New Life, New Eyes

Jesus replied to him, “Truly, I tell you emphatically, unless a person is born from above he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3

Nicodemus was a Pharisee. If you are acquainted with Christianity or the New Testament, the term Pharisee may conjure images of hypocritical, demanding and arrogant religious men. And, for many of them, that would be appropriate. But there were some of these religious scholars who went deeper than the veneer of religious practice. Indeed, most of them obeyed so many rules because they wanted to be close to God. But, setting up rules to measure one’s divine acceptance causes two problems.

First, it creates an elitist mentality. If you are able to follow more rules than someone else, you are therefore closer to God. Live by these rules long enough and you will begin to emphasize the ones that are easiest for you to follow, and conveniently forget those you have ignored. You become a judge of all who do not follow your rules so well. You divide people into those who truly want to follow God, and those who are simply lukewarm; all based on your judgment of their response to the rules you emphasize.

Second, if you are a more self-aware Pharisee, it can create self-condemnation and loathing. You also are able to follow quite a number of the rules, but you discover your inner life to be dead. You are unable to follow all the rules well, but since they are the measure of your worth, you judge yourself as weak, uncommitted and lacking in religious zeal. You don’t judge others, you judge yourself, to your detriment. You may seek out someone who can help you solve the aching in your soul.

I think Nicodemus falls into this category. He approaches Jesus one night and starts with a bit of flattery: “Teacher, we know that you have come from God. No one could perform the miracles you do unless God was with him.” (John 3:2) Maybe it is not entirely flattery; I think Nicodemus is voicing what he has mused in his heart. “This Jesus intrigues me. The miracles are real. He speaks with authority. But he is so unlike what I imagine a religious leader to be.”

Much is made of Nicodemus approaching Jesus at night. Sure, maybe he didn’t want his fellow righteous dudes to know he was there. But let’s give Nic a break; he’s the only one who actually asked Jesus for a hearing. And, unlike the later attempts of others to trap Jesus with their questions, Nicodemus appears to sincerely desire answers.

Even though Jesus deflects the flattery, it seems he observes at least some sincerity in Nicodemus’ approach. Jesus says, “Truly, I tell you emphatically, unless a person is born from above he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Nicodemus is taken aback, hearing Jesus quite literally. He wonders, “How can a person be born when he is old? He can’t go back into his mother’s womb a second time and be born, can he?” (Side note, his mother would be “older” than he was.)

Though it sounds mysterious, and it certainly took Nicodemus aback, I think Jesus’ answer is fairly simple. The Kingdom of God is spiritual in nature. Not “spiritual” as opposed to “natural” because all of creation is God’s world. But spiritual as above natural. The Kingdom of God exists invisibly above (in the sense of ruling over) the natural realm or the regimes of this earth. Just as we “see” the earthly regimes with physical eyes, we must have spiritual perception to see the Kingdom of God.

Just as we are born by physical parents and experience physical reality, we need a new and different kind of birth to recognize God’s kingdom. This verse has little to do with "going to heaven after I die." It is so much more than that. Unfortunately, the phrase "born-again Christian" has reduced it to an elitist saying which divides one kind of Christian from another.

Jesus was expressing a simple truth about how we experience the Rule of God in this world. We do indeed need a "rebirth" to experience this. But Jesus makes clear that He came in love so that whoever believes in Him should have "eternal life". (Just 13 verse later.) God's kingdom is full of reborn folks who have believed and trusted in Jesus. Don't narrow that down to a certain kind of "sinner's prayer" or "coming to an altar". Indeed, Jesus doesn’t even offer to pray with Nicodemus to be “born again.”

I have seen this beautiful transition from an earthly view to heavenly transform and enlighten many people’s lives. But I have also seen it turn into another set of rules. We may begin joyfully, expecting to walk in love and compassion (the hallmarks of God’s kingdom), but eventually we start adding our rules. You must be against all abortions, and you must call every abortion “murder”. If you are a baker, you must not make wedding cakes for gay marriages. You must never work on Sundays. You must vote Republican and must hate Democrats. (I’ve heard lifelong “born again” Christians say out loud, “I hate Nancy Pelosi”, the current Speaker of the House. I’ve heard “born again” preachers declare Obama was the Anti-Christ.)

I used to be among those who thought my “born again” status meant I had to identify with the “far right”. No longer. Having read the Bible independently now for over 40 years, I see Jesus emphasizing “the least of these” as he names the marginalized people among His time. I hear God calling over and over again for His people to love mercy, to practice compassion, to demand justice for the poor, the widow, the immigrant and foreigner.

In other words, I have begun to see God’s Kingdom as far more inclusive than I once thought and was taught. It is simply trusting Jesus that enables me to be “born from above”. And the way I keep growing in the life is to keep trusting Him, knowing Him. Sometimes knowing Him aligns me with my old tribe, but quite often as I see His kingdom, much of very conservative Christianity looks more like Nicodemus’ peers than Jesus.

I have a lot of growing to do, so I pray the Spirit will continue to enliven within me that which is truly spirit, that which is truly the Kingdom of God.

There is transformation, enlightenment, change of view when we experience a new birth. It changes everything. And, please remember, Jesus wasn't talking to a lowdown sinner when he said this; he was talking to a big-time religious leader!