John Chapter 3 Discussion Page 8

How to understand the Bible

That was a great statement of Truth & your belief on salvation & the Christian life that you shared, & it certainly augers well for your Pastor Bryce in his clear ministry to each of you who meet there. And we can take confidence in the fact that its "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost" ( Titus 3:5). There was nothing, absolutely nothing, we could do to contribute to this great Work of Salvation gifted to us through Jesus Christ. It's all of Grace made effectual by faith: and this whole 'deal' (i.e. grace through faith) is God's Gift to us. We needed both from Him: His Grace & His Gift of Faith - nothing we could generate from our corrupt sinful selves - it's all from Him and all for Him.

Walk confidently & in holiness, in the joy of your Lord, my dear sister.

What I believe about salvation is this. It's like what my pastor said, which you can look him on YouTube or Facebook, Bryce Vandiver, unless you live in Granbury then go visit Bible Baptist Church in Granbury on Wednesday nights and Sunday morning s at 10 An Sunday school, 11 AM morning service and 2pm in the afternoons and 7pm on Wednesday nights, but it's like he said that we can not earn our way into heaven by our good works. I believe when I was a sinner that The Holy Spirit, God, or Jesus told me I wasn't saved and I believed I wasn't and came to Christ. Then, as a newborn baby in Him, I wanted to do everything Godly and righteous. I do believe there is no such thing as a second chance, but I do believe God gives us so many opportunities to accept His son and then there comes one last opportunity that He speaks to our hearts and we either take it or don't. I can say I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, but it doesn't mean anything unless on purpose I act on faith by saying what I believe. The scriptures says It is by faith through grace we are saved. But it also says to be a doer and not hearer only. Now, we are not perfect because we are not God, but I believe we should try to make ammends with God and the people we have failed. And people we love fail us too. So let's forgive, forget, move ahead and remember God is judge.

If you had experienced conversion and received the life-changing gift of the Holy Ghost, would you need a second chance?

"I once was, but now I am." There is no 30 day "Free Trial" period.

I am putting together a study on Matthew 5-7, the Sermon on the Mount. As I did a cut and paste I removed the verse numbers and am in the process of adding an outline to the text. Chapter numbers are retained.

The addition of verse numbers has had a negative effect on learning the teachings of Jesus we are missing much when we are presenting a verse.

Thanks for the clarification, Robynn. My last comment pertained to yours: "Who were these spirits Jesus preached to and freed?" I took this to mean that those spirits imprisoned had the Gospel preached to them & subsequently freed (whether by virtue of the message given them or the need for their response to it). I don't believe either took place. We generally assume that the Gospel was preached, but could it be something else? That is, the event may not have happened at Christ's death but at another occasion? That it wasn't the Gospel that came to them, but another announcement &/or pronouncement? That the caged spirits might still be in chains after Christ's Word to them?

My fear is that so often we ascribe an understanding & teaching to a passage that gives us very little detail to properly form a correct understanding, whether we've heard a sermon or read a book about it. If something isn't clear, then it does take quite an effort to just leave the matter & say, "We just don't know".

And no apology needed. You have every right to share your thoughts so that those who read them may also contemplate, assess & respond if necessary. Thank you for what you shared & the Lord bless you.

Reply to Robynn John 3

Good day

Romans 8:35-39 who shall seperate us from the Love of God. God is Love. Most people love with conditions, where God's love on unconditional. We even treat God that way ,if we don't get what we ask from God,He becomes none existant.

Grace is love,Ephesians 2v8 we are saved by Grace through faith. We don't deserve this Grace,but gave it because of His incredible Love for us.

Thanks Chris for your reply. I agree with you on what the scriptures state. I was not implying that there is in fact a purgatory or a second chance. No sir, the Bible does not state that. My comment was more along the line of deep thinking of things that make you go hmmm...in an effort to stir up the spiritual mind of our Christian family. That is why I advised to seek the Holy Spirit's input on the matter. I would never teach people will have a second chance at repentance if they reject the gospel here. Again, as you stated, there are things we are just uncertain about.

I may have been out of line for making my statement on a public forum, I apologize. Please charge it to my head and not my heart.

