KEY THEMES: Justification by Faith, Received Righteousness
[Core Gospel Concepts: Justification, Sin - Unbelief, Nature of Faith]
One day Jesus was in Jerusalem around the time of the Passover and had been teaching all day. When it was evening, he went out to the place where he was staying. When it was dark, a man came to see him. His name was Nicodemus, and he was one of the rulers of the Jews. Nicodemus said, “Teacher, we know that you have come from God for no one could do the things you are doing unless God were with him.”
Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
Now Nicodemus was confused. He said, “How can a man be born again when he is old? Can he enter his mother’s belly a second time and come out again?”
Jesus answered, “Truly, truly I say to you, The one who is born of flesh is flesh, but the one who is born of the Spirit is spirit. You must be born again.”
Nicodemus was still confused. He said, “How can this be?”
So Jesus reminded him of an incident in the history of Israel when Moses was leading the people through the wilderness. At that time Israel had disobeyed God, and God had sent many snakes into the camp which were biting many people. Many were in great pain and were sick and even dying. Then Israel cried out to God, “Help us!” Then God told Moses what to do. He said, “Make a snake out of metal and put it on a tall pole. Then set the pole up in the middle of the camp. If any one is bitten by a snake, he only has to look at the snake-on-the-pole, and he will not die.” And this is what happened.
Then Jesus said to Nicodemus, “In just the same way that Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so also the Son of Man must be lifted up so that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.”
Optional Memory Verse: John 3:16,17 - “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.”