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You’re Not Good Enough
Does God accept us just the way that we are? Whenever I get asked that question, I like to turn to John chapter three when Jesus has a conversation with Nicodemus.
(This is part two of a four part devotion series. We’ll be posting the next parts of this series in the coming weeks. You can find the other parts on our Born Again Series page. )
John 3:3, Psalm 51:5
Does God accept us just the way that we are? Whenever I get asked that question, I like to turn to John chapter three when Jesus has a conversation with Nicodemus.
You see, Nicodemus is the perfect picture of religion. He’s dedicated. Devoted. He doesn’t just go through the motions. He really believes in God. His prayers are fervent and he strives to live a holy life. All of his community would have looked at Nicodemus and said, if anyone’s going to heaven, I bet he’ll certainly be there.
To this, Jesus tells Nicodemus,
No one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again. (John 3:3)
What does Jesus do? He effectively slams heaven’s door shut on Nicodemus’ face. He tells him, Nicodemus, you are not good enough. You need to be born again. And I find there is no message more offensive to human beings than to tell them you are not good enough.
Well, what about me? I’m a pastor. I go to church every Sunday. I study God’s Word. I spend time in devotion and prayer week after week. Surely I’m good enough, right? Wrong. God does not accept me just as I am. You see, my problem goes all the way back to my birth. I have to wind the clock back. And what Scripture tells me is that
I was sinful from birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. (Psalm 51:5)
It’s important what Jesus says. No one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again. And his words stand for all time, Old Testament and New Testament. So what is Jesus talking about by this second birth? Well, he’s talking about the miraculous birth worked by faith. You see, faith is a miracle where we are pulled out of our skin completely and placed in Jesus. God winds back the clock of our life and goes past our sinful birth, past our sinful conception, and goes all the way to the perfect conception of Jesus, the perfect birth of Jesus.
I’m not saved by my devotion. I’m saved by Jesus’ perfect devotion that led him to the cross, to suffer and die for sinners like you and me. I’m not saved by my righteousness or my good works. I’m saved by Jesus perfect righteousness, when God declared him not guilty and raised him from the dead Easter morning. It’s because you have faith in Jesus that you are born again. You are placed fully and completely in Christ Jesus, and through him you will see the kingdom of heaven. Amen.
