“Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit…. You should not be surprised at my saying, You must be born again.’”
John 3:5, 7
Now that the calendar has turned from 2020 to 2021, many of us are welcoming more than ever a new year. 2020 brought many hardships, and we’re looking for a fresh start, something as fresh as a newborn baby.
Jesus told Nicodemus that no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again. This calls for recognizing that, sinful as we are, we all need rescuing. New birth is promised by Jesus to those who receive Him, who believe in His name. We accept that He died on the cross for us, rose from the dead, and now is in the place of power at the right hand of God. He took the penalty for our sin, for our falling short of God’s perfect standards, for our wrong thinking—whether past, present, or future. We’re considered righteous by faith in Him so that we are at peace with God.
This “turning around” is the new birth, and it’s a gift of God. It is turning from darkness to light, looking to Jesus for everything new. It’s God’s new work in us, as new and wondrous as His creation of the Universe at the beginning of time.
Jesus told Nicodemus that no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again. This calls for recognizing that, sinful as we are, we all need rescuing. New birth is promised by Jesus to those who receive Him, who believe in His name. We accept that He died on the cross for us, rose from the dead, and now is in the place of power at the right hand of God. He took the penalty for our sin, for our falling short of God’s perfect standards, for our wrong thinking—whether past, present, or future. We’re considered righteous by faith in Him so that we are at peace with God.
This “turning around” is the new birth, and it’s a gift of God. It is turning from darkness to light, looking to Jesus for everything new. It’s God’s new work in us, as new and wondrous as His creation of the Universe at the beginning of time.
Scripture Focus
John 3:1-21
Insight
“Through salvation our past has been forgiven, our present is given meaning, and our future is secured.” (Rick Warren, 2015)
Bible In A Year
- Genesis 3-4
- Psalm 2
- Matthew 3-4
