyes of your heart" to be enlightened! If he prayed for God to help BELIEVERS understand, how much more do we need to pray for UNBELIEVERS to understand!!

PRAYER
Thank You Father for Your Word, that gives me examples of how to live. Help me to understand Your Word so I can understand Your ways better, and allow You to govern every area of my life.
In Jesus' Name, Amen.

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