What did HE say? (continued)
BORN AGAIN ?
This is a topic of great importance in most Christian denominations and it is also the one that is in the midst of many of the denominational differences in the church today. There is no single interpretation of the words of Jesus on this matter and the range of differing ideas or uses of the term can be staggering. In scripture it is presented as, and it should be, a real and universal test of our Christian life. It has become however a term that we use to signify some occurrence in our lives such as baptism or the citing of some affirmative prayer through which we invite Christ into our hearts. The real significance of the words born again are clearly enunciated by Jesus when He says “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3) but like Nicodemus, to whom these words were spoken, few understand them or their import even today.
The Master speaks on the Kingdom of God as an achievement of the utmost importance and the goal of all who sense the Light in their lives. To those who will listen, He tells how to enter into it and, in the case of our subject verse, how to see the kingdom of God. In fact, Jesus came among us to show us the way to the Kingdom. Chronological issues with the gospels aside, the first recorded messages of Jesus pertained to the Kingdom. As Matthew tells us: “From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17) and in Mark it says: Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel (Mark 1:14-15). So we can say that He came to tell us that the Kingdom is at hand; that we should repent and we should believe and He then went about giving us instruction on how to get there; what we need to do or to become.
The words from the Gospel of John cited above are but one of the instructions that we have and it is an instruction on the seeing of the Kingdom. Jesus then reiterates His instruction two verses later as “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” (John 3:5). We should know from these that seeing the Kingdom and entering the Kingdom are one and the same. There are many other verses throughout the gospels that tell us what is needed to see or to enter and we will discuss some of these. First let us look at these verses briefly; the Master says that “except a man be born again” and then further along says again that “except a man be born of water and of the Spirit“. These verses have been singled out from all the others and, in modern teaching and language, somewhat divorced from Jesus original intent. They have been singled out to mean that we have a spiritual rebirth by some and to mean that we have established a personal relationship with Jesus by others. Both of these can be understood the same as seeing the Kingdom and entering the Kingdom but this is not really how they are taught and hence the comment regarding the teaching being somewhat divorced. The links between the ‘new birth’ and the Kingdom are real; Jesus tells us so.
Let us look now at some of the other requirements (I think this is the right word) for entering the Kingdom of God remembering that the Master also tells us that “the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21).
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“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness …” (Matthew 6:33); first of all Jesus tells us that we need to seek the Kingdom first and the righteousness of God before we can expect any of the promises of the Kingdom.
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“For I say unto you, except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20). This is much the same wording as for the born again verse above (except we be born again and except our righteousness exceed that) giving clear indication that this greater righteousness is required.
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“And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:23-25). Here is a complex statement that begins with the near exclusion of the rich and progresses to the understanding of trust in riches. Jesus first statement is likely because He knew that the rich generally do trust in their riches and this is also likely today; where your treasure is… . It matters not how we see the idea of a camel and the eye of a needle; it paints a difficult picture. The idea of having to unload the camel as we would our riches or our trust in them will work here for us. When we have riches on any level, and this is a personal kind of evaluation, we are going to spend much focus and energy and attention on them; generally we would have to in order to achieve them and then to keep them as well. No man can serve two masters.
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“Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein” (Luke 18:17). This is a saying that is much overlooked. It is passed by in some commentaries and ill treated in others yet it is so simple an idea and easy to understand in the right light. So what are the qualities of a little child? Innocence and trusting, no pride or prejudice, no hatreds or misconceptions of life; capable of loving all, having humility and meekness. These are the qualities of a little child and these are what is needed by us to enter into the Kingdom of God.
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And there is, of course, the summation of all of these which the Master says as: “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21).
Who can say that any one of these, including being born again is more important than any other? Why then has becoming born again taken on such importance in some Christian communities? Why also does there continue to be disagreement on its meaning and its use and its achievement. Let us look at some of these questions.
First, Jesus enunciated all of these sayings above and many more that allude to our entry into the Kingdom of God. He did not say to us to do this or to do that but rather He gave us the entire list of things with no outline of the importance of any one above another. Upon careful analysis we can see the reality that, when viewed spiritually, doing any one of these things is, in fact, doing them all. Therefore, putting the proper idea behind being born again it would be true that when one makes that claim; the claim that one is a born again Christian, he is saying that:
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He is seeking the Kingdom first. That he is doing this before all other things as the thing of prime importance in his life and seeking His righteousness as well.
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He is also saying that while seeking His righteousness that his life exhibits some measure of it and that that measure is greater than the measure displayed by the scribes and the Pharisees. We should remember that the scribes and Pharisees in those days were, according to what they knew, living a moral and holy life by the letter of the law. Jesus never faulted them for this; He told them of the better way and they could not accept it or Him. In their shoes today, how may of us could accept such radical change?
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To claim to be born again one is saying that he has no distractions such as riches would be. There is no other ‘treausre’ that he is putting his trust in. Riches were the example of a much less complicated world in Jesus day. Today we have riches of varying degree with their large houses, big cars, big plans for the future and retirement which many spend their lives getting and keeping. Some people have so much that all these things are just taken for granted while many others today live like they are rich but use credit to buy all of these same things with large mortgages, multiple car payments and still big plans. No matter what the situation these ‘riches’ take our time and our attention to get them, to keep them and to use them.
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He is also saying that he approaches life like a little child; that he has no pride or prejudice, no hatreds or misconceptions about people or politics or religion and he is capable of loving all, and has both humility and meekness.
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And in claiming to be born again he is saying that he does the will of the Father which is the summation of all of the above.
These are big claims and they are all wrapped up in that phrase born again Christian if being born again is viewed in the context of the Lord’s words in the Gospel of John. Being born again in this sense is truly being in the Kingdom of God and in His Presence. In all of this there is no mention of what was most important to the Master and that is Love. So, I think, that above all other considerations the commandment that we should Love both God and our fellow man needs to be included here as well: “…The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:29-31).
Note on the Quote of the Day
This daily blog also has a Quote of the Day which may not be in any way related to the essay. Many of these will be from the Bible and some just prayers or meditations that may have an influence on you and are in line with the subject matter of this blog. As the quote will change daily and will not store with the post, it is repeated in this section with the book reference and comment.
Since this post ends with Christ’s saying on Love, I am leaving this yesterday’s quote again.
But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 12:31, 13:1-3,13) Today’s Quote of the Day from the Apostle Paul is his testimony to the power of Love. After speaking at length about the gifts of the Spirit that one should desire in order to be of service to the Lord, he says plainly that Love is a more excellent way. Love in the context of these verses is not the sentimental or affectionate kind that we ordinarily think of but rather benevolence, good will; that disposition of heart which inclines men to think favorably of their fellow men, and to do them good. In a theological sense, it includes supreme love to God, and universal good will to men*. This defining of Love is covered in some depth in a previous post; In the Words of Jesus part 47.
