The first section of John chapter 3 is one of the best known stories in the New Testament. The pharisee Nicodemus comes to Jesus to chat about His ministry. Jesus says some really profound things about being born from above, or other translations say born again. Jesus begins in unfold the dramatic difference the kingdom of God was in comparison to every other system or religion that had ever existed. These passages are so familiar that it would be a good passage to read in a different translation to get a different look at it. I really like Young’s Literal Translation, it more primitive and represents the original texts most accurately.
The second section is covers a few profound statements from John the baptist about Jesus and the profundity of the Kingdom of God. This whole chapter could fall under a subheading of the Spirituality of Jesus.
John 3 <—- Link here
Jesus was and is God in a human body. In His earthly ministry He often times explained the kingdom using parables that normal people could relate to. This chapter speaks clearly and precisely about principles that the normal people would have trouble relating to; even to us who have received the Spirit of God into our bodies there still is a level of mystery and profundity to the things He talks about. In essence Jesus explains to Nicodemus in this chapter that those who are born of heaven march to the beat of a different drummer. That something profound and revolutionary must happen to those who desire to know the Kingdom of Heaven.
Jesus became the access point to heaven. In other places in scripture He says that He ‘is the way’, and that ‘no one comes to Father God unless they go through Jesus”.
So, there is a very supernatural facet of this spiritual embodiment of God, through Christ, that can’t be understated. If you try and do the things of God without the Spirit abiding within you, you will fail. This is why Christ came to die for us, so that we could be redeemed spiritually and have a chance at living rightly in our physical bodies.
Many folks get divided over whether or not the gospel is about getting people saved or caring for their physician lives. Politically religious people often find themselves battling each other over which is right… ‘should we just seek to save souls or should we take care of people’s physical needs’?
In my opinion, the gospel of Christ is not a subcategory of any political stance, the Kingdom of God encompasses great mystery and is about both saving souls and taking care of needs. It’s my opinion that folks dissect the gospel to fit their convenience or comfort. We as followers of Jesus must lay down our lives and invite Christ to live through us. Only He can give the perspective, strength, insight, and supernatural love to fulfill all He had planned when He died on the cross.
“You must be born again from on high”. Let Jesus live through you today, surrender your burdens and your perspectives and let the gospel live through you.
Collision of Kingdoms 