Thank you for your response. I agree, the Jews that chose to reject our Savior have condemned themselves

Luke being a medical doctor described a great divide. The way I interpret this, those that accepted Christ are on one side of this divide with Christ in Heaven and those that rejected him are on the other side waiting judgment along with those that have never heard waiting on their opportunity to hear and either accept or reject him. Remember when Christ was crucified he went to where those that hadn't heard about the plan of salvation, because it hadn't happened yet and they were still under the law and he witnessed to them giving them the opportunity to accept or reject salvation. I don't believe anyone gets a second chance but I do believe the Gospel teaches all will have the opportunity to accept or reject Salvation. God Bless !

Thank you Robynn for your comments/questions & if I may respond.

1. Indeed, God's Love for all mankind is so immense & unfathomable that He continued to engage with us even when everything about us warranted our complete extermination. But that Love persisted as we read in Romans 5:8; 2 Peter 3:9.

2, 3, 4. 1 Peter 3:18-20. The focus in this passage is on 'the Spirit'. The same Spirit that brought Jesus back alive from the dead was also by the same means (i.e. the Spirit) that Jesus went to the spirits held in prison.

Now, this is the only passage we have on this visit by Jesus, though there are references to spirits in chains ( Jude 6; Revelation 20:1-3). And I realize that many Christians attempt to place the event in 1 Peter 3, to Jesus' visit at the time of His death. It could well be but we cannot be certain of this as we are simply given very limited detail. And in the context of Peter's writing, this visit was not his focus. All we know is that Jesus did visit at some point & specifically to those who were disobedient in the days of Noah; when that took place is not revealed.

And "how much does God love people?" As mentioned, His Love knows no bounds. But His pure Love equates to His pure Justice. And if we think that God's Love must also allow for sinners, whether they've come under the sound of the Gospel or not, to have a second chance to hear, repent & receive, then what is the point of preaching the Gospel now, why did the apostles & myriads of other faithful saints suffer brutally & horrible deaths, if there was a second opportunity for lost souls? "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." - no second chances, no purgatory.

Pat, if I may direct you to Romans 2:12-16:

"For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel."

Here we see the Apostle Paul's teaching on those who have sinned "in the Law" (i.e. the Jews who were given God's Law to abide by & to judge themselves as those who failed in keeping the Law perfectly), and those who 'perish' (note: not 'sinned', since sin is effected, accountable & punishable by God by the giving of a Law, Romans 3:20) without having received the Law.

So to the Jew who remains under the burden of the Law & not in receipt of God's Grace in Christ, they will be judged by the Law, & they will fail, for none could ever keep the Law perfectly ( Galatians 2:21b:"for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.").To the Gentile (non-Jew) who in days past never received or even heard of God's Laws & therefore never subject to its conditions, Paul says that these may not have the written Law in stone/parchment, but by nature perform the Law as written upon their hearts; it's now their conscience that accuses them of doing wrong or excuses their sins, that God sees & thus judges. Certainly not like getting God's Commands directly, but when both Jew & Gentile have to stand before God, the judgement meted to them will be based on the Law whether given directly or written in their hearts/consciences.

And that's why the Gospel is so important: it is salvation to all.

Hello Brooke,

I like your question because it is the same thing I used to think. In my belief. Once you are saved by the Lord Jesus Christ and have a personal relationship with God there is no more need to fear Him. As pure love, for Him, will take over and your entire life with everything you do surrounds Him. In living your life after the foot steps of Christ. Living a life that makes God happy. After repentance from things of this world and living a life of Holiness, grace, and truth. Actually doing our best seriously to stay away from the sins of this world because that is what makes God happy.

Another way to look at it is the Hebrew word "yirah" for "fear" can also mean "respect, reverence, or piety". Hopefully people won't take this the wrong way and that I don't think there should be fear of God. As one of the verses states, that Adam posted, how God is Almighty and can destroy the body and soul of the evil and wicked. Sometimes fear is what may drive people toward God. Of coarse you have to believe in Him first which is a big problem in this world today.

So if you truly have an intimate relationship with God. There is no need to fear Him as love overcomes fear. Of coarse your respect and reverence for Him will be through your love. Living your life for Him. Your true love will shine to Him. Here's a couple verses you may like. God Bless you sister.

