John 3:1-16Many believed but were not saved;

pisteuo; Trust or Believe?; You must be born again; Born again in the OT; The Serpent Lifted Up?; God’s Great Love;

God Loves The World

Last time in John 2:23-25 “many believed”

• NAU John 2:23 …during the feast, many believed [pisteuo] in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. 24 But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting [pisteuo] Himself to them, for He knew all men, 25 and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.

• “[M]any believed in His name” but they were not saved. Now we'll examine the difference between trusting and believing in chapter 3.

John 2:23-25 “believed” pisteuo

• This word “believe” [pisteuo] is the difference between heaven and hell.

• NAU John 3:18 "He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

• NAU John 20:31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.

• Believing is the only way to avoid Hell!

John 8:30-59, Trust or Believe?

• NAU John 8:30 As He spoke these things, many came to believe in Him. 31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;…

• 36 "So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. 37 "I know that you are Abraham's descendants; yet you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you…

• 45 "But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me.

Trust or Believe?

• NAU Acts 26:27 "King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know that you do." 28 Agrippa replied to Paul, "In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian.”

• NAU Matthew 7:22 "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23 "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'

Trust or Believe?

• NAU Acts 10:1 …Cornelius… 2 a devout man and one who feared God… and gave many alms to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually. 3 …an angel of God … 4 …said to him, "Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God.

• Yet Cornelius is not saved yet. The rest of the chapter is the account of Peter coming to his house to share the gospel with him so that he could be born again.

John 3:10An Un-Saved Worshiper Of God

• Acts 16:14 One of those listening was a woman named Lydia,… who was [past tense] a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message.

• She was “listening” and heard “Paul's message” & “The Lord opened”

• She “was a worshiper of God” like Cornelius in Acts 10, yet was not saved yet.

Trust or Believe?

• NAU Acts 16:16 …a slave-girl having a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing her masters much profit by fortune-telling. 17 Following after Paul and us, she kept crying out, saying, "These men are bond-servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation." 18 She continued doing this for many days. But Paul was greatly annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!" And it came out at that very moment.

Many Kinds Of Faith

• Blind faith= Faith in spite of the truth• Irrational faith= driven by emotions• Historical faith= our education, research,

experience• Temporary faith= can be lost• Material faith= hope to gain goods• Saving faith• And many more

I Believe By Faith

• Moscow is the capital of Russia, Phoenix is in Arizona, 7X6=42, my car will start when I go out to it, today is Sunday. I believe I'll have lunch when we leave here.

• My believing does not make it true, morally right or wrong, strong or weak, black or white.

• The Word Faith movement, and many eastern religions, teach that our faith/words/thoughts create reality.

Faith

• NAU James 2:19 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.

• NAU John 6:66 As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. 67 Jesus said therefore to the twelve, "You do not want to go away also, do you?" 68 Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. 69 "And we have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God." 70 Jesus answered them, "Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?"

Believing Or Not• NAU John 7:5 For not even His brothers were believing in Him.• John 12:11…many of the Jews … were believing in Jesus.• NAU John 12:37 But though He had performed so many

signs before them, yet they were not believing in Him.• NAU John 20:27+31 but these have been written so that you

may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.

• “Believing Christ died, that’s history. Believing Christ died for me, that’s salvation.” (Unknown)

Nick & Joe-Two Secret BelieversBill Perkins, Compass eNews

• “We know that there are at least two Jews at the time of Jesus who were secret Believers: Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea. I'm guessing they went by Nick and Joe. :-) Nick …John 3 passage… Joe was also called a secret Believer in John 19:38. Both of these men must have known each other as they together ended up taking the body of Jesus off the cross and burying it in Joe's unused tomb.

• “…Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but a secret one for fear of the Jews… Nicodemus… also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes…” John 19:38-39

• I'm sure there are people alive today who are Believers but keep it a secret. Only God knows their true heart. However, if you are one of these, for the long-term peace of mind, you should confess Jesus as Lord and Savior publicly. Tell someone you trust the Risen Savior's shed blood to pay for your sin and His resurrection defeating death! …Rom. 10:9-11”

John 3:1, PhariseesJohn 3:1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees,

named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews;

Nicodemus, by Jesse McPhaill

• “…Each time Nicodemus bobs his head up in the fourth gospel (John 3:1-21; 7:45-52; 19:38-42), he seems to be changing. He goes from a curious doubter in the dark to a timid defender of Jesus from unjust accusations to (finally) a bold and fearless witness for Christ at His burial. As such, we can draw some Scriptural applications from his example…”

John 1:12, 3:3, 7, Born Again

• Sinclair Ferguson says, “A lady once asked George Whitefield why he so often insisted on preaching on these words: "You must be born again." Whitefield replied, "Because, Madam, you must.””

