Here are some thoughts I have been enjoying recently from the Gospel according to John Chapter 3. Most of this chapter is taken up by an exchange between Nicodemus, a member of the ruling religious elite at Jerusalem, and the Lord Jesus Christ – a carpenter from Nazareth, and the Son of God. Through their exchange we can learn so much about what it means to be saved and how we can be saved. Unusually for this blog you are getting some alliterated sermon notes!
The Priority of Salvation
“Do not marvel that I said to you, you must be born again” (John 3vs7 ESV)
We often say that something is vital, essential or something we must do. Grammarians would tell us that we are talking about ‘imperatives’, but the truth is that very, very few things in life are truly and fundamentally imperative. In fact, we so overuse terms like these that they have largely lost their impact on us. Films are advertised as being “unmissable”, when they most certainly are! Personal and domestic gadgets are promoted as being “vital” for our happiness when more often than not the pursuit of them makes us miserable. When the Lord Jesus said “you must be born again” He was not exaggerating, He was speaking about the most important thing of all – how an individual can restore a right relationship with God. He had earlier stated to Nicodemus, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3vs3 ESV). Being born-again means to experience a fundamental change in your nature – to be born into a new family. In chapter 1 of his Gospel, John explains this new relationship, “But to all who did receive [Christ], who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1vs12-13 ESV). This is why salvation is so important, only those who are in the family of God can have a relationship with Him. How big a priority have you made becoming a child of God?
The Possibility of Salvation
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3vs16 ESV)
We all recognise that the sign on an electrical sub-station saying “Danger of Death” is to be taken seriously, but that does not mean that all will with often tragic consequence. Notice what the Lord Jesus did not say to Nicodemus. He did not say that God’s unconditional love for the world means that all shall not perish but will have eternal life. No, the future for each individual is conditional upon that person’s response to the gift of God’s love, His Son. It is only those who “believe in Him” that “should not perish but have everlasting life”. This presents each one of us with a challenge – am I among those who have ‘believed in Him’? This cannot be a passive belief, it requires a conscious decision on your part to accept Christ as your Saviour and Lord. God has given you the possibility to be saved, if you will believe – but it is equally possible that you will perish eternally if you do not.
The Possession of Salvation
“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life” (John 3vs36 ESV)
It is not God’s intention that you should remain uncertain about your salvation. These are actually the words of John the Baptist after the incident with Nicodemus but they provide a beautiful final verse to this chapter about salvation. Here is a Divine promise that many have obtain assurance of their salvation through – the Lord has stated that those who believe in His Son have eternal life. Not may have or should have or even will have at some future date; but here and now as a present possession on the authority of God Himself, those who have trusted His Son as their Saviour can have complete assurance that they have eternal life.