Psalms 31:23

Psalms 91

Psalms 97:10

Psalms 145:20

Proverbs 8:7

2 Timothy 1:7

2 Corinthians 7:1

1 John 4:7-19. All of, 1 John is a good book on the love of God.

This is a reply on Chris's comment about judgment & hell. But I'm going to comment on it in a series of questions that I believe many bible believing Christians should think and pray on.

1) How much does God love people?

2) Where did Jesus Spirit go during the three days His body was in the earth?

3) Consider this: 1 Peter 3:18-20 NKJV "For Christ also suffer once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared..."

4) Who were these spirits Jesus preached to and freed?

Finally, I'll ask again, how much does God love people? I encourage everyone to think on this, and converse with the Holy Spirit.

does that mean that we do not have a second chance at forgivness

I don't believe God will condemn anyone to hell who has not heard about Jesus, who has not had the opportunity to choose

I understand that those who have rejected Christ now or died not having heard the Gospel are consigned to hell. And there is no second chance for anybody. Hebrews 9:27, "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgement". The decision we make in this life is the one & only opportunity we all have. It's a message many don't want to hear - but if we don't tell them, we have sealed their fate.

Revelation 20: 13-15

13And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.14And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.15And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Do people that were in hell still have a chance of being in the book of life?

Hello, I believe these verses explain and provide the answer to your question:

Matthew 10:28

Luke 12:5

Matthew 7:13-29

Link

Why does the Bible keep repeating to fear God? I've gone to church since I was a kid and am saved. Why does it say to fear him when I should Love him and look forward to going to Heaven to be with him?

Will we know our love ones in heaven ?

Personal vision : Sign of the Serpent in the sky 09/2040, possible Apocalypse then, not now (end of 2020).

In John chapter 3, we have the account of Nicodemus, a Pharisee, a religious leader who adhered strictly to the Law but lacked spiritual understanding to what God was truly seeking in him & us. When he approached Jesus at night, Jesus perceived that his lovely statement about Him ("Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him."), was veiled with the inference that 'I too am a devoted teacher of God's Word & obedient to every command of God'. Jesus, seeing right into his heart as Jesus usually did with people, came out with, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

At this comment, Nicodemus must have thought ('marvelled'): "this is something new I've never heard of before". Or more likely, he believed that he had one up on Jesus, that He speaks with forked tongue when saying that a re-birth (or, a second chance) must be given to a person to come out for another try to be righteous enough to enter God's Kingdom. So Jesus went on to explain that was not the meaning, but that just as in a physical birth (by water), so there must be a spiritual birth (a rebirth by God's Spirit) to enter God's Presence. In the flesh, we are sinners destined for punishment, as those devoid of God & spurning His Love for us. But when we repent from our sins & turn to God by faith in Jesus' Work at Calvary, then a spiritual re-birth takes place, whereby our human spirit is renewed & refreshed by God's Spirit.

Of course, the story in John 3 was pre-Cross, but the Truth was laid out before Nicodemus, & we can only wonder how those words he heard from Jesus would have affected his heart at the time of Jesus' crucifixion. We know that in John 19:39, Nicodemus voluntarily spent much money to purchase the necessary embalming ingredients for Jesus' Body, which might indicate something of a spiritual work in him earlier on & culminating at the Cross.

It means there is a physical birth and a spiritual birth and not to be suprised that a spiritual rebirth is required.

