As I read this quote out of "Spurgeon Gold," I thought about Nicodemus in John chapter 3. Maybe you don't know about Nicodemus and his nocturnal dialogue with Jesus Christ, so let me lay a bit of it out here.
3:1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Three Things:
1. Religion can't save a man-I don't know anyone today who goes to Church as much as Nicodemus, as a Pharisee, probably went to Synagogue. Yet, Jesus told him squarely, 'you must be born again to see OR enter the Kingdom of God.' Dear Sir or Madam, your membership and active participation in the Church of your youth do nothing to earn you favor with God. I recall times of speaking with people about their need for the Savior, only to hear "I take my family to Church EVERY week." That says nothing of one's standing with God. Unless you are born again, you cannot (utter impossibility) see the Kingdom of God. As sad as it may seem, millions of very sincere folks sit in pews of Church services weekly, and have no idea that without repentance, there is no salvation. The Pharisees were expert at playing the part of religious folks, yet inwardly their hearts in many cases, were far from God. The Bible is chock-full of warnings for us to "examine ourselves, to be sure we are in the faith." Going to Church regularly, giving money and gifts to the poor and others, or even affirmation of the claims of Christ, mean nothing if one is not born again.
2. It is not enough to have head knowledge of Jesus-Sir or madam, maybe you walked down an aisle at Church, or said a "sinner's prayer" or otherwise made a public profession of faith in Christ. From that day till now, however, there has been no change in affections, hunger for the things of God, love of and growth in Holiness, love for the brethren, and a growing hatred of sin. I would admonish you to examine yourself. Matthew 7:21 has the Lord Himself exclaiming "depart from me, I never knew you" to folks who had even cast out demons in His name. Your "knowing" God is not going to be a pass to enter the Kingdom when you die and leave this earth. It's God's knowledge of YOU. Does the Lord know you as His own? If you are unsure, now is the time to examine yourself in light of Scripture.
3. The faith that saves, is a faith that changes-Did you know that the devils believe in God, and tremble at that belief? (James 2:19) We know that the devils aren't going to Heaven, so what is it that makes your belief different than theirs? Tears at the preaching of the Word (as Spurgeon illustrates), feeling bad when you wrong someone, or even being afraid of Hell do not prove that one has been made a child of God. You must be born again.
I realize that the type of self-examination that is required here is hard. It forces us to humble ourselves and honestly assess our situation before a standard that is much higher than our own. In light of what's at stake, there is nothing in the world more important. Even if you live to be 100 years-old, eternity proves that this life is but a vapor. Where will you spend your eternity, and on what basis do you believe that? There are some hard admissions to be made, even for believers. It is absolutely not only for the unbeliever to examine him/herself; it is the duty of every Christian to examine ourselves as well. 1 John gives us a good "test," if you will to conduct an examination of our faith. Please, if you read this and are unsure of the destiny of your eternal soul, take some time to consider this message:
You have to face God when you die. The Bible says all have sinned, and fall short of the Glory of God, this means you, I, and everyone human on this planet. There is none righteous, not even one. If you've told one lie that makes you guilty of breaking God's law. God's perfect justice requires that He punish sin, and His punishment for sin (which is in our nature, not just our activities) is eternity in Hell. This is horrid, yet there is hope. God the Father sent His Son Jesus (fully God and fully man) to the earth. He lived a life of perfection that none of us is able to replicate. He was murdered by Crucifixion (died on a Cross) took upon Himself the wrath of God that we all deserve. Three days later, He ROSE FROM THE DEAD!!!! He defeated the grave in conquering death! Through the perfect life of Christ, His shed blood, death, burial and resurrection, God grants forgiveness of sins and eternal life to all who believe. For this to happen, you MUST BE BORN AGAIN. This is a work that only God can accomplish. This is when God supernaturally gives you a new heart and comes to live in you in the person of the Holy Spirit. Because of this new heart and the Holy Spirit, there will begin to be a hunger for the righteousness of God that will lead to repentance, turning from sin, and trusting Christ as Lord and Savior. Repent, and obey the Gospel.
If you have read this and are a believer already, never forget the Gospel. It is not only how we come to be saved, it is how we are sustained day by day. The Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is a phenomenal truth-get out and share it with the lost.
