The Light Shines in the DarknessSample

Nobody can earn salvation by himself

“Jesus answered him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.’” (John 3:3)

In his conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus went straight to the core. He immediately addressed the issue that bothered Nicodemus most: how can people enter God’s kingdom?

Yesterday, I said that the Pharisees were trying very hard to please God by keeping all of his commandments (and even their own additions and interpretations of these commandments). So, if anybody could achieve righteousness through the law, the Pharisees were the first ones to reach this goal. But evidently, Nicodemus was not at ease with that. He understood that he could never meet God’s standards in his own power.

Jesus’ answer is radical and exclusive. There is only one way to have peace with God. You need to be born again.

Jesus agrees that keeping the law is important. He even says: “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). But He also makes clear that nobody is able to do that. Not even the Pharisees’ righteousness is sufficient to enter God’s Kingdom. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

We can’t earn our own salvation. We need to accept it as a free gift of grace.