FRIDAY, JULY 14
John 3:1-8
John 3:7

"Ye must be born again."

YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN

You may have heard and read about the message of the Lord Jesus to Nicodemus many times: "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God… Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God… Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again" (John 3:3, 5, 7). However, it is still good for us to meditate on the Lord’s message again to give thanks to God for His miraculous work of regeneration in our hearts and lives, as well as for new believers to know for sure if they are born again. "Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance" (2 Pet 1:12-13).

"There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews" (John 3:1). Nicodemus was a pure Jew who knew and worshipped the living and true God of his forefather Abraham. He was a Pharisee, a Separatist with much zeal to keep the law strictly (Acts 26:5). He was "a ruler" in service for many years with much experience as a member of the Jewish Sanhedrin (John 7:45-50). The Lord Jesus knew that he was "a master" or a teacher (didáskalos) (John 3:10). He had head-knowledge of God and of the Holy Scripture, and he taught God’s Word to the Jews for years. Unlike other Pharisees who envied the Lord and always tried to find fault with the Lord in His words but could not, Nicodemus respected the Lord and recognised Him as his Divine Teacher. He said, "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" (John 3:2). Nicodemus humbly addressed the Lord as "Rabbi," which means my master, my teacher; a title of honor in the Jewish schools which continues until modern times (Zodhiates). In the eyes of the Jews, Nicodemus must have been saved and would enter into Heaven, but in Jesus’ eyes, he was not. What about you?

THOUGHT: Jesus’ words are still the same: "Ye must be born again."
PRAYER: Lord, I thank Thee for Thy Word and command.