John 3:3 – Verse of the Day 1/14/14

The Greek word translated “again” can also mean “from above.” Jesus utilized this ambiguity in order to communicate both meanings. The new birth that comes through faith is a birth that comes from heaven. When Jesus explained this to Nicodemus, he took Jesus’ words quite literally and so missed the point. Jesus did not teach us that we should be physically reborn, but rather that we require a second birth that is spiritual, received by faith, and leads to salvation.

Jesus is the Lord of both heaven and earth, but his Kingdom is not of this earth. Pray that you would long for your eternal home in heaven, and that your longing for heaven would lead you not only to the salvation that comes from above but that it would inspire you to live a better life on earth in the meantime. Ask the Lord for the faith and the strength to serve Him as a “new creature” (2 Corinthians 5:17) as you await your heavenly home.