John 3:1–17
There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”
3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
9 Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?”
10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? 11 Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
Prayer: O Lord God, save us from ourselves, from our foolish pride and unbelief. We thank you for revealing yourself to us through Your Holy Word, that we may know we have a gracious God, who sent His only begotten Son to be our Savior, that we who believe in him by the work of the Holy Spirit may see the kingdom of God. May we worship You both now and in eternity. Amen.
Confessing the Truth in an Anti-Confession World
In Christ Jesus, who did not come to condemn the world, but to save it, dear fellow redeemed,
Our Midweek Bible Study recently finished up a brief study on some of the Minor Prophets. One of the challenges of reading the Minor Prophets is their stark warnings and proclamation of God’s judgement. It’s often a shock to Christians to hear some of the intense vocabulary, pictures, and examples the prophets use to wake up the unbelieving and erring people of Israel. We don’t typically use that type of language today. It was harsh, bold, and to the point. Yet shouldn’t it be? The prophets were calling God’s people to repentance. They had abandoned God, worshiped other false gods, and were running headlong into many other horrible sins. If they did not repent, they would not only face earthly punishment, but eternal punishment in hell. The prophets used strong language because their message was a matter of life and death.
If you went to the doctor and they discovered a horrible disease, would you want the doctor to save you from your feelings and say, “This isn’t too bad. I think it will be just fine.” Or would you want a doctor to be honest, “Sir, you have a horrible disease. If this goes untreated, you will die. However, if you are treated, you will live.” Of course, we would all want the honest doctor who seeks to care for our body rather than the one who doesn’t want to bring bad news. The news might shock us, but it is spoken to save us.
Today, we confessed the Athanasian Creed. This confession of faith clearly puts forward our need for the Triune God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It points to our dire need for saving, which can only be found in Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity, who is true God and true man, who suffered, died, and rose again for us and for our salvation. When we confess the creed, we are echoing Jesus’ words, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). We confess that there is only salvation through Christ, “for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). This is the Truth, with a capital “T.”
Yet, we live in a time in history where many people do not believe in objective truth. They do not believe it exists or they don’t care if it does. Why? Because many think that the only truth that matters is your truth—your own subjective feelings and opinions. Even Pontius Pilate expressed in exasperation, “What is truth?” This is why the world cringes when it hears the words, “Whoever does not faithfully and firmly believe this cannot be saved.” But these words teach us how important it is to know and confess the Truth of God’s Word. It’s a matter of life and death.
While some are hesitant or opposed to articulating the teaching of the Bible, Christians should confidently confess the truth about God. In fact, God calls us to confess him. Jesus said, “If you abide in My word, you are my disciples indeed, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.” Creed comes from the word “credo” which simply means, “I believe.”
In the Athanasian Creed, we confess that we believe in the Triune God—three persons in one divine essence. One helpful picture of the Trinity is an apple. There are three parts of an apple: the skin, meat, and seeds. The skin of the apple, the meat of the apple and the seeds inside are all entirely apple and nothing else, and yet each one is distinct from the other. In a similar way, we worship the Triune God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Each person is distinct from one another, yet each person is God. We know this because this is how God reveals himself to us in the Bible. At the Baptism of Jesus, the Father said, “This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased” and the Holy Spirit descended in the form of the dove. Three distinct persons, but only one God.
It’s helpful for us to use pictures like this to wrap our heads around the truth revealed in Scripture, that there are three distinct persons, but one God. However, we will never completely understand the inner workings of the Trinity. We are not God. We are finite human beings. Yet, our gracious God has revealed himself through the Word of God, the Bible, so that we might know that the Father created the world, the Son redeemed the world, and that the Holy Spirit sanctifies the world—makes us holy by creating faith in our hearts.
When we confess the Creed or any other truths from Scripture, we do it in humility. We didn’t figure it out. God revealed it to us and by the work of the Holy Spirit, who creates faith in our hearts, we confess it. To believe in Jesus and to confess him go hand in hand.
