I am one of the persons in a group on social media platforms. Our common denominator is being employed in one company for a considerable amount of time. Though, I’m not familiar with some members of the group I enjoy the chatter until an active religious pitches surfaces. Some members rebuke the author of the religious pitch with a highly fired rebuttal. Since the platform was not governed by any rules, the discussion became chaotic and absurd. For me. It’s time to get out.
In retrospect, I wonder why even if social media post is senseless it remains cool and in, and sometimes mortifying to people they label them as humor, and to extreme and complete nudity it’s considered art. However, a bible verse occupying a social media space mostly received dismissal or outright rebuttal. Sadly, these itchy people called themselves Christians.
Obviously, society has become the creator of its culture and undermined the established moral standard in human interaction. Individually, humans are becoming more narcissistic and indifferent. In liberated culture the standard parameters for what’s right or wrong no longer exists, everybody has the right to claim he is right. The Bible, which is widely considered the word of God, and used to be the foundation of morality especially for Christians, has become an impotent tool of instruction for human conduct, more so it is despise.
"2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV) 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
Our prospect with the continued wandering away from the natural course designed by the creator is obviously disastrous:
Geographically, human intervention in the natural dynamics of the earth in the guise of advancement has resulted in climate change that has become a phenomenal challenge. Can human intelligence match the mind of the designer of the universe?
Culturally, with the emancipation of bible centered parameters for right or wrong into multi-culture liberalism will inevitably result in conflicting views and interests. Neglecting the middle ground will fit the superpower against another superpower, survival of the fittest. The lesser power is destined for collateral disaster.
Currently, the above-cited facts are of global concern. It has adversely affected humanity on a massive scale. The trend is heading towards global disaster.
Relationship always involves more than one person. The connection, association, the interaction between two or more people is called their relationship. A relationship is an entity created by the parties in a relationship. It’s an entity separate from the entity of the parties in a relationship.
The four basic types of relationships; Family relationships, Friendships, Acquaintanceships, and Romantic relationships. Love is always the impetus of any type of relationship. But, the romantic relationship is more revealing and the most friable, thus, the prevailing idea in this article refers to a romantic relationship.
Here again! Blog about a romantic love, ‘February-love month’ is a breath away
A long-distance relationship is not the relationship gap that this blog is about. The mighty abyss of a relationship is between its current situation and what the parties want to become. In every relationship, this gap is always present, and if not properly bridged it will cause the breakdown. Most of the time, partners are coming from a different standpoint, it is necessary for both of them to have the same goal about their relationship. Having the same relationship goal is often overlooked by the couple, but mind you this is not a petty relationship hurdle unless you’re just for a momentary one. For a serious relationship, a journey is long and tough, though, showered with roses but it’s coupled with thorns. Sometimes you travel through a highway, but there are times you traverse on a bumpy and hilly way.
For a serious and lasting relationship, it must be built on a strong foundation. Probing from the words of wisdom of the creator, the author of relationship; “1 Corinthians’ 13:13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” These three pillars of relationship are the best bridges to connect the relationship gap. It is based beyond real thinking and physical perception.
Faith – is trusting your partner trying to make good things happen even if it looks impossible. Physical capability and ability may have limits, however, the mighty faith is capable to overcome those limits. In a broader sense, it’s resting yourself in your partner’s creation. Faith functions as the glittering lighthouse during the journey towards the relationship goal.
Hope – is the mindset of realization of your goal though it’s not real at the moment. Living at the fulfillment of desires though it still far fetch yet. But, it must be understood what’s in reality in order not to go astray. Hope functions as the guidepost embedded in the relationship goal.
Love – though similar to both hope and faith; are intangible and invisible, it is greater because it transcends from real to mystical. It is the catalyst of every element whether physical or mystical necessary to nurture a strong relationship. It makes the impossible doable. Love functions as the compass that will enable a dome and stormy journey towards the relationship goal.
The three (3) pillars as defined must be consciously practiced in building the relationship. The parties should look at and nurture their relationship separate from their own, as their firstborn before their first baby. Otherwise, the focus is confined on their self and often will estrange the other resulting to break apart. So keep the faith, hold on to the hope, and put the love burning to let the relationship last forever, or outlive one or the other.
The crucifixion is the pinnacle of Jesus Christ’s mission to the world, and the resurrection is the culmination. Allow me to hype my statement with an analogy of a swimmer competing in open water 5 km. race; reaching the finish line is the peak of the competition, while standing on the podium accepting the medal or a trophy is a culmination after a long preparation before the actual competition.
