Many years ago there lived in Jerusalem a man named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. He was connected with a respectable denomination called the Pharisees, who followed all the laws and traditions strictly, and rigidly kept all the fasts and feasts.
During the Passover week when a great many strangers from all over the country were in the city, there was a great stir about one Jesus of Nazareth who was at that time in Jerusalem. He was said to be working miracles and had thrown out of the temple a number who had been making a market of that holy place. The denomination to which Nicodemus belonged was against Him, almost to a man.
In spite of this, Nicodemus was not satisfied. He would not be led by public opinion, but was determined to go and hear for himself. So after it was dark one night he set off alone to have an interview with Jesus.
This shocked him; he believed in men being religious and keeping the law, but of being born again he knew nothing. Then Jesus told him something else more startling: “Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” Not only wicked men, like thieves and murderers, need to be born again, but also you-your own self!
This cuts at the root of all religion. It does not matter how good people are, or what denomination they belong to; Jesus says they must be born again or never enter the kingdom of God. They may say their prayers, read their Bibles, and “do the best they can,” but if they are not born again they cannot see the kingdom of God. It’s a must be.
A man once said that he did not think he needed to born again because he was brought up religiously as a Christian. Now, if any man could have gone to heaven without it, that man was Nicodemus, and yet to him the Savior said: “Ye must be born again.” We know that Nicodemus believed the necessity for the new birth and that he received it. He was quite literally born again! That timid man, who came to Jesus in the dark so that no one would know, later stood boldly in the midst of the chief priests and Pharisees and defended Jesus. Truly, a new man.
What must one do to be born again? Not pray for it; not work for it; not try to love God, but receive Jesus Christ, the gift of God. Listen! “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son,” and “as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.”
When a person receives Jesus Christ, he becomes a Christian. In other words, he becomes God’s child.
Have you received Jesus as your own Savior? Are you a believer? Do you believe that the Jesus who died for you was the Christ of God-that He lived, He died, and He rose again, for you? If not, you are at this moment outside the kingdom of God. If you live outside and die outside, you will be outside of heaven but inside of hell forever.