Dear Friends,

In section 2c of this series, we are trying to refute the popular interpretation of “believeth” in John 3:16 and exalt the name of Jesus at the same time, the Lord being our helper.

The popular interpretation says that we hear the gospel and then we can choose to believe in Jesus, which results in us being born again and going to heaven.

Last time, I tried to show this was unbiblical by mentioning two passages that compare regeneration (AKA being born again) to resurrection. My point was that since the person being resurrected does not get any say in the matter, the person being regenerated doesn’t get any say either. In those passages, nothing was said about the Spirit coaxing or persuading anyone.

So, if you’re still not convinced, today we will confront another Biblical metaphor for regeneration: birth.

Series Outline:

• Part 1: John 3:16 might not mean what you’ve been told
• Part 2: John 3:16 cannot mean what you’ve been told
• Part 3:John 3:16 shows that you can live a victorious life now, that you can overcome those things that are gnawing away at your soul as you read this

Part 2 Outline:

• Part 2: John 3:16 cannot mean what you’ve been told
  • Part 2a: John 3:16 cannot mean that God loves every serial killer who ever picked up a butcher knife
  • Part 2b: John 3:16 cannot mean that God loves every serial killer who ever picked up a butcher knife…not even an eensy weensy bit
  • Part 2c: John 3:16 cannot mean that dead people are supposed to “believe” anything
    • Part 2c1: Is this relevant to you? Yes.
    • Part 2c2: Do you need a band-aid or a resurrection?
    • (today) Part 2c3: Were you consulted before the doctor gave your mother the Pitocin?
      • (today) Part 2c3: Just own it
      • (today) Part 2c3: Are these the actions of a totally depraved man? No!
  • Part 2d: John 3:16 cannot mean that God has 4 ways of saving people

Were you consulted before the doctor gave your mother the Pitocin?

Can we agree that a baby doesn’t get a say in his own birth? Then why would we get a say in our spiritual birth?

Let’s look at two passages that talk about being born again. Again, what we want to know is, do the passages make it sound like the sinner is being coaxed/convicted/frightened such that he will accept Jesus Christ as his savior? Or does it sound like something happens or has happened to the sinner without the sinner’s permission?

[Jhn 3:1-8 KJV] 1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. 3 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. 4 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? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and [of] the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 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.

So there it is…Jesus says a man must be born again or he cannot see the kingdom of God. A baby does not give her consent before experiencing natural birth. So how could we give our consent before experiencing spiritual birth?

Do you think I’m taking the analogy too far? Perhaps you think he only mentions birth to indicate what a dramatic transition it is?

OK. Then please look at verse 8. I think this clarifies his intent. He says the wind blows where IT listeth. Not where we want it to blow. We have no control over the wind. Doesn’t that correspond to what I’m saying about spiritual birth pretty well? We have no control over it. The wind does not need our permission.

Just own it

So why is Jesus hammering home this point, then, if there is nothing Nicodemus can do about it? Step back for a minute and let’s think about the context. In other words, what is actually happening in this passage?

Basically, Nicodemus is trying to play for both teams at once. He doesn’t want to give up his exalted position with the Pharisees, but he also can’t resist Jesus. So he comes to Jesus by night, and even then he kind of hides behind his Pharisee buddies. He says “We know” instead of “I know”. He says “a teacher come from God” instead of something more appropriate like “the Word made flesh”, or the “Alpha and Omega”, or the “Son of God”.

Let’s make sure we understand that not all of the Pharisees/Jews were children of God. They were certainly not all born again:

[Jhn 8:44 KJV] 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.

[Jhn 10:26 KJV] 26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.

So, I suggest to you that Jesus is challenging Nicodemus to actually step out. Step up. Be counted. Take the blows. Nicodemus needs to OWN the fact that he is already born again. Did you notice that Jesus never directly tells Nicodemus he needs to be born again? What does he say? I capitalized it earlier.

7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN

See what he did there? When he speaks about the need to be born again, he is speaking in a general sense about the Pharisees. That’s why he says “Ye”, not “Thou”. “Ye” is plural, “Thou is singular”.

BTW, don’t ever be turned off by the “thee”s and “thou”s of the King James version of the Bible. I hope it is clear to you from our analysis today that it matters. The precision matters. Especially when you are talking about the book that is our only rule of faith and practice. I just checked the NIV (New International Version) and it says “you must be born again”, and it has a footnote to indicate that in the Greek, that is a plural “you”. I will take the uncool but simple “Ye” any day. No footnote required.

And just FYI, German and Spanish (and I would bet most languages on the planet) still use different pronouns depending on whether there is one addressee or multiple addressees. In Spanish (maybe German too? can’t remember for the plural case), you can even use different pronouns depending on whether you want to speak to a group formally or in a more familiar tone. Let’s face it…we English speakers have just gotten lazy. At least some English speakers are pushing back via the term “y’all” 🙂

Anyway, Jesus is not telling Nicodemus that Nicodemus needs to do something to be born again. As I said, that would really mess up the birth metaphor. He is telling Nicodemus that one cannot truly appreciate who Jesus is unless one is born again. He is telling Nicodemus that there is a difference between Nicodemus and many of the other Pharisees. What’s the difference? Nicodemus is born again. Nicodemus has the capacity to truly appreciate Jesus Christ.

Are these the actions of a totally depraved man? No!

Can I back that up? Can I prove that Nicodemus was already born again when he came to Jesus? Yes, first of all, because I don’t see the other Pharisees coming to Jesus by night. Second of all, here he is sticking up for Jesus later in the book of John:

[Jhn 7:50-51 KJV] 50 Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,) 51 Doth our law judge [any] man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?

And here he is delicately and reverently burying the body of Jesus:

[Jhn 19:39-40 KJV] 39 And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound [weight]. 40 Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.

I hope your next question is, how do those passages prove he was born again?

Because the Bible tells me so much about man in his natural state….and Nicodemus clearly doesn’t fit the description! Read the following passage and see if there is any mention of even a spark of goodness. Or any desire for God.

[Rom 3:9-18 KJV] 9 What then? are we better [than they]? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are ALL under sin; 10 As it is written, There is NONE RIGHTEOUS, NO, NOT ONE: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is NONE THAT SEEKETH  after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 13 Their throat [is] an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps [is] under their lips: 14 Whose mouth [is] full of cursing and bitterness: 15 Their feet [are] swift to shed blood: 16 Destruction and misery [are] in their ways: 17 And the way of peace have they not known: 18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.

Please, please notice this. Not only did the passage fail to mention any spark of goodness, or any desire for God, it actually explicitly told us that we do NOT seek God! And please also notice, at the beginning of that passage, that it’s talking about everybody.

The next passage will sound like the previous one, but it will then tell you what happened to get us out of our depraved state. I will even capitalize it for you 🙂

[Tit 3:3-5 KJV] 3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, [and] hating one another. 4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of REGENERATION, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Did you catch it? Regeneration!!! That’s what allows us to seek God in the first place!

I implore you, dear reader, to consider the possibility that Nicodemus was already born again when he came to Jesus. And his rebirth did not require his permission. Neither did his natural birth, and neither does the wind.

Bam! My God is awesome and powerful. He transcended my weakness, my deadness, my futility, and he didn’t need my help.

Hallelujah.

P.S.: Have you been reborn? Then confess Jesus Christ, get baptized, and start being who you are! Do you really want to sit on the fence forever?