The almighty God decided to save the world through his only son Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ the Lamb of God was born like an ordinary man to be among men. God sent him to the world with a mission to save humanity from eternal damnation. Jesus Christ, the son of God has the foreknowledge of everything to happen in his earthly life, including the suffering unbearable to the ordinary man. He even foretold and warned his disciples and followers about most of them, particularly the betrayal and denial from his disciple, his crucifixion, and resurrection. Jesus knew the price he had to pay to save the world, yet He did it.
Matthew 26:39Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
The earthly ministry of Jesus Christ, from his teachings, miracle works, sufferings, and crucifixion is well documented with little debate. However, a bunch of skeptics discrediting the resurrection of Jesus Christ is quite notable.. So, for what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures(1 Corinthians 15:3-4)
The Resurrection Sunday – Jesus Has Risen
Luke 24:1-7 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ”
The significance of resurrection Sunday:
The resurrection proves Jesus was who he said he was; Jesus was not the only person who claimed to be the Messiah. Jesus said that many would come claiming to be the one. Indeed, many people claimed to be the Son of God and some are still alive today. But, what sets Jesus apart from all the rest? Jesus’ foreknowledge of everything to happen in his earthly life, among others is the empty tomb. Luke 9:22 And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” (rephrase from crosswalk.com article authored by Clarence L. Haynes, Jr.)
The Resurrection was prophesied; Not only was the resurrection prophesied about in the Old Testament, but Jesus told his followers what would happen throughout his earthly ministry. Even so, after the crucifixion, no one believed he would return. It was later that the disciples realized that Jesus had prepared them all along for what would happen. Psalm 16:10says “you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay.” Hosea 6:2says “after two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence.”Matthew 20:17-19And Jesus himself prophesied his resurrection. He took the Twelve aside and said to them, “We’re going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day, he will be raised to life!”(a clip from crosswalk.com article authored by Jennifer Heeren).
The Resurrection proves eternal life; Because of the resurrection, death lost its power and its sting. 1 Corinthians 15:55 Where, O, death is your victory? Where, O, death is your sting? Jesus lives to bring the glory of God to all who believe. He gives you hope and a future after death. This earthly life that we hold so dear is woefully short. Even one hundred years is nothing in the scheme of all history. But now we can look forward to life without end! We are living beyond the resurrection. We have seen how the world has changed since Jesus lived, died, and was raised. (rephrase from crosswalk.com article authored by Jennifer Heeren)
The Resurrection proves faith is greater than seeing is believing; Jesus gave definitive proof of the resurrection by showing himself to many people afterward. He talked to people and let people touch him. He reminded them that this had all been prophesied. And people believed after they saw. People fell to their knees and called him their Lord and God. Yes, Jesus let them see the proof of his resurrection. But he also said, John 20:29 “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” We that live today have a special blessing over the original disciples. We haven’t seen with our eyes, but our heart knows the presence and love of Christ. (rephrase from crosswalk.com article authored by Jennifer Heeren)
The resurrection is the seal of salvation on Christian faith; Christ died for our sins, was buried, and was raised on the third day. Then he appeared to many because he knew that sometimes humans must see to believe. Without the resurrection, there is no Christian faith. 1 Corinthians 15:17If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. The resurrection perfected our salvation through faith in Jesus Christ who ascended to the Father in heaven. (rephrase from crosswalk.com article authored by Jennifer Heeren)
Mark 15:34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lamasabachthani?‘ — which means, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’
Reflection:
Enduring three hours of a cruel beating while dragging his cross to the mount of Golgotha, Jesus Christ was crucified along with two rebels, one on his right and one on his left. He has lost a lot of blood, even before climbing the hill to Golgotha. The succeeding three hours while hanging on the cross, He received insults by the passers-by and mockery from the Jewish religious leaders and teachers of the law. At the sixth hour when the crowds were almost gone except for his perverse enemies and their soldiers watching and waiting for his death, darkness covered the whole area until the ninth hour. Jesus lasted only six hours on the cross. And at the ninth hour of punishment, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?‘ — which means, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’
The extremely painful experience that Jesus had on the cross, albeit having the foreknowledge about it, brought him to burst from inside out, realizing the heavy price he had to pay to save the world. “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”(Matthew 26:42).
Jesus addressed God as; My God instead of My Father at the pinnacle of his mission. Jesus, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:6-8)
Jesus Christ was found in appearance as a man, forsaken for our iniquities (Isaiah 59:2). He was the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29). “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
God made all this possible because He loves you and me so much.
What about us? We shout in chorus; we love God, but what have we done for God?
