The Mystery of My Salvation

Salvation is a mysterious thing; at least for me it is mysterious.

Salvation was apparently a mysterious thing for a Pharisee named Nicodemus. The Apostle John records a time when Nicodemus approached Jesus in the night. In the conversation Jesus reveals a major tenet of the mysterious nature of our salvation:

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him." Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."
John 3:1-4

Unless one is born again he cannot see the king…that is an inconceivable statement, isn’t it? It is so peculiar that the Bible records…

Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?"
John 3:4

Next Jesus provides an astounding insight into Nicodemus’ inquiry:

Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."
John 3:5-8

The mystery of salvation is this: SALVATION IS A WORK OF GOD.

Physical birth is a result of physical activity; spiritual birth is a result of spiritual activity. The wind blows where it wishes, the Holy Spirit of God works wherever He wishes. We cannot see the wind but we can see the result of the wind. In the same way, we cannot see God’s Holy Spirit, but we can see the result of the work of the Holy Spirit. The resulting work of God’s Holy Spirit is salvation; that is, being born again.

Again, Nicodemus probes:

Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?"
John 3:9

Again, Jesus teaches:

Jesus answered him, "Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

It is at this point Nicodemus’ attention is turned to spiritual things. And the spiritual thing is the work and salvation of Christ. In the same way the serpent was lifted up on a staff in the desert to deliver the Israelis, Christ must be lifted up on a cross to deliver the world. Again, it is more mystery and intrigue.

This world cannot comprehend the unique nature of Christ’s salvation. That is why the Bible says,

The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. "For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.
1 Corinthians 2:14-16

Even though the world cannot understand these things, through God’s Holy Spirit we can understand them, or at least begin to comprehend these great truths.

The unfathomable nature of my salvation through Jesus Christ mesmerizes me. I am fascinated by my salvation through Jesus Christ. I am humbled by the privilege of being born again.

How do you explain your salvation through Jesus Christ? I would be intrigued to hear your responses.