{"id":199,"date":"2021-03-10T17:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-03-10T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/renewinglife.net\/jesus-second-invitation-receive-the-gift-of-eternal-life-john-31-17\/"},"modified":"2024-12-17T19:02:06","modified_gmt":"2024-12-17T19:02:06","slug":"jesus-second-invitation-receive-the-gift-of-eternal-life-john-31-17","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/renewinglife.net\/renewing-life-center-blog\/jesus-second-invitation-receive-the-gift-of-eternal-life-john-31-17\/","title":{"rendered":"Jesus\u2019 Second Invitation: Receive the Gift of Eternal Life (John 3:1-17)"},"content":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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John\u2019s telling of Jesus\u2019 life takes us to the most quoted passage in the New Testament, most assuredly because of the preeminent Gift offered to us! <\/p>\n

Let\u2019s look at this passage in John 3 together. It may be initially confusing, but it is clear in the end! <\/p>\n

Jesus was approached late at night by a man, Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish Ruling Council. Nicodemus came respectfully to Jesus saying, \u201cWe know you have come from God because no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nicodemus is saying, \u201cSeeing is believing.\u201d But look closely at Jesus\u2019 redirected reply,  \u201cNo one can see the Kingdom of God unless he is born again.\u201d  Nicodemus is caught off guard and replies, \u201cHow can a man be born again when he is old? Surely he can\u2019t enter a second time into his mother\u2019s womb!\u201d<\/p>\n

Once again, Jesus answers Nicodemus\u2019s question with what Nicodemus needs to understand and is seeking without knowing it. We too are given what we need to understand and are likely seeking, \u201cI tell you the truth, no one can enter the Kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to Spirit.\u201d <\/p>\n

John the Baptist offered a baptism of water to cleanse people in preparation for the greater birth Jesus offers, being born of the Spirit! <\/p>\n

Being born of the Spirit is God\u2019s Gift to anyone who desires it! This gift accompanies the first invitation I wrote of in the last blog (click here<\/span><\/a> to read), which is to become a child of God. These two occur together as a completed work of God in us: When we choose to believe in Jesus and are born of God, we are also, in that act, born of the Spirit. Nicodemus\u2019 seeking out Jesus that night allowed Jesus to declare who he is and what he came to bring. Jesus is the Son of God who gives NEW BIRTH to those who ask, bringing the Holy Spirit to live in the believer. <\/p>\n

Yet there is more Jesus offers to Nicodemus and to us, \u201cFor God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.\u201d<\/p>\n

This is Jesus\u2019 Invitation<\/strong>.  He opens the floodgate of God\u2019s amazing love!  Let\u2019s look closely to grasp what Jesus is saying.  If we, like Nicodemus, choose to believe in Jesus:<\/p>\n