In our Gospel lesson, we see Jesus confessing the truth to a man named Nicodemus. Jesus explains the wonderful works of God to him—which we could never know on our own. He shows how God the Father sent the Son, the Son who came to redeem and save us, and how the Holy Spirit is the one who makes us members of God’s kingdom. Not only is our Triune God beyond our understanding, but so too is our conversion.
“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” This didn’t make sense to Nicodemus. Jesus wasn’t talking about physical birth. He was talking about spiritual birth—becoming a member of God’s kingdom. Why was this so confusing to him? Because Nicodemus was a Pharisee. The Pharisees were one of the great enemies and critics of Jesus. This is likely why Nicodemus came at night. He didn’t want the others to know. Nicodemus was a good Pharisee—he was educated and knew his Bible. Yet, as a Pharisee, he relied upon his obedience to the Law of Moses. He thought that membership in God’s kingdom required outward obedience—that he needed to live a good life and follow the law. But Jesus told him something that did not make any sense to him. Jesus showed him that membership in God’s kingdom is completely God’s work, “You must be born again.”
When we were born—it was not because of our own efforts or doings. When it comes to being born again, conversion, and regeneration, it is not because of our doing or efforts. It’s God’s work: just as we had no part in our physical birth, we also have no part in our rebirth or conversion. “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” We cannot come to God by our own will and efforts. No man can ascend to heaven—no man can save himself and earn God’s favor. No one… but Jesus. God became man to save the world. We are saved completely by grace.
Why is this so hard for us to grasp? Because we are born in sin. And as sinners, we take pride in ourselves. Nicodemus is saying, “You mean everything that I have done, all my efforts to obey your laws, to live a good life, time spent studying the Scriptures, and helping my neighbor, count for nothing?” But Nicodemus, like so many others, have a superficial understanding of the law. As long as I don’t kill someone or sleep with someone who is not my spouse, I will be fine. I have obeyed the Law. But Jesus shows us the true meaning of the law—he who hates his brother is a murderer, he who looks at a woman with lust has committed adultery. It’s not just outward actions. It’s thoughts and words too.
The difference between those who are saved and those who are condemned is not that one is better than the other. We all stand guilty before God’s law. The difference is Jesus. For those who believe in him, who are made a child of God through baptism, they are forgiven and made heirs of heaven. We don’t come to church because we are perfect people. We come to church because we need to hear the word of God and receive the forgiveness and strength which only God can give. We come to receive God’s gifts and offer up our prayers and thanks. We confess that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. We confess knowing Jesus’ promise, “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32–33).
To confess the truth is to show love to our neighbor. We are being honest and open. This is what we believe. This is the way to eternal life. No one is beyond God’s help. Jesus died for the whole world—for you and for me—and whoever believes in him will be saved.
When we first learn about Nicodemus, he is not very impressive. He comes to Jesus at night because he is ashamed. The last time we hear about Nicodemus, he also goes to Jesus at night, but this time it is to help bury his body out of fervent devotion to Jesus. He did not at first believe in Jesus, but Jesus spoke to him about the truth. And by the grace of God and the Holy Spirit working through his Word, Nicodemus believed. He was no longer ashamed of Christ. He confessed his faith with his actions. His act of devotion is recorded in the pages of Scripture. They were remembered by God. But consider this: do you think Nicodemus was proud of his devotion to Jesus after his death? No. Instead, Nicodemus was grateful to his Lord and Savior, who gave his life for him. Our attitude toward God, is one of gratefulness and praise. Our good works are evidence of the faith we have in Jesus, but they do not save. Only Jesus saves. May we with fervent and humble devotion confess, praise, and give thanks to our Triune God in word and deed.
Glory to God the Father, Son,
And Holy Spirit, Three in One!
To Thee, O blessed Trinity,
Be praise now and eternally!
ELH 403:6