Charles Spurgeon once noted that a well-painted picture of a candle cannot yield a single beam of light to a man in the dark. In the same way, it is entirely possible to maintain a formal, outward "painted" religion that looks beautiful on the outside but completely lacks the heavenly fire that only God can give. Without the New Birth, our profession of faith is empty. In this message, we dive deep into Jesus' radical encounter with Nicodemus in John 3. Nicodemus was the ultimate insider—a political powerhouse, a brilliant theologian, and a meticulously religious man. Yet, Jesus looked past his external credentials and stated a truth that shocked him to the core: “Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” If head knowledge, religious status, or moral upbringing could save us, Nicodemus would have been first in line. But Jesus makes it clear that being born again is the only way to be connected to God's kingdom. We must move away from a lifeless, painted religion on a canvas and look to Christ alone for true salvation.
Are you relying on the "fruit" of your own good behavior for salvation, or are you looking entirely to Christ? Don't settle for a painted fire when you can have a living flame.
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