Explain John Chapter 3 v 7 Thank you

Comments by Alex on John 3 : 6 Jesus said that which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is spirit thus we see 2 kinds of creatures but 1 is God ,Thats y Jesus said God is spirit and them that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth for the father seeketh such to worship him . I.E. means spirits can be born in us via his seed the Word ,which are the Children of Promise ,the H.G. plural .The FATHER seeks such to worship him .i.e the FATHER wants us to birth a new innerman which is the H.G. th spirit of truth. The Israel of God which are Spirits . The babes and sucklings Jesus spoke of . Romans 9 v 8 says that flesh and blood are not the children of God ,Its the Children of PROMISE that are counted for that GOOD SEED which is the H.G. OUR NEW INNERMAN that is born of the spirit in US, he is the Promise seed , We are just a joint heir with the H.G. That new creature , new to us but old to God simply b/c he was with God before the world was. Remember Jesus said they will bring forth things new and old outa of their treasure ( our hearts ) Which are the babes and sucklings that are gonna be born in US SINNERS . Remember a little child is gona lead them which is the H.G. Thats y the new birth is so important simply b/c the Kingdom is gona come via a birth within US . Outa of the mouths of babes and sucklings ( THE Children of PROMISE ) thou has perfected PRAISE, A lil child is gonna lead them which is the H.G. THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH that is gonna reprove the WORLD of sin and Judgement,Any time ya read of Judgement its always b/c of the H.G. AND FIRE As our God is a Consuming fire Judgement . Thats y Jesus said I come to bring Fire on the earth ,which is his baptism of fire and the H.G. WHICH IS JUDGEMENT . Who shall abide the day of his coming , Who shall stand when he appears ( 2 nd coming ) for he shall be as a REFINERS FIRE and fullers soap meaning a cleansing fire that we sooo need as our God is a consuming fire. thank ya Jesus.

In Matthew 3:16. The Bible says that he went straightway out of the water. It can be implied that this was full immersion. But it does not plainly say he was completely immersed. It is of my opinion that he was immersed into a watery grave to symbolize what was to come. His death, burial, and resurrection. There are many opinions to how he was baptized, and how we are to baptize today. I hope this helps a little.

You have to read john 3:12 -19

it talks about jesus the saver of everyone

1. Nicodemus, a Pharisee (a Jewish religious leader) was confused by Jesus' expression 'that a man must be born again before he can see the Kingdom of God'. To the natural mind, a birth/re-birth can only be a physical event, making any other meaning confusing & laughable. Yet, Jesus explained that He wasn't talking about a physical birth but a spiritual birth (something that the Pharisee knew nothing about). He knew something about God's Spirit but that the Spirit could do such a work in man was unthinkable. When a person, a sinner, confesses his sinful condition to God & asks for forgiveness, God does forgive him based on the death & resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ. As Jesus, the sinless Sacrifice of God, gave up His Life as our substitute (since sinful man cannot atone for his own sins), God accepted that Sacrifice, thus allowing all who come to Him through Jesus might be completely forgiven. As soon as that happens, the sinner is saved from the penalty of his sins & given God's Spirit to indwell Him making him a new person. This transaction: giving of oneself over to God as God then gives Himself to indwell the new person, is what is termed 'being born again': being born anew by the Power & Presence of God.

2. Romans 10:9 speaks of what a sinner's action before God, i.e. "confessing the Lord Jesus" (acknowledging both Jesus' divinity & humanity & that the Sacrifice is all the sinner needs to be saved) & "believing in the heart that God indeed raised Jesus from the grave". When one looks at these aspects, there are not many who can truly acknowledge these Truths. Whereas the new birth in John 3 speaks of God's action in the sinner by making him new & giving of His Spirit to indwell.

3. True, spiritual rebirth is synonymous with Spirit baptism. But to be born of water, I understand to mean a reference to one's physical birth. As Nicodemus spoke of the physical birth, Jesus said that both the physical ( Jn 3:6) & spiritual births are necessary to be saved.

1. Can you tell me what Jesus meant when He told Nicodemus you must be born again?

2. is this new birth different from Roman's 10:9?

3. Being born of the Spirit could mean being baptized with the Holy Spirit but what does it means to be born of water?

The Greek word "baptisma" seems to indicate a full immersion/submerging, yet we have to consider that in respect to Jesus' baptism, it was what we refer to as John's baptism. And we know, that this baptism was not our Christian/Believers' Baptism, as it was only an indication of a person's contrition over his sins & repentance. It couldn't mean any identification with Jesus' death & resurrection as that didn't occur yet, but it certainly looked forward to that special time when a full & true cleansing would take place.

That is why John said, "I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?" Jesus didn't need to repent as He was sinless, so John was saying that, if anything, in your presence, I need to be rather baptized of you. So, if we take into account the Jewish baptism (tvilah) which involved full immersion/cleansing from various impurities of the flesh, then it's likely that John's baptism was also a full immersion, but for demonstrating the need for cleansing of the impurities of the heart.

Yes. It shows the Death (going under the water and the resuration coming up out of the water of Jesus.)