by Jesse Abel
A Word from Papa “J”
If one were to ask for a definition of the word “discipline” it would be humanly wise to go to the dictionary where words like control, training and molding are used to describe the effort. All of the descriptive words give insight; but there is one important word missing. God disciplines through LOVE and fathers who love God do the same. Proverbs 3:11 and Ephesians 6:1-3.
Good Morning
The previous days were to build a platform for beginning today to talk about what it means to be biblically “justified” in the sight of God. Justification is the most important topic of the Holy Bible and we would all do well to study the subject and not just take my words as the good news. The Living Word of God which is the Holy Bible states clearly that a person in order to be justified must be; “born again” or as the literal Greek rendering is: “born from above”.
The best description of how to be justified is found in gospel of John chapter 3 so we will go there and see what God has to say on the subject; but first a little background on the worlds religious view of justification. Religious leaders, denominational and independent religions fall into the same category of a certain man that came to Jesus. His name was Nicodemus and like him these religions believe in justification by good works. You understanding is that if you are good and do good works, God will open the gates of heaven and let you in.
Jesus on the other hand has a different message and Nicodemus knows this, however and because of his fear of being exposed to his Jewish friends and clergy contemporaries, he visits Jesus at night time to see exactly what it is that Jesus is saying about the matter of being justified by God and enter into an eternal relationship with Him.(By the way, this is going to take several days to get through so hang in there)
Another side note: Someone I listened to in time past said that we must learn to give the good news of justification to someone, which if you were on an elevator that you could give ample information to the person in less than 30 seconds, the time between two floors. Well I do know that God can use whatever we say because His Word does not return to Him without accomplishing His purpose, but I come from the South and it takes me longer than 30 seconds just to open my mouth with; “Hi yawl”
Well, back to the context: Nicodemus calls Jesus “Rabbi” or as we would understand “Teacher”.
Nicodemus is a leader, a Pharisee and a ruler, he too can be called a teacher or Rabbi, some have argued that Nicodemus called Jesus Rabbi in a sarcastic tone of voice using Greek grammar to prove their point, yet I do not see this, but I do see skepticism and anyone who is unbelieving on any subject would be a skeptic. Pointedly he says to Jesus; “You are a teacher from God for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him”. John 3:2. This is a strong challenge for Jesus to prove Himself to Nicodemus.
Now here is an important point: “Jesus does not change the subject as some have said” Jesus clearly explains to Nicodemus that in order to understand what Jesus is doing presently in His Ministry to the Jewish Nation that person must be born from above to see the kingdom of God. In other words to see Jesus is to see the kingdom God through the regenerated eyes from above.
The one thing that is easily forgotten when using this text of scripture is that this period of time is still in the dispensation of the Jew, the church age has not yet begun, or to more readily see this we could look at Romans 1:16-17. The Good News of Justification by faith came to the Jew first (but as a nation, rejected) and then came to the Gentile, so the message that Jesus is giving to Nicodemus is that if Nick really wants to see the kingdom of God… he must first be willing to look face to face at Jesus.
More, more about Jesus… more, more about Jesus! More of His saving fullness see; more of His love who died for me. A hymn of Eliza Hewitt (1851-1920)
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