WE ARE BECOME NEW CREATURES

06-02-19 This message may be viewed live streaming video at www.tabernacleofmoses.org commencing today Sunday at 11:00 am, and repeated 24/7 for one week; thereafter, the video, audio, and study notes are archived.

 

(John 3:1,2)  There was a man of the Pharisees [Heb: a separatist], named Nicodemus [a member of the Sanhedrin], a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night [so as not to be seen by others] [1], and said unto him, Rabbi [Heb: an official title of honor], we [i.e., some of us, a few] know that thou art a teacher come from God: for [common sense says] no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

1.     Commentary: “came to Jesus by night” = is rather like a person seeking to be saved without obediently saying the prayer words out loud. An act of disobedience cannot get you to Heaven.

a.      (Rom 10:9,10)  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

 

(John 3:3,4)  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily [truth], verily [truth], I say unto thee, Except a man be born again [Gk: be begotten from above], he cannot see [Heb: perceive, understand] the kingdom of God. Nicodemus [his thinking is still confined to the physical realm] saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? [How] can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?

 

ANSWER:

A MAN THINKS DIFFERENTLY WITH THE ADDITION OF NEW KNOWLEDGE

AND THE SPIRIT OF GOD TO EXPLAIN IT [1,2]

(John 3:5,6)  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water [“the washing (cleansing) of water by the word (Gk: rhema)” Eph 5:26] and of the Spirit [the utterances of God], he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh [i.e., Jesus (temporary)]; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit [i.e., Christ (eternal)].

1.     (John 16:13)  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth [the Holy Spirit], is come [inside you], he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear [that you read or yourself hear orally], that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come [i.e., prophecy].

2.     (2 Cor 5:17) Therefore if any man be in Christ [Gk: the anointed], he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

3.     Commentary: “born of water” = the great physician washes the obstructing ear-wax from our ears with water. Then Jesus (the flesh) plus Christ (the Spirit) come together as Jesus Christ. Your given name + your family name (your heritage) is who you are. 

4.     (Col 3:22-25)  Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.

5.     (Ezek 36:25-27)  Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the [hard] stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an [soft] heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

 

(John 3:7,8)  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind [symbol of the Holy Spirit] bloweth where it listeth [Gk: chooses or prefers], and thou hearest the sound [Gk: voice] thereof, but canst not tell [from] whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit [for as servants they obediently go only when and where God’s Spirit directs, they “flow” with (and in) the Holy Spirit of God].

 

(John 3:9-12)  Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know [Gk: understand] [all men, saved and unsaved speak what they do know, be it little or much], and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly [lowly caterpillar] things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly [exalted, lofty, butterfly] things?

 

 

 

 

HEAVENLY THINGS

(John 3:13-15)  And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but [Gk: except] he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent [on the “pole” (a composite symbol of sin on the cross) Num 21:5-9] [1] in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up [i.e., Jesus, the flesh, be crucified… put to death]: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

1.     (Num 21:5-9)  And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul [our mind, the animal sentient (consciousness) principle] loatheth [Heb: is disgusted: abhors, (is) vexed (by), weary (of)] this light bread [“angels’ food” Psa 78:25 (manna)]. And the LORD sent fiery [Heb: burning, fig. poisonous] serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee [i.e., a confession]; pray unto the LORD [for forgiveness for us], that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole [a branch of wood]: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it [Heb: see, consider, discern, experience, gaze, take heed, X think], shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass [Heb: brasen, filthiness] [a significant metal symbolic of sin used throughout the Tabernacle], and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld [Heb: look intently at, regarded, considered, had respect for] the serpent of brass, he lived.

 

(John 3:16-18)  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God [Jesus Christ].

 

(John 3:19-21)  And this is the condemnation [Gk: damnation, judgment], that light [Gk: to shine or make manifest, especially by rays; luminousness, fire] is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved [Gk: rebuked]. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought [Gk: effected, engaged in or with] in God.

1.     (Gen 1:1-3)  In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

a.      darkness = Heb: the dark; fig. misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, wickedness: night.

                                                             i.      night = Heb: a twist (away of the light), fig. adversity.

b.     light = Heb: illumination; happiness: day.

2.     (John 8:12)  Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world [Gk: kosmos; “cosmos” (universe)]: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

3.     (John 9:5)  As long as I am in the world [Gk: kosmos; “cosmos” (universe)], I am the light of the world [Gk: kosmos; “cosmos” (universe)].

4.     (Matt 5:14)  Ye are the light of the world [Gk: kosmos; “cosmos” (universe)]. A city [composed of billions of flaming fires] that is set on an hill [Gk: a mountain (as lifting itself above the plain)] cannot be hid.

a.      (1 Cor 12:27)  Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

 

 

Amen