My wife and I went to dinner with my son and his wife.  I took out my glasses, which were the expensive type.  The lenses were progressive.  The more I tilted my head back, the greater was the magnification.  Today, I’ve given up on them.  My eyes have degraded to the point they don’t help much.

At any rate, I took one look at the menu and got quite a fright.  I said aloud that there must be something wrong with my eyes.  I couldn’t read the menu.

My son laughed and said, “You’re missing one of your lenses.”

Okay.  That was a relief.  Sure enough, when I removed my glasses and inspected them, it was easy to see that one of the lenses was missing.  Fortunately, it had fallen out while the glasses were in my glasses case.  When I shook it a few times, the lens fell out.  With a little effort, I persuaded the lens to take its place and I was able to easily read the menu.

In the third chapter of John, Jesus said, “Unless a man be born again, he shall not see the Kingdom of God.”

Today, we don’t give the statement its proper respect.  We hear a person is a born again Christian and we pay it little attention.  However, we should realize the situation for Nicodemus, the man to whom Jesus was talking.  He had never heard the expression before and he was genuinely confused.

With the one statement, Jesus had managed to accomplish three things, that is besides the confusion.  First, he stated a fact, one that is just as true today as it was then.  It is just as true for us as it was for Nicodemus.  Unless a man is born of the Holy Spirit, he will not see the Kingdom of God.

Second, he got Nicodemus’s attention.  Sometimes, a little confusion is good.  It piques the curiosity and causes us to pay attention.  To be sure; Jesus had Nicodemus’s undivided attention.

Third, it challenged Nicodemus’s pride.  Pride is a bad thing.  God hates it especially because it can and frequently does get in the way of our salvation.  Because of pride, we don’t believe we need salvation.  Because of pride we think we can provide for our own salvation.  Because of pride, some people believe they have no need of God.  Jesus was dealing with the pride that separated Nicodemus from salvation, both here and in the following verses.

If I may, I would like to return to Jesus’s first accomplishment, the statement of fact.  With the one statement, Jesus excluded many from The Kingdom of God.  To be sure, most are far too proud to be born again.  Many don’t believe it is needed.  Far too many think of it as optional.  Some even think it is dumb.

Jesus said it is mandatory.  Like it or not, that is the way it is.  God makes the rules.  Jesus, the Son of God made it clear for one and all.  You have choice.  Accept his word and be born of the Spirit or don’t believe, which will result in an eternity Hell.  If you let your pride get in the way, it is not of God’s doings.  It is your own choice.

Finally, as a side note, I would like to relate one more observation.  I have had arguments with people who were not born again, that is people who did not accept Jesus as their Savior.  I could never understand why they could not understand something I could see so clearly.

…and then it hit me.  People who are not born again cannot see anything wrong with abortion because they cannot see the Kingdom of God.  They do not see the unborn child as a life.  As with my loss of a lens, they cannot see God’s Kingdom because God had not given them spiritual vision.  All they see is the worldly view.

Now, you ask, do I see the Kingdom of God?  Well, yes.  However, my spiritual vision is far from 20/20.  To me it is still blurry.  There are still many things in this world I don’t understand.  I can actually make you a list of them.  However, one day I will see them all clearly.  God will give me perfect spiritual vision and I will understand it all.

As for those who aren’t born again, they will understand it all too, but from a different perspective.  At that point, they will have a different attitude of pride.  Unfortunately, it will be too late.  If you have heard this all before, then you are already getting a second chance, or maybe a third.  You haven’t a reason to ask for another chance.  You’ve already had a dozen or so.

One more thing.  Unfortunately, we who are born again must live under laws that are made by people lacking spiritual vision.  It is, of course why millions of children have been slaughtered in the womb.  It is, of course, why none of us is able to get through to those making the laws.  To this, there are two solutions.  Vote Christians into office.  Bring others to Jesus.  Help them see the importance of being born again.  It is not just for them, but for all of us.  It is especially good for those who cannot speak for themselves.