Devotional 10-8-08
Jesus in dialogue with Nicodemus (John 3:14-21) instructed him thusly! “14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18He 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. 19And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
This followed what He had just said, “For one to see or enter the kingdom of heaven he or she must be born again” (John 3:3-5) and explained in verses 6-8 that said rebirth was from above, that is, from heaven. It is an amazing thing what follows; the person who is born again (spiritually regenerated) finds himself or herself believing in Jesus as God’s provision for the forgiveness of his or her sin. Believing in Jesus for salvation is not possible before regener-ation. Believing that Jesus was a person of history in not the same as believing that He is the only means of ones salvation. We who are born again will join the heavenly chorus and sing: “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. 13 Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever (Revelation 5:12-13).
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