John 3:1-8

Until John, we have been using older manuscripts of Ryle's Expository Thoughts. Just recently, though, EP Publishing has put out a lightly updated version of Ryle's work, which I am now working from. If you are interested in a physical copy of the Expository Thoughts, you can find it HERE.

John 3:1-8

1. We should notice what a weak and feeble beginning someone may make in Christian faith and yet finally prove a strong Christian.
2. We should notice what a mighty change our Lord declares to be needful to salvation and what a remarkable expression He uses in describing it.
3. We should notice the instructive comparison which our Lord uses in explaining the new birth.

"We must not set down someone as having no grace because their first steps towards God are timid and wavering and the first movements of their soul are uncertain, hesitating and stamped with much imperfection."

"The change which our Lord here declares needful to salvation is evidently no slight or superficial one. It is not merely reformation, amendment, moral change or outward alteration of life. It is a thorough change of heart, will and character. It is a resurrection. It is a new creation. It is a passing from death to life. It is the implanting in our dead hearts of a new principle from above. It is the calling into existence of a new creature with a new nature, new habits of life, new tastes, new desires, new appetites, new judgments, new opinions, new hopes and new fears. All this and nothing less than this is implied when our Lord declares that we all need a new birth."

"Would we know what the marks of the new birth are? We shall find them already written for our learning in the First Letter of John. The man or woman born of God believes that Jesus is the Christ, does not commit sin, does righteousness, loves other believers, overcomes the world, keeps themselves from the wicked one. This is the one born of the Spirit!"

Questions:

1. Ryle draws out the implication that Nicodemus started poorly, coming to Jesus by night, but ends strong. I don’t know about you, but it can be tempting to despise the day of small things in faith. An onlooker would not have had much hope for Nicodemus. We like bold, clear, and evident fruit. Would we not find encouragement in this example to, like our Lord, take people by the hand and deal with them gently and lovingly?

2. Jesus is absolutely clear that, by using the expression of the new birth, that we need to be born from above, and that without it, we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven or would we want to live there. Salvation is a work of God. Has God done this, and is He continuing to produce in us, new habits of life? New tastes? New desires? New appetites? New judgements? New opinions? New hopes? New fears?

3. Ryle, in this last portion, highlights some further questions from the book of 1 John that show the sound and effects of the Spirit in our lives that can help us discern where we are at. Let us carefully examine ourselves under their light. Do we believe that Jesus is the Christ? Do we fight against sin in our lives? Are we growing in righteousness? Do we love other believers? Are we overcoming the world by our faith? Are we keeping ourselves from the evil one? May such fruit be found in our lives for the glory of God and our joy in Him!