• NAU 1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,… 23 for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.

John 3:10, How Could Nicodemus Understand Born Again?

• Jesus expected Nicodemus to understand the concept of being born again from the Old Testament. I believe He was referring to the regathering, cleansing, and purification that God will do to Israel in the future;

• Ezekiel 36:24-38, …25 "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 "Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. 28 "You will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be My people, and I will be your God…”

• God will do this by His own sovereignty, in the future.

John 3:10, How Could Nicodemus Understand Born Again?

• NAU Jeremiah 31:33 "But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days," declares the LORD, "I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people… 32:39 and I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me always, for their own good and for the good of their children after them… 33:3 'Call to Me and I will answer you… 14 'Behold, days are coming,' declares the LORD, 'when I will fulfill the good word which I have spoken concerning the house of Israel and the house of Judah…

John 3:10, How Could Nicodemus Understand Born Again?

• NAU Ezekiel 37:11 Then He said to me, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel… 14 "I will put My Spirit within you and you will come to life, and I will place you on your own land… 26 "I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant with them. And I will place them and multiply them, and will set My sanctuary in their midst forever…”

John 3:12, Believe

• NAU John 3:12 "If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

• John MacArthur said, “Christians who worry believe God can redeem them, break the shackles of Satan, take them from hell to heaven, put them into His kingdom, and give them eternal life, but just don’t think He can get them through the next couple of days. That is pretty ridiculous. We can believe God for the greater gift and then stumble and not believe Him for the lessor one.”

John 3:14, Moses Lifted Up The Serpent

• NAU John 3:14 "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; 15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.

• NAU Numbers 21:9 And Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on the standard; and it came about, that if a serpent bit any man, when he looked to the bronze serpent, he lived.

• Moses put a bronze snake up on a pole. Anyone who was bitten, could "look" at the bronze serpent, and they would not die. In the same way, anyone who realizes their sinfulness and by faith looks to Jesus (by faith) for salvation will be saved. (John 3:16)

John 3:16, God’s Great Love

• Gloria Gaither said, “God’s loving initiative to step into time and space to restore us to Himself is still a cause for wonder and praise.”

John 3:16, God’s Great Love

• Billy Graham said, “One of the best-kept secrets in Christianity is that God accepts us. True, He can't stand our sinful acts, but He loves us. He doesn't have us on performance-based acceptance; He has us on Jesus-based acceptance.”

• NAU Ephesians 2:3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

John 3:16, God’s Great Love

• Blaise Pascal said, ”There are only two kinds of men: the righteous, who believe themselves sinners; the rest, sinners who believe themselves righteous”

• NAU 1 Timothy 1:15 It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.

• NAU Mark 2:17 …Jesus said … I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

John 3:16, Why did God want to save sinners?, compass.org

• “The Bible indicates at least three reasons that God wanted to save sinners:

• This was undeniably the ultimate demonstration of God's love. His love for us was shown in His gift--His Son. God demonstrated His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. —Romans 5:8

• Salvation stands as a display of His grace for eternity: In order that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. —Ephesians 2:7

• God wanted the world to see depraved sinners doing good works through the Holy Spirit.For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works . . . —Ephesians 2:10

• Without Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection, none of these things would have been possible.”

• God loves everyone, but probably prefers

• 'fruits of the spirit' over 'religious nuts!'

John 3:16, God Loves The World• John 3:16 "For God so loved the world…• Acts 17:26-27…that they would seek God, if

perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;

• John 1:9 There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.

• John 12:32 "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.“

• Ephesians 2:4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,

In conclusion;

THEEND

John Believe And

Live

Elmer Towns, Mal Couch and Ed Hindson,

Twenty-First Century Biblical Commentary Series, page viii

BIBLE IN FIVEPastor Dave KooyersValley Bible FellowshipBox 433Boonville CA 95415http://www.slideshare.net/dkooyers www.ValleyBibleFellowship.org

(707) 895-2325God bless you as you examine His Word,Your servant in Christ, 2Cor. 4:5

These Microsoft PowerPoint presentations are provided "for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ" (Ephesians 4:12-15). To help Christians to "to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ." So that "we are no longer...tossed here and there...by every wind of doctrine." They may be downloaded and modified free of charge.

