Riff's Christian Journal

John 3:3 KJV

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.

John 3:4,7-10,12 KJV

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? [7] (Jesus answered) Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. [8] The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. [9] Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? [10] Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? [12] If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

Did you ever wonder why Jesus answered Nicodemus the way He did, jumping right in to the need to be born again? I mean, should He have not told Him about accepting Jesus as Savior in order to be saved?

You see, Jesus knew about how the natural (unsaved) man could not understand the things of the Spirit of God unless he was first born again. Actually Jesus hinted at this very need in a number of conversations with the Scribes and Pharisees.

This small conversation with Nicodemus should be enough proof of the need for anyone, who wants to hear and understand the words of Jesus, being born again is the first thing needed. Want more scriptural proof? OK, read the following scriptures.

Speaking to scribes and Pharisees in chapter 8, the conversation goes like this…

John 8:25-27,42-47 KJV

Then said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning. [26] I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him. [27] They understood not that he spake to them of the Father. [42] Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. [43] Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. [44] Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. [45] And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. [46] Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? [47] He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.

Then in chapter 10…

John 10:24-27 KJV

Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. [25] Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me. [26] But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. [27] My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

The only way one can belong to God, to be a sheep in His flock, is by being born again. Only then will you hear, understand and believe on Jesus.

Simply put, one must first be born again to belong to God, to be able to hear, understand and believe the words of Jesus, to be known by Him and to follow Him having answered the call of the gospel.

Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God, nor hear and understand what Jesus says, and be able to believe on Him to be Lord and Savior. How about you, have you truly been born again?

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