Heavenly Things
John 3:5 Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. 7 So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”
9 “How are these things possible?” Nicodemus asked. 10 Jesus replied, “You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don’t understand these things? 11 I assure you, we tell you what we know and have seen, and yet you won’t believe our testimony. 12 But if you don’t believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man has come down from heaven.14 And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.
Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader, who was a Pharisee came to Jesus saying "We all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miracles and signs are evidence that God is with you." Jesus, at this point did not beat around the bush and went straight to "I tell you the truth, unless you are born again you cannot see the Kingdom of God." Then an unknowing Nicodemus asked the question "What do you mean?" Nicodemus could not grasp the "born again" that Jesus had presented to him and so we go to verse 5 as listed above and the explanation from Jesus.
When we look at the Kingdom life from a human perspective we most assuredly will miss the spiritual point of "born again." Jesus told Nicodemus that humans can produce human life, but the Holy Spirit gives spiritual life!! So looking at salvation from a spiritual point of view we see our total dependence on God and that dependence translates into every area of our life. Then Jesus gives the "wind" illustration to further explain and the scripture says "Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.” We can feel the wind and call it wind but we don't know where it comes from so we just KNOW it is the wind but without any detailed explanation. That is called TRUST OR FAITH!! Still Nicodemus could not understand and Jesus showed him why he couldn't understand where He says 12 But if you don’t believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man has come down from heaven. The Son of God told a very religious person that He had come from heaven and explained in heavenly terms what that meant.
Sometimes it is very difficult for us to grow in our walk with the Lord because we look at what is going on around us from a human perspective instead of a spiritual or heavenly perspective. The reasoning we get from that perspective is flawed at best and the hope, peace, and faith we need to live this victorious life is compromised because of our perspective. The Apostle Paul had a great perspective about living this victorious life and in Phillipians 4:8 he writes 8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Earlier in the chapter Paul is responding to a disagreement between two people Euodia and Syntche and his explanation compelled them to be full of joy in the Lord. And Paul further emphasized by exclaiming REJOICE! Paul brought up how good they were at sharing the Good News and challenged them to keep that the main thing and not to worry about anything, but pray about everything!! Paul told them "then you experience God's peace," which is once again heavenly inspired. All of this is centered around heavenly things that we receive when we are born again and the Holy Spirit comes to live in our lives. We aren't in heaven yet, but we can see God's perspective on the whole thing when we learn about it from God's Word. There is great victory in thinking on these things. SO DO IT!! Kingdom Things...
The Pilgrimage continues.....
David Warren