Not Another Gospel - Part Two
A few weeks ago I wrote about the gospel that Jesus preached to Zacchaeus. Jesus' gospel was lived out through an incarnational Truth that called Zacchaeus to live his life differently. Again, I would like to examine another example of Christ preaching the gospel to the culture around him.
This particular instance of Christ preaching is found in John 3 where Christ encounters Nicodemus. Nicodemus was a Pharisee. Nicodemus has heard of Jesus' miracles and says that he recognizes that only one who comes from God can perform these miraculous works. Immediately, Jesus tells Nicodemus that he cannot see the kingdom of God unless he is born again. Nicodemus struggles to understand what this means and is confused. As he ponders a physical rebirth through entering his mother's womb again, he questions Jesus, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?"
Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of flesh and that which is born of Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."
Nicodemus was struggling with how this spiritual birth could be. His presuppositions, the very foundations of his beliefs, were being challenged. Christ was presenting the gospel of the kingdom of God. You must be regenerated by the Spirit in order to see and enter into the kingdom of God.
For someone who was a teacher and Pharisee steeped in the law, it was hard for Nicodemus to understand this gospel. It is also hard for our culture to understand Christ's gospel. How can a man be born again in the Spirit? The people of our culture with naturalistic presuppositions find this impossible.
Christ continues to explains why Nicodemus is having a hard time understanding:
Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
If Nicodemus is unable to accept the things he has seen (those things that can be observed through natural means), how can he grasp heavenly things? Christ is telling him that he first must be born again before he can see the kingdom of God.
No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
We must strive to tell others about the kingdom of God, about heavenly things, and about the God-man, Christ. This is the gospel. But, they will not be able to see or enter the kingdom of God until they are born again of water and Spirit. May we preach this gospel.
To be continued...