LETTER FOR OCTOBER 1994
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Dear Friends,

When Nicodemus came to Jesus, Jesus said to him, "I tell you the truth, unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of heaven." Jesus repeated this message again with these words, "I tell you the truth, unless a man is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." These words are found in John's Gospel, chapter 3 and verses 3 and 5. I commend the whole incident and indeed the whole chapter to you for study and meditation.

These words say something of tremendous importance. The kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven are of course different titles for the same thing, but what does Jesus mean by the kingdom of God and heaven? There can be no doubt that he is referring to entering and experiencing the realm where God is and where God's blessings and love are known. It is to know God and be friends with God and be protected by God's power and under his love. In a word it is to possess eternal life and know that when we die we go to be with God, and that in this life God owns us as his people. It is to be in the love of God, and saved from God's judgement and punishment on our sins. It is to be delivered from the dominion of Satan, who controls everyone who has not entered the kingdom of God.

Jesus told Nicodemus that the entrance into the kingdom of God came by being born into it by a second birth, and if we are not born into it by a second birth we have no part in God's kingdom.

The tremendous importance of these words of Jesus are emphasised when we hear what the rest of this chapter in John's Gospel and the rest of the Bible say about our position if we are not born again. If we are not born again we are perishing, and when we leave this world we do perish. If we are not born again we are condemned by God, and under God's condemnation for our sins. If we are not born again we are in darkness spiritually and can't see God or know him.

The only way to enter the kingdom of God is by being born again. Nicodemus was a Pharisee, a member of the Jewish ruling council, so he was a deeply religious man. He went to the church of his day regularly, and sought to worship God and serve him. He was in a position of authority and influence in the church of his day. He knew a great deal of theology, that is the contents and meaning of the Bible. All these things were of no value to him at the point in time when he came to Jesus, because he was not born again. None of these things brought him into God's kingdom and into God's favour and love.

Jesus did not despise all this religious living and thinking of Nicodemus. Jesus did not say it was bad or useless. In fact all these things Nicodemus did were good of themselves, but they did not bring him into God's kingdom.

The amazing thing about Nicodemus at this time was that even though he was so well taught and so religious and so moral, yet he had no understanding of what Jesus was saying to him, and was in spiritual darkness.

Please may I ask you to consider this question - 'Are you born again?' It is a matter of life or death for you. If you are not born again you are outside God's kingdom and perishing. It is really impossible to be in doubt about this matter. If we are all puzzled by the subject of being born again, like Nicodemus was; then like Nicodemus at this time he was speaking to Jesus, we are not born again. This is very serious for us if it is true. We can't be in doubt of life if we have new birth. When we are born physically into this world we have no doubt about it, because we experience this world we have been born into. It we have been born again into the spiritual realm of God, then we will have life and be experiencing and sensing the atmosphere and life of God's kingdom. There will be experience which we can't deny and which we positively know. This experience is the difference between real Christianity and nominal Christianity.

When we are born into this world physically we are born spiritually dead. Part of God's original creation of us human beings is missing. What is missing is the spiritual life by which we can know God and live in his spiritual realm. Just as we must be born physically to experience and live in our physical world, so we must be born again spiritually if we are to experience and live in the kingdom of God.

How can we be born again? In verse 5 of John chapter 3 Jesus tells us. This new birth comes by the action of the Holy Spirit of God in our lives. He, by divine power and life giving, brings this birth about, and gives us entrance into God's kingdom. Just as we had no hand in our physical birth, so we can't make ourselves be born again. There is no effort we can perform that can bring it about.

Well! you may ask - How can I be born again? If you are asking such a question in sincerity, then there is within your heart a hunger and real desire for this new birth. You are indeed on the way to receiving it. This desire is given to you by God's Spirit. it tells you he has begun to work in your life.

Respond to this stirring in your life. Go on hungering for new birth. Do not stop asking God for it and seeking God for it. Be in the places where God's gifts and blessings are made known - that is in God's church and its worship and services. But be there, not as Nicodemus was at the time when he came to Jesus. He came to church at that time to make himself good before God, and earn praise for himself from God. Instead come to church and to the Bible with empty hands, acknowledging that you have nothing to bring to God which can gain his favour. Come and hold out your hands for his gift of new birth and believe God will give you this blessing for Christ's sake. This is the way new birth is received. Jesus pointed this out to Nicodemus in verses 14 and 15 of this third chapter of John's Gospel.

Your servant for Christ's sake,