Matthew 10:8 …Freely you received, freely give.

Billy Graham's Steps to Peace With God, By Paul Fritz, John 3:16

• Billy Graham's Steps to Peace With God• • By Paul Fritz

John 3:16 • • • Here are four steps to peace with God. Billy Graham discovered the secret to effectiveness in his preaching which we all need. Many often overlook this one element that is so central to the Christian faith - the preaching of Christ crucified on the cross as a

substitutionary payment for the forgiveness of sins.• • 1. RECOGNIZE GOD'S PLAN - Peace and Life• • God loves you and wants to give you His plan that begins with the gift of eternal life that is filled with peace, satisfying and good. However, billions of people are not saved because they do not know that they are lost and headed for hell. Only when people

recognize that they need to trust Christ alone as their Savior from sin can they recognize God's plan for their life.•

Many go through their entire life not recognizing God's will for their life and consequently suffer distress, frustration and emptiness then eventually hell and eternal judgment.• • Jesus said, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)• • 2. REALIZE OUR PROBLEM - Separation from God• • People chose to disobey God and go their own way. When sin entered the world, because of man's disobedience, death passed upon all men, for we have all sinned through the sin of Adam as well as with our own disobedience to God's holy character.•

Realizing that one is separated from God means that one fully comprehends the condition of one who is at enmity with our Creator. Paul wrote about this state in Ephesians 2:1-3 when he wrote,• • "You were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient... Like the rest, we were by nature objects of

wrath."• • The Bible says, "For everyone has sinned and is far away from God's saving presence and glory." (Rom. 3:23)• • 3. RESPOND TO GOD'S REMEDY - Cross of Christ• • Christ died, was buried and resurrected from the dead to provide a sacrificial atonement for the forgiveness of all our past, present and future sins if we will respond to Him with saving faith. It is not enough to just say we believe in Christ. We must place our

trust in Christ as the substitutionary payment for the forgiveness of our sins. We must trust Christ to become our personal Savior from sin as the one who became our sin bearer.• • The Bible teaches, "But God has demonstrated his own love for us. It was while we were still sinners that Christ died for us... and not just for our sins only, but also for the sins of the world." (Rom 5:8)• • Jesus is the medicine we need to respond to if we want to receive the remedy for sin, death, hell and eternal separation from God.• • 4. RECEIVE GOD'S SON - Savior and Lord• • A person crosses the bridge to become a member of God's eternal family when you ask Christ to come into your life and receive Him by saving faith.• • The Bible says, "But to as many as did receive and welcome Him. He gave the authority (power, privilege, right) to become the children of God, that is to those who believe (adhere to, trust in, and rely alone on) His name - the name of the Lord Jesus Christ."

(John1:12) Amplified Bible• • Only when we personally invite Christ into our life as our Savior and Lord do we become a son or daughter of God. Until that time we are not a part of God's eternal family.• • The Bible teaches, "Who owe their birth neither to bloodlines nor to the will of the flesh (that of physical impulse) nor to the will of man (that of a natural father or mother) but to God. (They are born of God and receive His nature into their soul)." (John 1:13)

Amplified Bible• • The INVITATION IS TO:• • Repent (turn from your sins) and by faith receive Jesus Christ into your heart and life and follow Him in obedience as your Lord and Savior.• • PRAYER OF COMMITMENT:• • "Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner. I believe You died for my sins. Right now, I turn from my sins and open the door of my heart and life. I receive You as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank You for saving me now. Amen."• • If you want further help in the decision you have made, write to• • Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. PO Box 779, Minneapolis, MN 55440

World Missions and John 3:16, by Jeff Ropp

• Matthew 28:18–20, John 3:16, 1 Chronicles 16:23–24, 1 Timothy 2:3–6, 1 John 2:2

God’s Love, Question: "Why does God love us?” GotQuestions.org

• Answer: This short question is among the most profound questions ever asked. And no human would ever be able to answer it sufficiently. One thing is certain, however. God does not love us because we are lovable or because we deserve His love. If anything, the opposite is true. The state of mankind since the fall is one of rebellion and disobedience. Jeremiah 17:9 describes man’s inner condition: “The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked. Who can know it?” Our innermost beings are so corrupted by sin that even we don’t realize the extent to which sin has tainted us. In our natural state, we do not seek God; we do not love God; we do not desire God. Romans 3:10-12 clearly presents the state of the natural, unregenerate person: “There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.” How then is it possible for a holy, righteous, and perfect God to love such creatures? To understand this we must understand something of the nature and character of God.

