John 3:1-6
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.
4 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?
5 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.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
In the above Scriptures, we see Jesus Christ and Nicodemus – coming face to face. The Son of God – Jesus – and the son of natural man – Nicodemus. Although Nicodemus was a very religious man, he was not a child of God. We can sense his discomfort and shock during the “meeting of minds” he had with the Lord. It is the same today when people learn that their religion is not enough. It NEVER is! Nicodemus comes to Jesus secretly, thinking of Him only as “a teacher come from God.” Nicodemus did not know Jesus, but Jesus knew Nicodemus –
John 2:24-25
24 But Jesus did not commit Himself unto them, because He knew all men,
25 And needed not that any should testify of man: for He knew what was in man.
But Jesus knew that Nicodemus needed more. Jesus knows that we need more.
- We need more than a teacher – we need a Savior
- We need more than religion – we need regeneration
- We need more than the law – we need life.
Jesus came right to the point when He said – “Ye must be born again.” Nicodemus then asks – “How can a man be born when he is old?”
Then, our blessed Savior points out the difference between the two births – “That which is born of the flesh is flesh (the flesh can not change ) and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit (the Spirit can not change)
THE FLESH BIRTH. . .
1. The flesh birth produces an old, sinful nature – even in a tiny baby! Ps. 51:5 – Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
2. The flesh birth produces a corruptible nature. – 1 Peter 1:23 – Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
3. The flesh birth produces an old nature under the sentence of death – from the moment an infant draws breath! – Rom. 6:23 – For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
4. The flesh birth produces an old nature, that makes every single unsaved person – a child of the devil. 1 John 3:10 – In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
THE NEW BIRTH . . .
1. The new birth produces a sinless nature. 1 John 3:9 – Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
2. The new birth produces a nature that cannot sin. 1 John 3:9 – Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
3. The new birth produces a righteous nature. 2 Cor. 5:21- For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
4. The new birth produces a divine nature. 2 Peter 1:4 – Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Every born again person, no matter what spiritual age, has two natures. The old nature, from the flesh birth, and the spiritual nature from the new birth. By the old birth – we are children of the flesh; by the new birth we are the children of God. To what degree we allow the old flesh nature dominate, will determine how much we sin, and conversely, how much we allow the new spiritual nature to dominate, will determine how closely we walk with the Lord.
The Vine Vigil 