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Coming to chapter 3: and the visit by night of Nicodemus to Christ, we notice that
Nicodemus accepted Christ as a prophet sent by God, for he accepted the works of Christ
as true miracles, but that was as far as he would go. Christ goes straight to the need of
Nicodemus:
"Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (3: 3).
"That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit"
(3: 6).
Let John in his first epistle supplement this teaching:
"Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God . . . . . whosoever is born
of God overcometh the world, and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our
faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of
God" (I John 5: 1, 4, 5).
Here, let it be said, is the foundation of the Christian faith. Birth means infancy in
spirit whatever the natural age of the one professing faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The
figure of the natural baby carries with it the thought of food selected for stages of growth.
Milk where the bones and sinews are forming, with meat at the final state of
development. The baby in spirit needs the same programme of nourishment from the
Word of God. Foundational truths are needed first to be learnt and absorbed: faith in
God, redemption, sanctification, resurrection, etc. At the other end of the diet sheet, for
the mature adult we find the advanced teaching of Paul's letters from prison which
enshrine amongst other precious things the Truth of the Mystery. All is necessary but in
the right order. Most important of all, let us not stay in babyhood:
"Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto
perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith
toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of
the dead, and of eternal judgment" (Heb. 6: 1, 2).
While this passage is addressed to Hebrew Christians the appropriate warning applies
as well to us who are Gentiles.
"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be
lifted up" (3: 14).
This verse refers to Numb. 21: 4-9. God had delivered His people from bondage.
He had miraculously provided bread and water, yet they could not wait for His eventual
blessings in the promised land. They murmured against Him and God used the serpent to
bring death to them in judgment. Adam and Eve had all the wonderful delights of a new
creation put at their feet. Yet they could not trust God Who in His wisdom denied them
at that time, participation in the knowledge of good and evil. Adam and Eve neglected
the wise control of their Maker and the penalty of death eventually fell. God in this
chapter of John again places before the world a choice. See the alternatives spelt out:
Verse 15
Perish--Eternal life.
16
Perish--Eternal life.
17
Condemnation--Salvation.