• First John 4:8 and 16 tell us that “God is love.” Never was a more important declaration made than this—God is love. This is a profound statement. God doesn’t just love; He is love. His nature and essence are love. Love permeates His very being and infuses all His other attributes, even His wrath and anger. Because God’s very nature is love, He must demonstrate love, just as He must demonstrate all His attributes because doing so glorifies Him. Glorifying God is the highest, the best, and the most noble of all acts, so, naturally, glorifying Himself is what He must do, because He is the highest and the best, and He deserves all glory.

• Since it is God's essential nature to love, He demonstrates His love by lavishing it on undeserving people who are in rebellion against Him. God’s love is not a sappy, sentimental, romantic feeling. Rather, it is agape love, the love of self-sacrifice. He demonstrates this sacrificial love by sending His Son to the cross to pay the penalty for our sin (1 John 4:10), by drawing us to Himself (John 6:44), by forgiving us of our rebellion against Him, and by sending His Holy Spirit to dwell within us, thereby enabling us to love as He loves. He did this in spite of the fact that we did not deserve it. "But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).

• God's love is personal. He knows each of us individually and loves us personally. His is a mighty love that has no beginning and no end. It is this experiencing of God’s love that distinguishes Christianity from all other religions. Why does God love us? It is because of who He is: "God is love."

• Recommended Resources: The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God by D.A. Carson and Logos Bible Software.

• What's new on GotQuestions.org?

• What is the significance of the Sea of Galilee in the Bible?

• What is the significance of the cave of Machpelah?

• What is the importance of procreation according to the Bible?

• Is the ACTS formula for prayer a good way to pray?

• Are the Ten Commandments taken from the forty-two precepts of Ma'at?

• What is alchemy? Does the Bible mention alchemy?

• Who was Huldah the prophetess in the Bible?

• What is false doctrine?

• What do I need to do to hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant" when I arrive in heaven?

• If Jesus was a Jew, why aren't Christians Jewish?

Ephesians 1:9, 3:3, nine, 5:32; first Timothy 3:16; Revelation 1:20. Ephesians 3:3 John 3:5, Titus 3:5, mystery musterion, sacraments

sacramentum, baptism

salvation prayers, Question: "What is the prayer of salvation?"

• Question: "What is the prayer of salvation?"• Answer: Many people ask, “Is there a prayer I can pray that will guarantee my salvation?” It is important to remember

that salvation is not received by reciting a prayer or uttering certain words. The Bible nowhere records a person’s receiving salvation by a prayer. Saying a prayer is not the biblical way of salvation.

• The biblical method of salvation is faith in Jesus Christ. John 3:16 tells us, “For 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.” Salvation is gained by faith (Ephesians 2:8), by receiving Jesus as Savior (John 1:12), and by fully trusting Jesus alone (John 14:6; Acts 4:12), not by reciting a prayer.

• The biblical message of salvation is simple and clear and amazing at the same time. We have all committed sin against God (Romans 3:23). Other than Jesus Christ, there is no one who has lived an entire life without sinning (Ecclesiastes 7:20). Because of our sin, we have earned judgment from God (Romans 6:23), and that judgment is physical death followed by spiritual death. Because of our sin and its deserved punishment, there is nothing we can do on our own to make ourselves right with God. As a result of His love for us, God became a human being in the Person of Jesus Christ. Jesus lived a perfect life and always taught the truth. However, humanity rejected Jesus and put Him to death by crucifying Him. Through that horrible act, though, Jesus died in our place. Jesus took the burden and judgment of sin on Himself, and He died in our place (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus was then resurrected (1 Corinthians 15), proving that His payment for sin was sufficient and that He had overcome sin and death. As a result of Jesus’ sacrifice, God offers us salvation as a gift. God calls us all to change our minds about Jesus (Acts 17:30) and to receive Him as the full payment of our sins (1 John 2:2). Salvation is gained by receiving the gift God offers us, not by praying a prayer.

• Now, that does not mean prayer cannot be involved in receiving salvation. If you understand the gospel, believe it to be true, and have accepted Jesus as your salvation, it is good and appropriate to express that faith to God in prayer. Communicating with God through prayer can be a way to progress from accepting facts about Jesus to fully trusting in Him as Savior. Prayer can be connected to the act of placing your faith in Jesus alone for salvation.

