Isaiah 48:6-8 English Standard Version

⁶ “You have heard; now see all this; and will you not declare it? From this time forth I announce to you new things, hidden things that you have not known. ⁷ They are created now, not long ago; before today you have never heard of them, lest you should say, ‘Behold, I knew them.’ ⁸ You have never heard, you have never known, from of old your ear has not been opened. For I knew that you would surely deal treacherously, and that from before birth you were called a rebel.

John 3:9-15 English Standard Version

⁹ Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” ¹⁰ Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? ¹¹ 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. ¹² If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? ¹³ No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. ¹⁴ And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, ¹⁵ that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

Here in John 3, Jesus is reminding Nicodemus of God’s Word in Isaiah 48 and is announcing that He is the Son of Man and is here to declare this new thing never heard before. It is not hidden from us and we can see why Jesus declares it to Nicodemus. The time is now.

John 3:16-17 English Standard Version

¹⁶ “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

John 10:17-18 English Standard Version

¹⁷ For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. ¹⁸ No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

It is difficult to understand how something so precious as salvation could be free. Let us try to understand this from God’s perspective.

Nothing can be stolen from God. God is not weak.  Man cannot overpower God. Here Jesus declares the two foundational truths of the free will gift. “I lay down my life that I may take it up again.” The first demonstrates His free will sacrifice and the second demonstrates His power over death. His own words tells us how this relates to our salvation.

John 11:24-28 English Standard Version

²⁴ Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” ²⁵ Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, ²⁶ and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” ²⁷ She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.” ²⁸ When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.”

Jesus is calling. Can we confess in our hearts the words spoken by Martha? “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”

“Yes Lord” shows we have accepted His Lordship. “I believe” is by faith, because words have no meaning without faith. He is “coming into the world” is His promise to abide in us all who accept Him into their hearts.