but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is
Everyone who is born of the spirit". John 3:8
In this reading, we saw that Jesus told Nicodemus, a Pharisee member of the Jewish council, that a person must be born again in order to enter the kingdom of zgod. Predictably, Nicodemus was stunned and bewildered by Jesus' declaration. "'How can a man be born when he is old?"' He asked, the followed up with a crass question as to whether Jesus meant that a man must re-enter his mother's womb and e erge again. Here is one of the most learned men in Israel standing by a theological cincept expressed by Jesus. But his reaction is not unique. Many believers down through the centuries have struggled to understand the process of regeneration. They have done so because regeneration is extremely mysterious. In fact, at it's root is impenetrable.
Jesus acknowledges as much in His conversation with Nicodemus.
"'The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it,"' He says, "'but (you) cannot tell where it cones from and where it goes. So it's everyone who is born of the spirit."' He is saying that the wirk of the spirit in regeneration is something like wind. We can hear the wind howling, we can feel the breeze against our cheek, and we can even see the devastating result when the wind blows with terrible force. But these are se ondary things we cannot see the wind itself. Even so, we cannot detect the Holy Spirif as He comes to regenerate our hearts, for Ge leaves no footprints. We even pinpoint the momemt of our spuritua resurrection. Nevertheless, regeneration is a spiritual reLity that takes plCe internally and transform a person to meet the requirement for seeing the kingdom of God.
Because of this mysterious nature of regeneration, many professing Christian struggle to find assurance that regeneration has truly occurred in their lives. It can be difficult to find certainty about the states of our own souls, let alone those of others. But the regeneration wrought by the spirit shows itself in changes to the nature of the person who is born again. At rebirth, the internal disposition of our souls is renewed, so that we come an affection for God we did not have before. This affection is far from perfect, but it is there and it is real. Our hearts begin beating for God and we begin to manifest the fruit of. Changed life.
Fo you struggle with assurance that you have been truly born again? Scripture makes clear that God wishes His children to have such assurance. Mediate those things study the verses and apply them to yourself. Do you see evidence of supernatural change in your life? If so, rejoice, ans rest assured that you will indeec see the kingdom of God.
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