DO GOOD MORAL PEOPLE NEED CHRIST?
Charles Lamb was a famous English writer in the early nineteenth century. When he was a small boy, his sister Mary took him for a walk around a graveyard. The precocious lad was reading the epitaphs that praised the deceased people. They were described as ‘virtuous’, ‘charitable’, ‘generous’ and ‘most loved’. As they were leaving the graveyard, Charles asked, rather poignantly,
“Mary, where are all the naughty people buried?”
When we look at ourselves most of us think we are ‘not too bad’. But the only judge that really matters is God. And he knows far more about our thoughts and actions than we observe through our rose tinted spectacles.
A ‘Good’ Man Meets Jesus
John’s gospel recounts the conversation Jesus had with Nicodemus, a highly respected member of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council, and a theological teacher. He recognised that Jesus must at least be some form of prophet,
“Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no-one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.” John 3:2
Jesus appears to cut short this introductory speech and replies directly to Nicodemus,
“I tell you the truth, no-one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again (or born from above).” John 3:3
This puzzled Nicodemus, who replied,
“How can a man be born when he is old?” John 3:4
At this stage he had no concept of a spiritual birth (a new beginning), or a spiritual kingdom.
Jesus answered him,
“I tell you the truth, no-one can enter the Kingdom of God unless he is born of water and of the Spirit.” John 3:5
This clearly includes good moral men who are religious leaders! Jesus taught that God’s Kingdom includes people from all nations and here he emphasises that there are two necessities for a person to be a member of this kingdom.
They must be ‘born of water’.
John’s gospel has just emphasised the role of John the Baptist. He called people to repent of their sins, their independence of God, and to demonstrate this by publicly being baptised in water. This open acknowledgement of our need of God and an openness to him is still essential for us today.
2. They must be born of the Spirit.
If we are to be accepted into God’s Kingdom then God needs to act. He has promised to put his Spirit in all who truly turn to him. We know that we have His Spirit because we love Jesus and long to be more like him. God gives his Spirit to all of us who ask for him and who have repented and want to follow Jesus.
BVP
