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John 3:7 |
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John 3:7 |
A columnist in our newspaper was getting on President Bush for using the word, "must".
He quoted from his speech at Virginia Military Institute: "Every leader, every state must choose peace or the path of terrorism. That's a whole lot of unilateral insistence. It reflects the absolutist tone."
He further states, quote: "It is the ultimate tool of stern teachers, angry parents, imperialistic judges and domineering bosses. It is not the language of diplomacy."
The Bible also uses the word "must"(132 times in 126 verses in the whole Bible). But when God uses the word, it's more than a president verbalizing determination and resolve. God can and does back His Word, with total dominance over the entire universe.
The first "must" to consider here, is in John 4:4 --- "And He must needs go through Samaria." This is the "must" of missions. I like this "must" Jesus is determined to go into Samaria to confront a lost woman, He times it just right to meet her as she comes to the town's well for water.
I like the fact He would go, in fact walk 5 or 6 hours to meet with a non Jewish lady, to tell her how to be saved. He reaches out to others including non-Jews. When she realized that He is the Saviour, she received Him as her personal Saviour. "She left her water pot, ." returned into town rejoicing, and invited others to, "Come see a man which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?" --- John 4:29.
In John 3:14 --- "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:" This is the "must" of redemption. In order for God to forgive sin, there has to be a redemption price paid. God doesn't wink at sin, or just sweep it under the carpet.
Nor will He accept some religious substitute, like lighting a candle, or some good works, or even ritual. No, no. In order to redeem lost sinners, their sins must be atoned for. 1 Peter 3:18 --- "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:" So Jesus must be "lifted up", or crucified. It had to be, in order to provide the human race redemption. Why? "That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:15.
In John 20:9 "For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.
This is the "must" of resurrection. Those at the tomb, had no idea, that Jesus would not be there, but risen bodily. They should have, He told them repeatedly, Matthew 16:21, is one, "From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day." But they didn't grasp it. So look at this, --- His resurrection was promised in the scriptures, so He must bodily come forth. By putting it in the Scriptures, some of them hundreds of years prior, God obligates Himself. Believe me, God does not do this recklessly. Remember God cannot lie. Jesus was obligated to come forth from that tomb on the third day. Heaven had no options, He must rise again.
Another reason He must come forth is to show Himself a victor over sin. If He didn't or couldn't He then would be no better than ordinary humanity. Death holds us. But He must come out of it. Proving He had conquered sin, proving sin and death could never hold Him, and demonstrating once and for all that He is The "KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS."
This must holds another promise for us who are saved. John 14:19 ". . . because I live, ye shall live also." God obligated Himself, - - - fantastic! Praise His wonderful name, He brought it to pass exactly as He predicted! He arose!
In John 3:7 "Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again."
This is the must of regeneration. This must is addressed to "Ye" or you. Jesus is speaking to a very religious, but very lost man, Nicodemus. His religion was strict, demanding, rigid, laborious, and very worthless, to save his soul. Jesus went straight to the point, "Ye must be born again." Just mere religion is not going to help one iota. God requires the "new birth", ". . . Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish." Luke 13:5
He's right - - - the word, "must" is the ultimate tool of a stern, (in this case) God. It is "pointed and potent" to inferiors. The obvious is to do exactly as God says, "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:" -- John 1:12. When we do, God is quick to keep His promises to the penitent. CW