Ruth 2:15-16

Why did our Lord tell Nicodemus, “Ye must be born again”?

(John 3:7) Because our first birth was all wrong. We were conceived from sinful, corrupt seed that can only produce sinful corrupt flesh. That sinful, corrupt flesh cannot enter into the kingdom of God (John 3:5), and even if that sinful, corrupt flesh could enter heaven, it could never be happy in that holy place where God is worshipped in perfection. Our flesh, in its present sinful condition, would only turn heaven into hell. No amount of reformation of the flesh, education of the flesh, or indoctrination of the flesh can change our flesh into anything that God can accept. That which is born of the flesh is flesh (John 3:6), so the flesh can never be changed into spirit. It is obvious that if a sinful son of Adam is going to love God, have faith in Christ, and understand spiritual truth, we must receive a new nature in the new birth. So ”marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again.”

Do you say, “I cannot believe”? Have you asked for faith? Is your heart hard? Have you asked to have it softened? If you cannot come to Christ with a broken heart, come FOR a broken heart, for it is His gift. He will give you all—all that His Gospel demands, for He is Alpha and Omega, the Author and the Finisher of our faith. It is an easy yoke, then, since He gives what He requires! That the yoke of Christ is easy, I might call to witness all those who have ever proved it. Never did a man wear it, but he always loved to wear it!

Charles Spurgeon

GOD USES MEANS

Man is so utterly insignificant in comparison with the Almighty God, that men individually (Psa.39:5) and even all men collectively (Isa.40:15-17) are considered to be vanity and less than nothing. David said, "What is man that God would be mindful of him" (Psa. 8:4). Yet, despite our sinful condition and great gulf that is fixed between God and the sinner, our merciful Lord has devised means to reconcile us together and bring His chosen people to Himself (2 Cor. 5:18-21). God's end is justified by His righteousness and ordained means. God has predestinated the glorious end of His elect to be just like His blessed Son, holy and without blame before Him in love (Eph. 1:3-6).

But always remember, He has also predestinated the glorious means to accomplish that righteous end (Rom. 8:28-30). Because God is infinitely holy, He must devise means that will enable Him to be a just God and Saviour (Isa. 45:21) and to be just and the Justifier (Rom. 3:26). The grand means that God has devised to bring His banished children home to Himself is substitution (1Peter 3:18). The Lord Jesus Christ is the believer’s Substitute, Who made prefect satisfaction to God's holy justice. Our Saviour took our humanity to Himself (Phil.2:5-8), obeyed the holy law in every infinite detail, thereby working out a perfect righteousness for His sheep (Rom. 4:6). Our blessed Redeemer also took our sin to himself and suffered the infinite wrath of a holy God in judgment against sin (1 Pet. 3:18). Christ our Lord has set us free from the curse of the law being made a curse for us (Gal. 3:13). This is the only means God has ordained and it is most effective to accomplish His eternal purpose and to render all the glory unto Himself (I Cor. 1:30-31). We give thanks unto our Sovereign King who devised such glorious and wise means to make our salvation certain, sure and everlasting in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom.4:16; Heb.9:12).

Pastor Tom Harding

One day a little know preacher named Burns was seen standing on a crowded sidewalk in Glasgow, tears streaming down his face. When asked why, he said, “The thud of Christless feet on the road to hell is breaking my heart.” May our great and gracious God give us a heart that weeps for perishing sinners!