50 Days of Wisdom

In John chapter 3, there's a conversation about regeneration, the new birth, and it flows through three segments. There is the sinner's worry; we see that in Nicodemus. There is the Savior's Word. And then finally, the Spirit's work. The message is that the kingdom of salvation, forgiveness of sin, eternal life, and heaven is open only for those who abandon all self-effort. It's a work of God. Let's start with Nicodemus: "There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, 'Rabbi, we know You have come from God as a teacher, for no one can do these things that You do unless God is with him.'" In his heart, Nicodemus knew he was fake, phony, and a hypocrite. His religion was all on the outside, but inside he was empty in his fear, with doubt and anxiety that was tearing up his soul because he wasn't sure he was going to heaven. That's his problem. So who does he go to? He goes to Jesus, and Jesus says, "Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." In other words, you're not going to get one foot in the door of heaven unless you're born again. The reason Jesus said that was because He knew the sinner's worry. He knew what was worrying Nicodemus. How did He know that? Because Nicodemus was a loyal religionist. He is a Pharisee and a legalist of legalists. He's reached the apex of Judaism, and he's not in the kingdom, and he knows it, and his heart is full of fear. He has no peace, joy, or sense of assurance or forgiveness. And in his heart he's crying out, "What do I do?" or "What do I stop doing?" Because all he's ever known is "to do"; it's a works system. And our Lord says to him, "Nobody enters the kingdom who's not born again," which is to say you've got to go all the way back and start all over. That comment simply says this: all accumulated religion, all accumulated morality, and all accumulated human goodness adds up to absolutely zero with God; it's all meaningless. So there he is in his empty condition, and he knows it. That's the sinner's worry. Now we come to the Savior's Word in verse 3. And Jesus says, "Unless one is born again, or born from above, he cannot see or enter or participate in the kingdom of God." That's regeneration. You have to be spiritually born. You have to have a new nature, new life, and recreation. And it's not by the will of man (chapter 1 verse 13), and it's not by the will of the flesh, not by human blood, but by God. That means if you're going to be in the kingdom of God, you need a new heart. The final point is the Spirit's work at the end of verse 6: "That which is born of the Spirit is spirit." That means that this is a work that only the Holy Spirit can do. How does that work? Verse 8, "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it but do not know where it comes from and where it's going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit." This is another analogy that takes spiritual birth completely out of the hands of the sinner. You can't control the wind, and you can't control your spiritual birth. Like the wind, it comes from above. It's a divine miracle that comes down from heaven in which we do not participate. We didn't participate in our election before the foundation of the world, and we do not participate in our regeneration in time. It's all a work of God. Repent and believe! GTY.org (43-13) – God's Role in Regeneration

Today's Wisdom

Day: 986

July 31, 2026

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Grace and peace,

My name is Mark Paul from Wauchula, Florida, and like the Apostle Peter said in 2 Peter 1:14, "I know that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent." Consequently, my goal is to leave a legacy that will continue to advance the kingdom of God long after I have departed. In other words, bear fruit for eternity. And by simply reading and sharing my free eBooks, you too become contributors to the advancement of His kingdom. Thank you for partaking in this endeavor, and I look forward to greeting you on heaven's shore.

The Truth in Love,

Mark Paul - Servant of God

Now grant, O Lord, that when the souls who read these books cast their eyes upon these lines, their minds may be illuminated and their consciences convinced and awakened, that they may see with their eyes, hear with their ears, and be converted so that You may heal them. Amen!