CCBlogs thinking critically, living faithfully

Chris Sissons' blog

If we are to take a radical approach to ethics, we need to understand what Christians mean by conversion. Let us start with the story of Nicodemus at John chapter 3:1. The most significant thing about Nicodemus is that he comes by night.

He is a Pharisee and a leader of the Jews and so it is likely he was a member of the Sanhedrin. He is a great man. So why does he come by night? The only conceivable answer is that he does not want to be seen with Jesus.

We never find out why he came to see Jesus because Jesus interrupts him before he can ask. It is possible he came to find out for himself as much as he could about Jesus. He starts by flattering Jesus, and so Jesus interrupts Nicodemus and tells him, he must be 'born from above' (v3)

Nicodemus does not understand and so Jesus explains some more. What is born of flesh is flesh, what is born of the spirit is spirit. This is a second birth. Jesus knows he is a learned man, a man who knows the law and the prophets. He knows what God has promised to the people of Israel. And yet he has found the more he knows of these texts, he is still far from the demands God makes through the law and prophets. Jesus is telling him, he needs to start over again, and find a radical change of perspective.... READ MORE.