Transformative New Birth: Beyond Religious Assumptions

 

Summary

In the encounter between Jesus and Nicodemus, we find a profound lesson about the nature of spiritual rebirth and the dangers of religious assumptions. Nicodemus, a Pharisee and a ruler of the Jews, approached Jesus with a recognition of His divine authority, yet he was fundamentally mistaken in his understanding of spiritual life. He sought to add something to his existing religious framework, failing to realize that what he needed was not an addition but a complete transformation—a new birth. This story serves as a cautionary tale for those who, like Nicodemus, have been raised in religious environments and assume they are Christians without having experienced true regeneration.

The essence of Christianity is not about intellectual understanding or moral improvement but about receiving a new life from God. This new life, or being "born again," is a divine act, not a human decision. It is a mysterious work of the Spirit, akin to the wind that blows where it wills, beyond human control or comprehension. Many fall into the trap of seeking sanctification without first being justified, trying to grow spiritually without having the foundational life of the Spirit within them. This is a common error among those who assume they are Christians because of their religious upbringing or intellectual assent to Christian doctrines.

The sermon challenges us to examine whether we have truly been born again. It warns against the danger of relying on religious activities, intellectual knowledge, or personal decisions as substitutes for the genuine work of the Spirit. True Christianity is not about ideas or moral efforts but about a new creation, a life that is given by God and evidenced by a transformation that cannot be explained by human means. The call is to recognize our spiritual bankruptcy and to come to Jesus, not with clever arguments or self-assuredness, but with a humble acknowledgment of our need for His life-giving Spirit.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Necessity of New Birth: Spiritual rebirth is essential for entering the kingdom of God. It is not an addition to our existing life but a complete transformation that only God can initiate. This new birth is a mysterious work of the Spirit, beyond human understanding or control. [01:02]

2. The Danger of Assumptions: Many assume they are Christians because of their religious upbringing or intellectual assent to Christian doctrines. However, true Christianity requires a personal encounter with Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. [10:18]

3. The Error of Seeking Sanctification Without Justification: Attempting to grow spiritually without first being justified by faith is a common error. True sanctification can only occur after we have been justified and regenerated by the Spirit. [11:16]

4. The Limitations of Intellectual Understanding: Christianity is not merely a set of ideas to be understood and applied. It is a divine life to be received. Intellectual knowledge without the Spirit's work leads to a superficial and ineffective faith. [24:19]

5. The Role of the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is the agent of new birth and spiritual growth. Our role is to recognize our need and come to Christ, allowing the Spirit to work in us and transform us into new creations. [38:23]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:11] - Introduction to Nicodemus
- [01:37] - The Condition of Seekers
- [03:00] - Nicodemus' Approach
- [05:34] - Spiritual Lessons from Nicodemus
- [06:26] - Different Paths to Faith
- [09:16] - The Danger of Assumptions
- [11:33] - Justification Before Sanctification
- [13:11] - The Allure of Mysticism
- [16:29] - Historical Examples of Misunderstanding
- [20:28] - The Religious vs. The Layperson
- [23:25] - Ideas vs. Life
- [29:42] - Decision vs. Regeneration
- [34:52] - The Gift of New Life
- [38:23] - The Role of the Spirit
- [45:07] - The Foundation of Faith

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- John 3:1-8

Observation Questions:
1. What was Nicodemus' initial approach to Jesus, and how did Jesus respond to him? [00:25]
2. How does Jesus describe the process of being "born again" to Nicodemus? [01:02]
3. What analogy does Jesus use to explain the work of the Spirit in the new birth? [01:21]