• Again, though, it is crucially important that you do not base your salvation on having said a prayer. Reciting a prayer cannot save you! If you want to receive the salvation that is available through Jesus, place your faith in Him. Fully trust His death as the sufficient sacrifice for your sins. Completely rely on Him alone as your Savior. That is the biblical method of salvation. If you have received Jesus as your Savior, by all means, say a prayer to God. Tell God how thankful you are for Jesus. Offer praise to God for His love and sacrifice. Thank Jesus for dying for your sins and providing salvation for you. That is the biblical connection between salvation and prayer.

When Was Nicodemus Born Again?, Bill Perkins, Compass eNews

• How the famous John 3 passage teaches an overlooked dispensational truth.• In John 3:3, in no uncertain terms, Jesus tells Nicodemus, or Nick, that he must be born again to go to heaven. This is a

most amazing statement as it was made to a Jew living under the Law, who could not be "Born Again" at that time. Jews couldn't be Born Again at that time because Jesus' statement was made pre-cross, and therefore pre-Acts 2, when there was no Holy Spirit on the earth to permanently indwell Believers to make them "Born Again." Why then was Jesus telling Nick something he couldn't do? Nick could NOT be Born Again before the Holy Spirit came to earth in Acts 2. No one could be Born Again until Acts 2. And Jesus was talking to Nick three years earlier! Why would Jesus tell Nick he had to be Born Again to see heaven if he had no chance of being Born Again until years later? And Jesus' statement was universal, meaning that needing to be Born Again to see heaven would apply not just to Nick but to everyone who ever lived. Since it was impossible to be Born Again without the Holy Spirit being on the earth, was Jesus saying that everyone who had lived and died in the past were incapable of qualifying for heaven?

• The answer to this theological dilemma lies only when one applies Biblical dispensational theology to the question. When we accurately handle the Word, we see that although God never changes, He deals differently with people on the earth, depending on the time in which they lived. God simply worked one way with those living pre-cross and worked another way with those post-cross/post arrival of God's Holy spirit. Dividing the Bible that way is classic dispensationalism. What Jesus said to Nick, and what was true for every other Old Testament believer who was saved by faith, is that they could not go to heaven unless they were Born Again. They needed their spiritual cleansing. All Jews knew they were sinful and needed a savior. All Jews knew the sacrificial system that was in place was temporary. All Jews were looking for their Messiah to permanently atone for their sin. Therefore Jews under the Law knew they couldn't be "Born Again" because of their sin and were waiting for the day that God would provide His Messiah to pave the way. Their Messiah, Jesus, had to first die and rise again to pay for the sin of those who Believed God. Only then could anyone see heaven. Therefore, everyone in the Old Testament who was saved by faith had to wait to see heaven when they died. So God provided a place called "Abraham's bosom" or "Paradise" for them to reside while they waited.

When Was Nicodemus Born Again?, Bill Perkins, Compass eNews

When Was Nicodemus Born Again?, Bill Perkins, Compass eNews

• No one could go to heaven until the Messiah made it possible to be Born Again. Therefore "Paradise" was in essence, a sort of "holding tank" (it was not purgatory!) in the center of the earth for Old Testament Believers. Here they stayed in this "bottomless pit" and waited for the Messiah to arrive, die, rise again and therefore atone for their sins so they could go to heaven. "Paradise" is described in the chilling account (not a parable) of two Old Testament men who died, one going to the Hades side and one going to the Paradise side of the bottomless pit. (Luke 16:19-31) This amazing account gives us a glimpse of what it was like after death for a person living prior to the cross. There were two sides of hell in those days before the cross, one side for those saved by faith in a future Messiah and one side for those who were not saved at all. Those not saved went to the Hades side, were conscious, and burned constantly in an unquenchable fire. They had memory of their time on earth and longed to be on the Paradise side. But there was zero they could do after death to change the fact they did not believe the Bible. But those who were saved in the Old Testament, those trusting God for a future Redeemer, went to the Paradise side when they died. Here they waited for God's provision. Abel was most likely the one who had been there the longest, almost 4000 years! Paradise wasn't heaven, but it was certainly way better than those across a great chasm who had died without faith and now were burning in the unquenchable fires of Hades. ... between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.' Luke 16:26 Imagine all of those saved by faith throughout time, until Jesus died on the cross, living and waiting on the Messiah. Adam and Eve, Abraham, David, Moses...and millions more, all waiting for the Messiah to come. Fascinating! And the moment Jesus died on the cross, the gates of hell were instantly opened for all the Old Testament Saints. They left Paradise, broke through the earth's crust on their way to heaven. It was not until then that they could be Born Again. The Born Again Boom was so great that day that it shook the earth mightily! "And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split. The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many." Matt. 27:51-53

