Lenten Reader | Day 29

April 7th, 2025

Born Again

Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”

“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are 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 things? Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”

John 3:1-15

In Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus about being born again, He refers to an instance from Numbers 21. En route to the Red Sea, the Israelites had grown impatient and complained against God and Moses. In response, God sent venomous snakes among the Israelites, which bit and killed many of them. The people then cried out to Moses in repentance asking for the snakes to be taken away. After Moses prayed on their behalf, God instructed him to make a snake out of bronze and put it on a pole. Anyone who had been bitten by the snakes and then simply looked upon the bronze snake would live.

Jesus said that just as Moses lifted the snake in the wilderness, He (the Son of Man) must be lifted up and that anyone who believes may have eternal life in Him (John 3:15). Reading about the Israelites’ reactions in Numbers 21, I pass judgement on them that they brought the snakes upon themselves. How was it fair for them to be able to simply look at a snake for healing after how they treated God and Moses who had led them out of bondage? I do the exact same thing in my own life. I do not deserve God’s grace, but if I accept it as truth that Jesus is who He claims to be, He says that I am His. My guilt is canceled because He loves me that much.

We cannot earn His grace. Born-again status is not reached by our own effort even though logic would suggest we must do something for it in return. When we believe in faith that He has the power to save us, we are born again. He makes all things new. He brings dead things in our hearts and lives back to life. Let your heart be encouraged that you are a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17) and walk in His freedom today.

Sara Smith