Seems that in recent years the definition of “saved” has been shrunken and freeze-dried by today’s relative thought process reducing it to nothing more than “personal savior” talk. That is, our religious endeavors have become acts of convenience and self-promotion as opposed to sacrifice and surrender.
In modern times salvation follows the lines of my personal society. That is, I may have a personal home, personal car, personal computer, personal identification number, personal assistant—all I need now is personal salvation from my own personal savior.
Sure Jesus is personal, but unlike our iPhones, iPods, computers and the like, He is not robotic, plastic or programmable. We need our heart’s thoughts reoriented – we don't need the latest and greatest savior. We don’t need our own personal Jesus who is programmable; we need the Jesus of the cross. For it is the Jesus of the cross who personally steps into life, relates to each one of us and seeks to save us. What we need is to personally step into Jesus…
This leads us to John 3—the ultimate passage from the Bible on the need to have a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Here Jesus tells Nicodemus, a religious leader and member of the Jewish ruling council (Jn 3.1), that he needs to be born again—to become a spiritual newborn baby: “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again” (Jn 3.3).
Jesus gets personal with Nicodemus—very personal. Jesus knows what’s in Nicodemus’s heart, just like He knows what’s in everyone’s heart, and so does not need human testimony about people (Jn 2.24-25). Jesus knows that Nicodemus has been playing the religion game way too long and that he has flawed faith based on the traditions and testimonies of his old boys’ club (the Jewish ruling council) rather than true faith based on God’s Word and the Spirit.
That’ why Jesus responds to Nicodemus in the way He does—up front and directly. As Jesus connects with Nicodemus, He is not scorning him, but He is seeking to crack his hard heart bound up with the pride of his position and the praises of his peers. How often do we do what we do for the praise of others or another notch in the belt of pride? Like Nicodemus, we need new flesh, a new heart, a new birth. We need Jesus.
And so are you saved? Saved from the hustle and bustle of the world? Saved from the necessity of “keeping up with the Jones’?” Are you saved from a life of self-promotion, self-righteousness and self-elevation?
Being saved is the realization that everyday, every moment, every thought, every action—all that I am needs Jesus. Everyday our prayer should be: “Holy Spirit lead me deeper into Jesus and save me.” Are you saved?
In modern times salvation follows the lines of my personal society. That is, I may have a personal home, personal car, personal computer, personal identification number, personal assistant—all I need now is personal salvation from my own personal savior.
Sure Jesus is personal, but unlike our iPhones, iPods, computers and the like, He is not robotic, plastic or programmable. We need our heart’s thoughts reoriented – we don't need the latest and greatest savior. We don’t need our own personal Jesus who is programmable; we need the Jesus of the cross. For it is the Jesus of the cross who personally steps into life, relates to each one of us and seeks to save us. What we need is to personally step into Jesus…
This leads us to John 3—the ultimate passage from the Bible on the need to have a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Here Jesus tells Nicodemus, a religious leader and member of the Jewish ruling council (Jn 3.1), that he needs to be born again—to become a spiritual newborn baby: “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again” (Jn 3.3).
Jesus gets personal with Nicodemus—very personal. Jesus knows what’s in Nicodemus’s heart, just like He knows what’s in everyone’s heart, and so does not need human testimony about people (Jn 2.24-25). Jesus knows that Nicodemus has been playing the religion game way too long and that he has flawed faith based on the traditions and testimonies of his old boys’ club (the Jewish ruling council) rather than true faith based on God’s Word and the Spirit.
That’ why Jesus responds to Nicodemus in the way He does—up front and directly. As Jesus connects with Nicodemus, He is not scorning him, but He is seeking to crack his hard heart bound up with the pride of his position and the praises of his peers. How often do we do what we do for the praise of others or another notch in the belt of pride? Like Nicodemus, we need new flesh, a new heart, a new birth. We need Jesus.
And so are you saved? Saved from the hustle and bustle of the world? Saved from the necessity of “keeping up with the Jones’?” Are you saved from a life of self-promotion, self-righteousness and self-elevation?
Being saved is the realization that everyday, every moment, every thought, every action—all that I am needs Jesus. Everyday our prayer should be: “Holy Spirit lead me deeper into Jesus and save me.” Are you saved?