When Was Nicodemus Born Again?, Bill Perkins, Compass eNews

• At the moment that Jesus died on the cross, the entire aggregate of Old Testament saints was cleansed/Born Again and released from the Paradise side of the bottomless pit to go to heaven. So in John 3, Jesus was telling Nick a great spiritual truth about the necessity of the payment of His blood before any pre-cross Saints could go to heaven. Nick must have realized that he could not be Born Again until the provision was made. He had to wait to be Born Again until the Spirit of God arrived at Pentecost.

• BP

Nicodemas, by Jesse McPhaill• I positively enjoy such background questions as this, asked by those who are intrigued with the facts and thankful for the

detail, but desire a Biblical application to their life. I will assume my readers have studied for themselves the three instances in John's gospel where Nicodemus is active, and will not venture an exegesis of those texts here. Rather, if I may, I will briefly sketch what went on in those three occurrences as a background, then go on to give (hopefully) powerful Scriptural applications to the believer. This is not comprehensive, to be sure, but I will provide the avid reader with some interesting viewpoints on the man Nicodemus. Let us be off then!

• He Saw the Light• There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews ~ Recorded by the Apostle John, 3:1• Nicodemus was a very high up Jewish official, perhaps (what is probable) even a member of the notorious Sanhedrin. He

is what we may call a dynamic or evolving character. That is to say, he is not like Caiaphas, who seems to have had resentment for Jesus ever since he knew Him (John 11:49-50), nor is he like Lazarus, who is very much like a flat character to Bible readers (i.e., his death is not heart-wrenching because his character is never described) (John 11). Each time Nicodemus bobs his head up in the fourth gospel (John 3:1-21; 7:45-52; 19:38-42), he seems to be changing. He goes from a curious doubter in the dark to a timid defender of Jesus from unjust accusations to (finally) a bold and fearless witness for Christ at His burial. As such, we can draw some Scriptural applications from his example.

• A Heavenly Citizenship: John 3• My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be

delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here. ~ The Lord Jesus Christ, John 18:36• Notice how Nicodemus came to first speak with Jesus: "by night" (John 3:2). He was doubtless trying to preserve his high

status as a Jewish official. It would be apostasy to the Jews if they saw Nicodemus conspiring with the "blasphemer" Jesus. What does Jesus immediately say to him? "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3). Do we not see our Messiah's focus being placed on the Kingdom of God in direct contrast to the kingdom of man? Of what profit is it unto a man, Jesus said once, "if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?" (Mark 8:36). We cannot, like our Pharisee in the narrative here, hope to cling to secular security and worldly wealth if we are to follow Christ genuinely. God does not ask all to give everything away. But He does ask that we give everything up (to Him, of course) (Proverbs 16:3; Psalm 31:5; 37:5-6). If we can trust Him with our souls, rest assured, we can trust him with our bodies. Whatever our standing is in our earthly life, we must learn to value much higher our spiritual standing, even to the point of endangering our earthly position (whether we are persecuted financially, vocationally, physically, or mortally, or if we must surrender our home, our health, our family, or — yes — even our very life (cf. Mark 8:34-36)). Set your eyes upon the Bronze Serpent lifted up, Christ upon the Cross (John 3:14-15), and all you have will be regarded as rubbish "for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord" (Philippians 3:8).

