Another Life to Live

John 3

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:4

Conversations with Jesus don’t seem to flow like we would normally expect. If a man were to tell me, “Kev, I can tell you are a teacher from God, because no one can do the things you do.”, I’d respond much differently than Jesus. I’d probably say, “Thanks man. Thanks a lot!” After hearing these very words form Nicodemus, Jesus unexpectedly retorts, “Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” I’m still not sure how this was a response to the man. What I do recognize, is that the same odd form of communication exists today between the people of the world, and the people of Christ. It looks like this;

“I can’t help it. I was born this way.”

However tactfully the Christian may or may not respond, what they might be thinking in their mind is, “Oh dear. If you really were born this way, if you really haven’t been born again, that’s too bad.” Being born whatever way is supposed to be some kind of defence for a person of the world. A follower of Christ sees it as a death sentence. Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. The "cannot" seems quite definite.

We have been raised in a world that told us we are basically animals. I believe the typical narrative tells us that we came from apes. Is that true? Are we little more than monkeys? Whether we like it or not, we are stuck with and obligated to obey whatever instincts we are born with. We rarely even pause long enough to consider the possibility that the way we are, might not actually be okay.

Jesus doesn’t present us with a new ideology. He hasn’t come up with a new philosophy for living. His words for Nicodemus are not that there is a better way to live - There is another life to live.

No one is born a Christian. The family of God is a thing that we need to be reborn into. Nobody really knows the intricate mechanics of how it happens. What we know, is that it does happen for those who believe in Jesus. You’ve noticed it haven’t you? Christians just think differently. You try to argue with them, but they just don’t get it. They simply aren’t the same creature. That’s the point.

To an extent, the world is probably right. Without Christ, we really are like animals. Would it ever truly be a compliment for me to say, “Yes – You really were born that way”? Without even thinking, we are compelled to do whatever our instincts tell us to do. Many people are fine with that, and even defend the worldview. I wonder though if some of us are tired, or maybe even find it a bit insulting. Is it possible that you’ve loved the darkness more than you’ve loved the light? Does it sound like good news to hear that you were made for more?
None of us fully understand what this reborn life looks like, and that’s okay. For now, I hope that you have either found it, or something about it appeals to you.

The New Year's Jesus New Experiment

               With Christmas behind us, we now await for the New Year.  As we turn the page on the calendar year, we often give pause to reflect on life in a way we seldom do during the regular day to day.  We look back on the life we’ve lived, the relationships that have shaped us both for the better and the worse.  While we process who we are and where we’ve been, we also give thought to where we are headed in the future.  This is a time to look at reshaping who we are.

                As we evaluate the direction of our lives and who we are, our thoughts often turn to our standing with God.  If that’s you, consider following along here for the month of January.  I will be posting daily writings on the book of John as found in the Bible.  This is meant to be a way for you to test the waters, or to “taste and see” whether or not you think the God of the Bible is worth following.

If you aren’t a Christian, I encourage you to take the next month and live life as if you really were one of them.   If you’re up to the challenge, here are three things besides reading this blog to take on for the first month of the year.

1.        Read The Bible Daily.  If you are reading this blog, please read the corresponding readings in John.  (You can find it on www.biblegateway.com) It’s not homework, but I think Jesus is worth having a look for yourself.  I’m sure most of us have known some bad examples among those who follow Him.  He deserves to be seen for who He is, and you deserve to know the real thing.

2.       Attend a Bible Believing/Preaching Church.  I’m a part of Faith Church in St. Thomas and if you live in that area, I hope mine would be categorized as such.  You won’t likely be able to become an integral part of a people within 31 days, but showing up Sunday mornings for the next few weeks might give you a sense of whether or not there is a place for you.

3.       Live the life.  You might not know all that “the life” entails.  That’s okay.  Yet, as much as you understand what it should really mean to life the way God wants – do that.  Spend time talking to Him.  Talk to some church people.   As you read His word and spend time among His people, just do whatever it is you find that His people are really supposed to be doing.

 

                My blog writings will NOT be the whole Jesus experience.  These are a taste.    For a lot of people, this will be like signing up for a gym membership whereby we stop going by February.  For others, this could be the beginning of a new life.  It’s worth finding out.