Of the Spirit, Not the Flesh
Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name. But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men. He did not need man’s testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man.
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.” In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” “How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these this?” John 2:23-3:10
In this day’s devotion, Nicodemus approaches Christ in the still night and addresses him as Rabbi, and as one who has come from God. Christ is not flattered by the ruling counselor’s acknowledgment. Rather, he begins teaching the city teacher. In order to have new life, Christ says, one must be reborn by the spirit, a work the flesh, or the law, is incapable of accomplishing. Nicodemus is amazed by this teaching; surely, Nicodemus says, you can not reenter your mother’s womb; nor can an old man be made a child once more. From Christ’s response to Nicodemus’ confusion, we find our instruction for today— “What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.”
As we are reminded in John 6:63, “it is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless.” Words spoken and deeds done in the flesh fail to bear spiritual consequence—they are in fact useless. Nicodemus’ misunderstanding of Christ’s teaching is no different than our own confusion today—we falsely assume that our fleshly decisions, an “I can handle it” mentality, are capable of creating spiritually favorable results.
If each of us were to begin acting and reacting via the spirit, communities would be changed. If we started loving better, speaking kinder, and serving deeper, our households would be altered. Adults would leave their households for the day and affect their workplace and children would affect their schoolhouses. The world’s wars would be viewed differently and the destitute beyond our borders would be cared for more effectively; the socially outcast would have a chest to draw near to and a church to call home. Humility would permeate the egotistical maladies that today stunt our spiritual progress. This side of heaven, I pray it to be possible.