• Gospel Threads: John 7

• Ponder for a moment why Nicodemus might have stood up for Jesus in John 7. Now ask yourself: did he ever mention his relation to Jesus? No. "Of what use was he then?" hollers one voice. Ah, we have been living under the supposition that only what is overtly Christian is a work for the Lord. tweet We forget too often that God wants us to stand up for righteousness, for holiness, for life, and so forth (Psalm 33:5; Jeremiah 9:24; Ephesians 6:14; 1 Peter 13-16). When you refuse to sit idly by when someone is mistreated, you are doing that which is pleasing to the Lord. This leads into what one author has called "Gospel threads." These are little statements or little nuances in our discussions with others which, while not prima facie the Gospel, are concepts which underpin and drive the Good News of Jesus. It could be a "God bless you" here or a "God willing" there, maybe a "God is blessing me in this way..." or even a "How marvelous this nature we see around us is, and how great is the God who fashioned it thus." Elements of mankind's sin, God's glory, Christ's reality, His crucifixion, His resurrection, and the newness of life for the believer are all included on the Periodic Table of the Gospel. Moreover, a stand for Christ does not necessarily need to embody a dash for the Cross. Often times, the wisest thing we can do is weave Gospel threads into our daily conversations with others, snowballing them into a formidable testimony to those who we speak with which will — once revealed as none other than strings of goodness emanating from the Lord Jesus Christ — make known the Gospel to them in a very profound way. I think Nicodemus exemplifies this uniquely, standing up for justice and a fair examination of Jesus in John 7.

John 3:3 Is Born Again A Term For The Church?

• Q. A biblically astute friend claims that the Church has misunderstood the Lord’s statement about being born again in John 3. She claims Jesus was talking about Israel. He meant they were born the first time when they came out of Egypt. The second time will be when ‘a nation is born in a day’ at the second coming. Therefore we should avoid using the “born again” term because it’s misuse of scripture, and not sound doctrine for us today. It isn’t speaking to, for, or about us. She said part of the reason so many people are deceived about that is because Christendom missuses and twists scripture constantly. Your insight and thoughts would be appreciated.

• A. This is probably the strangest definition of being born again I’ve ever heard. Fortunately it can easily be refuted. There are two clear definitions of the term “born again” in the Gospel of John. The first is in John 1:12-13;

• Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will (first birth), but born of God (second birth).

• To believe in Jesus’ name is to acknowledge who He is. Jesus is the Christ, the anointed One, the Son of God, the Savior of mankind. Or as John the Baptist said, He’s the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). Believing that is what qualifies someone who has already been born once as a child of earthly parents to be born again as a child of God.

• The second definition is in John 3:6;• Flesh gives birth to flesh (first birth; physical birth to earthly parents), but the Spirit gives birth to

spirit (second birth; spiritual birth as a child of God).• In John 3:3 Jesus said, “Except a man (literally, a certain one) be born again, he cannot see the

Kingdom of Heaven.• This verse is about a person. Saying that it refers to the birth of Israel is clearly misusing and twisting

Scripture, the very thing the writer criticized other Christians of doing.• http://gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher/born-term-church/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Gracethrufaith+%28GraceThruFaith%29

John 3:5, Titus 3:5

John 3:10, Regeneration, Born Again• How Could Nicodemus Understand?• Saturday, April 19th, 2014Interpreting Verses• Salvation• Q. Before Jesus was crucified and resurrected, he preached the gospel. He told Nicodemus that he

must be born again. I wonder what this meant to the people who heard him as the Holy Spirit had yet to be poured out on believers. How could someone be born again when at that time regeneration by the Holy Spirit was not possible yet?

• A. Regeneration by the Holy Spirit is not what makes a person born again. It’s what happens after a person is born again. Being born again comes from believing that Jesus died for our sins and rose again (John 1:12-13).

• Remember, Jesus was critical of Nicodemus for not understanding Him, saying,“You are Israel’s teacher, and you do not understand these things?” (John 3:10). Therefore He expected Nicodemus to understand the concept of being born again from the Old Testament. I believe He was referring to Ezekiel 36:25-26.

• “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”

• http://gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher/nicodemus-understand/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Gracethrufaith+%28GraceThruFaith%29

John 3:14, 9:7, God Tests Our Faith• Today is August 19, 2013, Verse of the Day -- John 9:7 And (Jesus) said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam." And so he

went away and washed, and came back seeing.THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

• Sometimes God tests our faith.• MINI BIBLE STUDY FOR THE DAY• In the case of the blind man in the above verse, it was not going to the pool of Siloam and washing that restored his sight.

Rather, it was his faith in following the instruction. God could have cured his blindness without making him wash his face, but to test his faith, He required obedience to a simple test.

