Pure Legalism

In the book of John chapter 3 there is a story that mirrors the attitude of many today; a legalist description of the religious crowd then and now. It is the story of a Jewish leader, a Pharisee, a religious man and devout; a teacher and respected in the Jewish community. This man’s name was Nicodemus. Like many of his day he was very concerned about the letter of the law, the appearance in public, titles, rules, ceremonies and eloquence when praying. In other words he wanted to make sure everyone around him knew he was a religious man. Even with all his education and learning about the law he had an empty space inside. Something was missing. He must have searched every area of the law to find out what it was but to no avail. Then a very strange thing happened. There came news of this itinerant carpenter who was traveling around the country healing people and speaking with authority. At the synagogue the buzz was that there was a heretic loose and was trying to teach things that were not right according to the religious leaders. All the Pharisees had taken the position that something had to be done to put a stop to this man. After all who was he? What gave him the authority to say and do the things he was saying and doing. But there was something that pricked old Nicodemus’ curiosity. He wasn’t sure what it was but he had to find out. To be seen talking to this carpenter in the day light would have been political suicide. So he made a plan to find this man under the cover of darkness. So one night he crept out and found Jesus and asks to speak to him. Being a good Pharisee he offered what he believed to be the proper greeting and complement. “Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.” Jesus knowing his mind and better still his heart ignored the complement and spoke bluntly to Nicodemus, “Verily ,verily , I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Oh my; this flew against everything Nicodemus had ever learned, taught or thought. Jesus wasn’t done for he knew what Nicodemus really needed. It was not to study harder. Live better. Be a pillar in the community. Attend the biggest church twice a week. Sing in the choir. Stand and pray eloquent prayers on the street corner. He did not need to be the most successful or charismatic teacher or speaker. He needed to be saved by the grace of God not by the law of man.
Not to belabor the point Jesus went on to tell Nicodemus what he must do and how he must do it.
Read the story in John 3.
I will close this blog with this one thing Jesus told Nicodemus, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”