Interpretation Questions:
1. Why might Nicodemus have struggled to understand the concept of being "born again"? [04:41]
2. How does the sermon describe the danger of assuming one is a Christian due to religious upbringing? [10:18]
3. What does the sermon suggest is the error of seeking sanctification without first being justified? [11:16]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your own spiritual journey. Have you ever assumed you were a Christian based on upbringing or knowledge rather than a personal encounter with Christ? How did you come to realize your need for spiritual rebirth? [10:18]
2. The sermon warns against relying on religious activities as a substitute for the work of the Spirit. Are there religious activities you participate in that might be more about routine than genuine spiritual growth? How can you refocus these activities? [23:25]
3. Consider the analogy of the wind used by Jesus. How can you become more aware of the Spirit's work in your life, even when it is beyond your understanding? [01:21]
4. The sermon highlights the importance of recognizing our spiritual bankruptcy. What steps can you take to humbly acknowledge your need for God's life-giving Spirit in your daily life? [44:22]
5. How can you ensure that your pursuit of spiritual growth is rooted in a genuine relationship with Christ rather than intellectual understanding or moral effort? [24:19]
6. Reflect on a time when you tried to grow spiritually without a solid foundation. What did you learn from that experience, and how can it inform your current spiritual practices? [45:07]
7. Identify one area in your life where you feel spiritually stagnant. What practical steps can you take this week to invite the Holy Spirit to bring new life and transformation in that area? [38:23]

Devotional

Day 1: The Necessity of Spiritual Rebirth
In the encounter between Jesus and Nicodemus, we learn that spiritual rebirth is not an optional addition to our lives but an essential transformation that only God can initiate. Nicodemus, despite his religious background and intellectual understanding, was challenged by Jesus to see that entering the kingdom of God requires being "born again." This new birth is a mysterious work of the Spirit, akin to the wind that blows where it wills, beyond human control or comprehension. It is not something we can achieve through our efforts or understanding but a divine act that transforms us from the inside out. [01:02]

Ezekiel 36:26-27 (ESV): "And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules."

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need to let go of control and allow the Spirit to initiate a transformation within you?


Day 2: The Danger of Religious Assumptions
Many people assume they are Christians because of their religious upbringing or intellectual assent to Christian doctrines. However, true Christianity requires a personal encounter with Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Nicodemus approached Jesus with a recognition of His divine authority, yet he was fundamentally mistaken in his understanding of spiritual life. This story serves as a cautionary tale for those who, like Nicodemus, have been raised in religious environments and assume they are Christians without having experienced true regeneration. [10:18]

Matthew 7:21-23 (ESV): "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'"

Reflection: Reflect on your own faith journey. Have you had a personal encounter with Christ, or are you relying on religious traditions and knowledge alone?


Day 3: The Error of Seeking Sanctification Without Justification
Attempting to grow spiritually without first being justified by faith is a common error. True sanctification can only occur after we have been justified and regenerated by the Spirit. Many fall into the trap of seeking sanctification without first being justified, trying to grow spiritually without having the foundational life of the Spirit within them. This is a common error among those who assume they are Christians because of their religious upbringing or intellectual assent to Christian doctrines. [11:16]

Galatians 3:2-3 (ESV): "Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?"

Reflection: Are there areas in your life where you are trying to achieve spiritual growth through your own efforts rather than relying on the Spirit's work within you?


Day 4: The Limitations of Intellectual Understanding
Christianity is not merely a set of ideas to be understood and applied. It is a divine life to be received. Intellectual knowledge without the Spirit's work leads to a superficial and ineffective faith. Nicodemus, a learned Pharisee, approached Jesus with intellectual curiosity but lacked the spiritual insight to understand the necessity of being born again. True Christianity is not about ideas or moral efforts but about a new creation, a life that is given by God and evidenced by a transformation that cannot be explained by human means. [24:19]

1 Corinthians 2:14 (ESV): "The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned."

Reflection: How can you move beyond intellectual understanding to experience the transformative power of the Spirit in your daily life?


Day 5: The Role of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the agent of new birth and spiritual growth. Our role is to recognize our need and come to Christ, allowing the Spirit to work in us and transform us into new creations. The essence of Christianity is not about intellectual understanding or moral improvement but about receiving a new life from God. This new life, or being "born again," is a divine act, not a human decision. It is a mysterious work of the Spirit, akin to the wind that blows where it wills, beyond human control or comprehension. [38:23]

Titus 3:5-6 (ESV): "He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior."

