You Must Be Born Again. God So Loved the World. He Must Increase.
"For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." — John 3:16
John 3 opens with Nicodemus, a respected religious leader, coming to Jesus at night. Nicodemus knows Scripture, understands religion, and recognizes that God is at work through Jesus, but Jesus tells him that something deeper is needed: "Unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Christianity is not simply becoming more religious or trying harder to improve ourselves. We need new life that only the Spirit of God can give. Jesus then points ahead to the cross, explaining that the Son of Man must be lifted up so that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life. At the heart of it all is God's love: He did not send His Son to condemn the world, but to save it through Him.
The chapter closes with John the Baptist showing us what faithful discipleship looks like. When people begin leaving John to follow Jesus, he does not become jealous or defensive. He understands his role and says, "He must increase, but I must decrease." That is the posture of every follower of Christ. Our lives are not ultimately about building our own name, gaining attention, or being seen as important. They are about pointing people to Jesus. John 3 reminds us that we need new birth, salvation comes through faith in Christ, and the goal of our lives is to make much of Him.
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