• God says His yoke is easy, and His load is light.• For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. —Matthew 11:30He never demands that we climb a mountain or swim across the

ocean. He only asks us to do easy things like:Look His way.And Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on the standard; and it came about, that if a serpent bit any man, when he looked to the bronze serpent, he lived. —Numbers 21:9As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up —John 3:14

• Walk around a wall seven times. (Joshua 6)By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.—Hebrews 11:30

• Or wash in a pool.So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child and he was clean. —2 Kings 5:14

• In fact, even in temptation, the Bible promises that God will never allow us to be tempted beyond that which we can bear.No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. —1 Corinthians 10:13Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless you fail the test? —2 Corinthians 13:5

John 3:16, Loved, Called, Secure

• We can all humbly say in the sincerity of faith, "I am loved; I am called; I am secure.“ Franklin Graham

John 3:16, The Sovereignty Of God In Election, Predestined Or Free Will

• QUESTION FOR THE DAY• Dear Compass,• I'm curious as to your stand on the Sovereignty of God in election. Your answers to most questions

demand an undeniable faith in the absolute Sovereignty of God in all things, so, do you see God as Sovereign in the salvation of men's souls as well?

•ANSWER:

• There are two truths taught by our Infinite Lord that we, with finite minds, have some difficulty accepting, and/or understanding how they both could be true.

• YES, God CHOSE all Christians before the foundation of the world was ever laid:• Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world. —Ephesians 1:4. . . and whom He

predestined, these He also called. —Romans 8:30• And, YES, God gave mankind the FREE WILL to accept or reject the gift of the Cross: Whoever will call

upon the name of the Lord will be saved. —Romans 10:13. . . whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. —John 3:16

• Realize, again, that BOTH election and free will are true, even if they seem mutually exclusive to us."For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD.—Isaiah 55:8 And always remember that God said He does not wish for "any to perish but for all to come to repentance."The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. —2 Peter 3:9

John 3:16, Is Universalism / Universal Salvation Biblical?, gotquestions.org

• Answer: Universalism is the belief that everyone will be saved. There are many people today who hold to universal salvation and believe that all people eventually end up in heaven. Perhaps it is the thought of men and women living a life of eternal torment in hell that causes some to reject the teaching of Scripture on this issue. For some it is an over-emphasis on the love and compassion of God—and the neglect of the righteousness and justice of God—that leads them to believe God will have mercy on every living soul. But the Scriptures do teach that some people will spend eternity in hell.

First of all, the Bible is clear that unredeemed men will dwell forever in hell. Jesus’ own words confirm that the time spent in heaven for the redeemed will last as long as that of the unredeemed in hell. Matthew 25:46 says, “Then they [the unsaved] will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” According to this verse, the punishment of the unsaved is just as eternal as the life of the righteous. Some believe that those in hell will eventually cease to exist, but the Lord Himself confirms that it will last forever. Matthew 25:41 and Mark9:44 describe hell as “eternal fire” and “unquenchable fire.”

How does one avoid this unquenchable fire? Many people believe that all roads—all religions and beliefs—lead to heaven, or they consider that God is so full of love and mercy that He will allow all people into heaven. God is certainly full of love and mercy; it was these qualities that led Him to send His Son, Jesus Christ, to earth to die on the cross for us. Jesus Christ is the exclusive door that leads to an eternity in heaven. Acts 4:12says, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” “There is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5). In John 14:6, Jesus says, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 3:16, “For 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.” If we choose to reject God’s Son, we do not meet the requirements for salvation (John3:16, 18, 36).

With verses such as these, it becomes clear that universalism and universal salvation are unbiblical beliefs. Universalism directly contradicts what Scripture teaches. While many people accuse Christians of being intolerant and “exclusive,” it is important to remember that these are the words of Christ Himself. Christians did not develop these ideas on their own; Christians are simply stating what the Lord has already said. People choose to reject the message because they do not want to face up to their sin and admit that they need the Lord to save them. To say that those who reject God’s provision of salvation through His Son will be saved is to belittle the holiness and justice of God and negate the need of Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf.Recommended Resources: Logos Bible Software and Four Views of Salvation in a Pluralistic World by Dennis L. Okholm & Timothy R. Phillips.

Romans 3:11God Wants Everyone Saved

• NAU 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord … is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

• John 3:16 "For God so loved the world…• 1 Timothy 2:3-4 …God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to

come to the knowledge of the truth.• Matthew 23:37…you were unwilling.• Acts 17:26-27 …every nation of mankind …that they would seek God• DLK, There is none who seek Him on there own initiative, but (Good

News)….• John 12:32 "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to

Myself.“• John 1:9 There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens

every man.• Isaiah 53:6 All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to

his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.