Week VI John 2:12-25, Jesus Teaches Nicodemus, Tuesday, June 19

Major Topic
•Pharisee
•Born again
•Baptism
•Are you saved?
•Limbo

Pharisee
•What’s Pharisee? What do you know about them? Why Jesus always at odds with them?
-Mt 23:1-7
•What did Pharisee react to Jesus? Famous Pharisee you know of?
-Act 15:5, CCC 595

John3:2
•Why did Nicodemus come at night?
•Compare his greeting to St Andrews (1:41) and Nathanael (1:49), what can you draw from that?

Born again
•What does “Born again” mean in the context of American Evangelism?
-“Born again”: a conversion experience that involves a personal, and sometimes intense, encounter of the individual with the power of God. It means that the person has been awarded salvation.
•What did Jesus mean by “born from above”?
•Who is the initiating cause of the new birth from above?
-John 1:12-13

Water and the Spirit
•What is necessary to “enter the kingdom of God”?
•What does Jesus mean by “born of water and the spirit”?
-CCC 1215, 720, 1225, Titus 3:5, 1 Pet 3:20-21

Baptism
•Is baptism necessary for salvation?
-CCC 1257, 846 ,1 peter 3: 21
-Martin Luther: baptism "works the forgiveness of sins, delivers from death and the devil, and grants eternal life to all who believe."
•What about the good thief on the cross?
-baptism of blood
-baptism of desire
-CCC 1258, 1259
•Any children left in limbo?
-CCC 1261

John 3:8
•What this example remind you?
-Greek word pneuma (as well as the Hebrew ruah) means both "wind" and "spirit."
CCC 691

John 3:13
•What’s “Moses lifted up the serpent” story?
-Numbers 21:4-9, wisdom 16:5-8
•What does snakebite represent?
-Eph 2:1-6, 1 Cor 15:56, CCC 402
•What’s the remedy of snakebite?
-John 3:8, 2 Cor 5:21
•Is there any similarity between Christ and serpents?
-Rom 8:3, CCC 603

John 3:16
•Why does John say God loves the “world” instead of the souls of men?
•Is “believing” a work? Can “faith alone” save you ?
-John 6:28, 29 CCC 155, 154

Then how is one saved?
•By believing in Christ (Jn 3:16, Act 16:31)
•By repentance (Act 2:38, 2 Peter 3:9)
•By Baptism (jn 3:5, 1 Pet 3:21, Tit 3:5)
•By the work of Spirit (Jn 3:5, 2 Cor 3:6)
•By declaring with our mouths (Lk 12:8, Rom 10:9)
•By coming to a knowledge of the truth (1 Tim 2:4, Heb 10:26)
•By works (Rom 2:6,7, James 2:24)
•By grace (Acts 15:11, Eph 2:8)
•By his blood (Rom 5:9, Heb 9:22)
•By his righteousness (Rom 5:17, 2 Pet 1:1)
•By his Cross (Eph 2:16, Col 2:14)

Belief
•Pay attenuation the active tense of “believe” and the word “might”, How does this affect the Calvinist doctrine of “eternal security”? Do we have to continue in faith in order to obtain eternal life?
-Col 1:22-23, John 15:6, Mt 10:22, 24:13, CCC 162, 161, 1821
•What is the opposite of “believe” according to John?
-John 3:36

John 3: 17-18
•St Augustine’s physician illustration
•How do judgment and condemnation relate to Christian?
-Rom 8:1, 1 peter 4:17, Revelation 20:12, John 5:28:29 ,CCC 679, 1022

John 3:19-21
•What is the main reason that men turn away from Jesus?
•Where good works originate from? From oneself or works of God’s grace?
-Phil 2:12-13, 1 Cor 15:10 CCC 308

Advance Questions
•How many times Nicodemus mentioned in Bible? How does his attitude toward Jesus progress? -John 3:1-5, 7:50, 19:39 Ccc 595
•What does Nicodemus represent?
-CCC 1963
•What do you think of Nicodemus as a person?
-John Calvin: Nicodemus rejects Jesus’ word as a fable. Because Christ sees that HE is wasting time and energy in teaching this proud man. He now rebukes him.