Reflection: In what ways can you invite the Holy Spirit to have a more active role in your spiritual growth and daily decisions?

Quotes

Nicodemus was still in charge of himself and that is always fatal as long as we feel that we can handle this matter and as long as we try to handle it we shall not succeed we shall be interrupted in the in a sense almost rebuffed he'll break in upon us as he did with Nicodemus and he will say to us verily verily I say unto you except a men be born again cannot see the kingdom of God you've got to give up all that you need a new start. [00:03:46]

Beware of the danger if I may so put it of trying to go on before we've started now I I don't put it like that in order to be paradoxical uh I literally mean what I say Nicodemus was a man who was trying to go on before he started now here is a point at which the devil very frequently misleads this particular type of person what type of person well the type of person who's been brought up in a religious atmosphere. [00:05:48]

The danger of assuming the vital thing instead of making quite certain and sure that we have it that's obviously the main trouble with Nicodemus he acts on an assumption his whole approach suggests that as I was putting it in general last Sunday morning if I may put it quite simply and plainly this is rarely the danger of assuming that we are Christians when we are not Christians. [00:10:34]

It is the danger of seeking sanctification before we have justification there is no greater danger it seems to me to the religious kind of person than just this very thing and oh how often can one illustrate this in the long history and story of the Christian Church you go in for sanctification without ever having been Justified or let me put it in another way and still more relevant to this case it is the danger of seeking sanctification before we know anything at all about regeneration. [00:11:01]

It is the mistake of trying to grow before you've been born it sounds ridiculous yet that's the very thing that so many are trying to do they're trying to develop they're trying to grow and to increase but they haven't any life that's the obvious trouble with Nicodemus he comes he says there Master though we know that thou art a teacher come from God for no man can do these Miracles that thou doest except God be with him. [00:11:50]

This is a very common error and it is is obviously a very basic and fundamental error if you like it put in another way we can say that it is the danger of having a concern about the application of Christian truth before there is any Christian Life it is putting the application of the truth before there is definite evidence of life itself. [00:12:49]

Christianity is not merely a set of ideas to be understood and applied. It is a divine life to be received. Intellectual knowledge without the Spirit's work leads to a superficial and ineffective faith. There is something other here there is something that the world knows nothing about the Holy Spirit and his action and his operation. [00:26:32]

The spirit it does the work and one is therefore often humbled and corrected by finding that something that when merely set as an aside is the very thing that's used of God in other words we are not left to ourselves this isn't a subject this isn't a matter of ideas it is this other element this other spiritual element that really matters above everything else. [00:27:36]

The glory of this is this that it's something that happens to us it isn't something we do it is something that is done to us the wind bloweth where it listeth now hearest the sound thereof but can not tell whence it cometh nor whether it goth so so is everyone that is born of the spirit you can't can't give birth to yourself this is something that happens to you it's a new creation. [00:38:21]

You can't decide to be born again there are people who give that impression they say you decide for Christ and you'll be born again that's putting it the wrong way around it's impossible if you could decide for Christ you don't need to be born again but we are told the natural men receiveth not the things of the spirit of God for their are foolishness under him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned. [00:39:14]

You must be born again you can't even decide that because if you could as I say it would indicate spiritual understanding but here's a man who hasn't got any at all the fact that he's told that he must be born again means he's got to be made from the very beginning from the foundation there's nothing to build on it's an entire New Creation now there's the fundamental thing. [00:39:55]

There is nothing more dangerous than to attempt to proceed in the Christian Life without being absolutely certain that you have the life within you very well then that brings me to my last point this morning which I'll put in this form it all really can be we summed up in this way by saying that it is the failure to realize that this is a gift of a new and a Divine kind of life. [00:42:57]

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Transcript
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