Lesson #5 "Born Again"

John 3:1–22  John 4:1–42  

I was overwhelmed with the amount of information available about being born again, including scripture chains that lead from one topic to another.   My husband has made this a topic of his study, and wisely so, as it encompasses topics such as the Spirit, repentance, baptism, faith, works, putting off the natural man and yielding to the Spirit of God.  In essence the doctrine of being born again is the purpose of our life.

Background on Nicodemus:

·      Pharisee- well educated, well respected, interpreted Mosaic Law symbolically, represent the people, belonged to a group

·      Came to Jesus by night (probably to avoid social discomfort yet putting forth the effort to learn)

·      Recognized that Jesus has power from God (a great teacher) and wants to know more (may want to read verse 2)

Savior perceives that Nicodemus is only seeing miracles with his physical eyes and so begins to explain the importance of seeing with spiritual eyes.  This is an important distinction to make for the Jews who are so focused on outward worship.

READ John 3:3-4 (for Jesus’ answer and Nicodemus’ next question)

WHY WOULD NICODEMUS ASK THIS IF HE IS A SMART AND RESPECTED PHARISEE, A LEADER OF THE JEWS?  WHY TAKE A LITERAL MEANING?

I don’t think he was argumentative about it.  In fact, in verse nine he says “How can these things be done?” I think he just wanted to know – the question is phrased oddly, but to me he has a feeling of “Lord, how is it done? “  It was also his first response to perhaps and unexpected answer.

As we read throughout the rest of this chapter concerning Nicodemus, put yourself in his shoes.  Remember that this is fairly new information to him (though it shouldn’t have been) as he tries to align his current teachings and beliefs with what the Savior teachers him.

WHAT ARE THE DOCTRINES THAT ARE GIVEN TO NICODEMUS? (read then answer)

READ John 3:5-8 (meaningful details of the passage)

·      Born of water (baptism) and spirit (Gift of Holy Ghost)

·      Flesh is flesh (it has it’s beginning and end)

·      Spirit is spirit (matter that has no end)

·      Flesh and spirit are separate

·      Wind comparison to spirit – cannot see or know where it comes from but you can hear it.

·      Baptism and receiving the Holy Ghost

Nicodemus asks “How can these things be?”

The Savior reproves him a bit for being a “master of Israel” yet he doesn’t know what these things mean.  And He says “If I’ve told you earthly things and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly tings?”

Then he gives an example of an earthly things: Moses lifting up the serpent

Then he gives an example of a heavenly thing: The Son of man being lifted up

Again imagine that you are Nicodemus receiving this information as a new idea and probably a bit more impressionably as it is coming from the Savior teaching with the Spirit.

WHAT ARE THE DOCTRINES TAUGHT IN THESE VERSES?  

READ John 3:16-21

·      God loves the world (people)

·      Because he loves the world he gives

·      There is a plan

·      God has a Son

·      Not sent for political reasons

·      Sent to save spiritually and eventually physically

·      Men condemn themselves by holding to darkness

·      Men have choice to choose light

·      Works bring forth fruit – doeth evil=hateth light; doeth truth=cometh to light

·      He prefers saving to condemning (so should we),

·      A man really is the one who condemns himself

  We learn later in John that he defends Jesus to the Pharisees (John 7:50) when they were attempting to find and kill him.  He also brought  many expensive spices to Jesus’ burial (John 19:39), which was mentioned in Psalms 45:8.

In a key passage in Mosiah we are told that when the people desired to become followers of Christ, being born again, they did or desired to do certain things and then they became "children of Christ". I have emphasized these things in bold:

2And they all cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty ^achange in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do ^bevil, but to do good continually.

3And we, ourselves, also, through the infinite ^agoodness of God, and the manifestations of his Spirit, have great views of that which is to come; and were it expedient, we could prophesy of all things.

4And it is the faith which we have had on the things which our king has spoken unto us that has brought us to this great knowledge, whereby we do rejoice with such exceedingly great joy.

5And we are willing to enter into a ^acovenant with our God to do his will, and to be obedient to his commandments in all things that he shall command us, all the remainder of our days, that we may not bring upon ourselves a ^bnever-ending torment, as has been spoken by the ^cangel, that we may not drink out of the cup of the wrath of God.

6And now, these are the words which king Benjamin desired of them; and therefore he said unto them: Ye have spoken the words that I desired; and the covenant which ye have made is a righteous covenant.

7And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the ^achildren of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are ^bchanged through faith on his name; therefore, ye are ^cborn of him and have become his ^dsons and his daughters.

So, being born again requires certain things, that when they are fulfilled, we are spiritually begotten (as can happen over and over again and line upon line, precept on precept, or perhaps a better way of putting it is, each time a little of the veil over our minds is lifted to reveal another eternal truth we once knew, we are born again).

I really like that the people said they "have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually."  This tells me that being born again has to do with our disposition.  And who knows our disposition better than the Savior?  Who knows better what line we need next and what precept will help at a certain time?  Only Christ, who proclaims us spiritually begotten when we commit to Him.  I find great comfort in knowing my Savior knows my current disposition and my potential disposition, that even in my imperfection He can proclaim me one of His daughters.