5/9/14- Rebirth

This rebirth is wrought by the power of the Holy Ghost creating in the hearts of God's chosen ones an assured faith in the promise of God revealed to us in his Word; by this faith we grasp Christ Jesus with the graces and blessings promised in him.  (Scots IIIb)

3Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.^a ” 4“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

5Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit^b gives birth to spirit. 7You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You^cmust be born again.’  8The 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.”^d 9“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

10“You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? (John 3:3-9)

Thoughts: The Gospel does not leave us in our sin, hopelessness, skepticism and guilt.  Instead, Jesus speaks of a total transformation that happens when we are born again.  Knox speaks of such a regeneration in the Scots Confession.  Those in religious ferment- like the Pharisees of Jesus' day, the pre-reformation church of Knox's day, and the oldline Protestants in the West, do not emphasize the need for transformation.  Instead there is a steady stream of emphasis on some kind of rule.  In our day, it is the rule of tolerance.  For some the radical, transforming belief in Jesus is not nearly as important as it should be.  In fact, many in such ferment refuse to believe in the power of God to change people.  Jesus is amazed that a religious leader does not know that faith in God involves change- and even a stand against the culture around us.  Paul said it like this: "If anyone is in Christ they are a new creation- the old has past, the new has come" (2 Cor. 5:17).  I have heard people say, "They will never change"; "Only jail can change them"; "Do not expect them to act differently."  The good news, is that Christ is risen from the dead- and this same power that raises the dead raises us up from our sin to be a changed and better person.  Accept Christ in your life.  Believe in Jesus and let Him change you. 

Prayer: Lord, forgive me for trusting more in the skeptical way things are than in your ability to change me and those around me for the better.