Prayer:
Almighty God, give us a loving heart to you and our fellow men, show us how to serve, care, and support one another. Guide all those who are called to lead and advocate progress, peace, and harmony in the world, neutralize and silence all their adversaries. Comfort those who live with grief. Calm their fears and lead them into peace and freedom. Help them see the light of heaven. Come embrace those in pain and physical suffering. May they feel you close to them. Strengthen and encourage all those who seek to serve and protect the vulnerable. Finally, we bring to mind any in our community that we know to be in need. May love and goodness fill our lives. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.
This phrase has puzzled not only Nicodemus but also many contemporary believers of Jesus. Let’s read the whole context in the NIV version.
John 3:1 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”
3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.[a]”4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit[b] gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You[c] must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”[d]“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.
Before we dive deeper to understand the perplexing words, it helps to explore first the ambient condition.
First; During the time of Jesus Christ, only Judaism existed as a religious order, and Nicodemus is one among its teachers. Therefore, it is very remote that Jesus deferred to a religious belief or a religion when He asked Nicodemus to be born again. It is not about religion.
Second; There are two different dimensions humans must live; the physical and the Spiritual dimension, Jesus explained to Nicodemus in verse 6. Unfortunately, Nicodemus and most of us don’t understand and are alienated from the Spiritual dimension. (Colossians 1:21) . We were Spiritually dead in our transgressions and sins (Ephesians 2:1).
Third; God’s love was showcased through His tolerance to human’s indifference about Spiritual matters, being aware of its separation from the Spiritual dimension (v7-9). Thus, He sent Jesus Christ, his only son to redeem and save humanity from eternal damnation.
Having said that, we’ll tackle what does born again mean?
On my birthdate, I was born to the flesh. I grew up alienated from God. Although, I believe in the existence of God, that He is loving, merciful, and almighty. I didn’t have any desire for Spiritual things, neither any sensibility. I attended religious activities and served a local community church, but it was for the sake of obeying my parents and elders, and participating in religious occasions were mostly for enjoyment along with neighborhood friends. I totally lived in my flesh, in the world filled with evils. The evils that greatly influenced the evolution of the world and its system. The system of the world that feeds the craving of the flesh. I was dead Spiritually, and I deserved then, the wrath of God.
Ephesians 2:1-3 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.
A moment in my life the grace of God by His mercy has caught me up. The Holy Spirit knocked on my worldly life. But my stubborn heart and arrogant mind were adamant on my worldly way of life. But in a long while, God’s unconditional love, abundant mercy, and persistent grace have unlocked the door of my life. I opened myself to the prodding of the Holy Spirit. I invited Him to come into my life. Then I experienced the moment in my life that in a real sense I don’t want to happen again, but my spirit is longing to experience it again. To tell the details of the moment is quite long, but it was like, I went through a psychological disorder, I acted like a mentally ill person. But I was fully conscious of my extreme swinging modes; from severe crying into loud out laughing with matching tears, CSF, and drools. It was beyond myself. God let me experience what He can do that I can’t. After an hour as I settled normally, then and there I knew I was born again. I started to like Godly things. I want to listen to gospel music. I love reading the bible. I earnestly seek more about God. I joined a church ministry and led bible study groups. I became aware of my accountability for my character. By God’s grace, I was elected to become one of His children through faith in Jesus Christ, the Lord, and savior.
Ephesians 2:4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly (Spiritual) realms in Christ Jesus.
Further, I would like to offer my understanding of John 3:5 particularly the phrase “born of water” interpreted by some as another independent event. For me, it is a corollary statement to John 3:3 detailing the essence of being born again. I would like to defer to Ezekiel 36:25-27. Water is an integral part of Spiritual regeneration prophesied by Ezekiel three centuries before Christ.
Ezekiel 36:25-27 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. 26 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. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
In line with our Spiritual regeneration, or being born again, our Spiritual life must grow and mature. We are not born and stay an infant indefinitely. The stage of growth in theology is sanctification. A continued process of cleansing the old worldly ways. The water represents the cleansing element that we have to live by it. Our old worldly ways will not leave us easily, it has rooted deep in our flesh. To be born of water is necessary for our Spiritual life. Otherwise, it will be overwhelmed by our flesh. Apostle Paul’s prayer appropriate for our sanctification process is in 1 Thessalonians 5:23.
“May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ”.
Being born again is the regeneration of our Spiritual life, restored into the family God. It is a fulfillment of a prophecy, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in us will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus, Amen.
Mapping journeys, building bridges. 