Teaching Against the Jesus Was Born Again Teachinh
Introduction
Ane night a Pharisee named Nicodemus approached Jesus and conversed with Him. Jesus taught Nicodemus that all men must be born once more to enter the kingdom of God. Later, John the Baptist explained to his disciples that his role was to prepare the way for Jesus Christ.
Suggestions for Education
John iii:one–21
Jesus teaches Nicodemus spiritual truths
Invite students to imagine that one day while they are discussing religion with some friends, ane says, "Every bit long as I am a good person, I can go to heaven." Invite students to ponder how they would reply to this friend.
Encourage students to wait in John 3 for what we must do to enter God'southward kingdom.
Explicate that near the beginning of His ministry, the Savior went to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. Many people in Jerusalem believed in Jesus after they saw the miracles He performed (see John 2:23–25).
Invite a student to read John 3:1–2 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for what happened while the Savior was in Jerusalem.
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Who visited Jesus?
Explain that equally "a ruler of the Jews" (John 3:1), Nicodemus was a member of the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin was a governing council made up of Pharisees and Sadducees that directed many of the civil and religious affairs of the Jewish people.
Nicodemus visits Jesus
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Why do you recall Nicodemus may have come to visit Jesus at night?
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According to poetry 2, what did Nicodemus acknowledge about Jesus?
Explain that Nicodemus's acquittance that Jesus was "a teacher come from God" (poetry ii) suggests that Nicodemus wanted to learn from Jesus. Invite a pupil to read John 3:three–five aloud. Inquire the class to follow along, looking for what the Savior taught Nicodemus.
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According to poetry 3, what did the Savior teach Nicodemus?
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What did Nicodemus think the Savior meant by the phrase "born once again" (verse 3)?
Explain that to be born once more is "to accept the Spirit of the Lord cause a mighty change in a person's heart so that he [or she] has no more want to do evil, just rather desires to seek the things of God" (Guide to the Scriptures, "Born Again, Built-in of God," scriptures.lds.org; see also Mosiah 5:ii; Alma five:14–xv; Moses half-dozen:59).
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According to verse v, what 2 things did Jesus teach Nicodemus are necessary to enter the kingdom of God? What do you call up information technology means to be "born of water and of the Spirit"?
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How would you summarize what these verses teach about what is necessary for existence spiritually reborn and inbound the celestial kingdom? (After students respond, write the following principle on the board using students' words: Being baptized and receiving the souvenir of the Holy Ghost are necessary for being spiritually reborn and receiving exaltation in the celestial kingdom.)
Remind students of the scenario with the friend. Divide students into pairs. Invite one student in each pair to be the friend who thinks that all that is necessary to enter the kingdom of God is to exist a expert person. Invite the other educatee in each pair to exercise clarifying the misunderstanding using John iii:five.
Summarize John 3:half dozen–12 past explaining that Nicodemus asked Jesus what makes it possible for someone to be born again. Jesus responded past asking how Nicodemus could be a religious leader and teacher in State of israel and non know that spiritual rebirth is necessary and what makes spiritual rebirth possible.
In John 3:13–21 we read that the Savior explained to Nicodemus how it is possible for someone to be born again. Invite several students to take turns reading aloud from John 3:13–15. Ask the course to follow along and look for how Jesus answered Nicodemus's question.
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What did the Savior say well-nigh Himself in John three:13? (He testified of Himself every bit the Son of God who came down from sky.)
Display the motion-picture show Moses and the Contumely Ophidian (Gospel Fine art Book [2009], no. 16; run into also LDS.org). Ask students to explain the account from the scriptures that the picture represents. If necessary, explain that during the fourth dimension of Moses the Lord sent poisonous serpents in outcome of the Israelites sinning confronting God. The Israelites were poisoned when the serpents bit them. The Lord directed Moses to raise upwardly a brass serpent on a pole and promised that any Israelite who looked at the serpent on the pole would exist healed. (See Numbers 21:four–ix.)
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According to John 3:14, what did Jesus say the brazen serpent represented?
Display the picture The Crucifixion (Gospel Art Book [2009], no. 57; see likewise LDS.org).
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According to poesy 15, what blessing comes to those who wait to the Savior?
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What doctrine can we learn from these verses most the Atonement of Jesus Christ? (Students may use unlike words, but be certain to emphasize the following truth: All mankind tin can obtain eternal life through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Write this principle on the lath.)
Invite a student to read John 3:16–17 aloud. Ask the class to follow forth, looking for a doctrine we can larn about Heavenly Father.
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What did Heavenly Begetter transport His Son to do?
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What doctrine can we learn from these verses about Heavenly Father? (Students may use different words to identify the post-obit doctrine: Heavenly Father loves His children and so much that He sent His But Begotten Son to suffer for their sins. Add this doctrine to those already listed on the board.)
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How did Heavenly Begetter sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to the earth show His honey for each of us?
Invite a pupil to read aloud the following statement by Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Inquire the class to consider how knowing of Heavenly Begetter's beloved for them makes them feel.
"In that location is no greater evidence of the infinite power and perfection of God's dearest than is declared by the Apostle John [in John iii:16]. … Think how it must have grieved our Heavenly Father to send His Son to endure incomprehensible suffering for our sins. That is the greatest evidence of His love for each of us!" ("Love and Law," Ensign or Liahona, November. 2009, 26).
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How do you experience knowing that Heavenly Begetter loves you lot so much that He sent His Merely Begotten Son to endure and die for you?
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According to John 3:sixteen–17, how tin we be saved through the Amende? (Later on students respond, add the following principle to the board: If we believe in Jesus Christ, which includes repenting of our sins and obeying His word, we can have everlasting life through His Atonement.)
Invite students to review the truths Jesus taught Nicodemus that are listed on the lath.
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How do these truths relate to each other?
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What are some means in which we can prove our belief in Jesus Christ?
Testify that as nosotros demonstrate our conventionalities in Jesus Christ past repenting and following Him, we can be saved and receive eternal life through the Amende.
Write the following phrase on the lath: I will testify my belief in Jesus Christ by … Ask students to cease this phrase in their course notebooks or scripture study journals past writing what they will do to show their belief in Jesus Christ.
John iii:22–36
John the Baptist teaches that Jesus is the Christ
Display a clear container total of water. Add a drib or two of food coloring to the water.
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How might the food coloring be compared to our influence upon others?
Invite a student to read aloud the following statements by President David O. McKay. Ask the class to listen for what we can learn almost our influence in the lives of others.
"Every person who lives in this world wields an influence, whether for good or for evil (Teachings of Presidents of the Church building: David O. McKay [2003], 227).
"The effect of our words and acts is tremendous in this globe. Every moment of life y'all are changing to a degree the lives of the whole earth" (Teachings: David O. McKay, 227).
Ask students to look for a principle in John 3:22–36 that teaches us how we tin can influence others for adept.
Summarize John 3:22–26 by explaining that some of John the Baptist'southward disciples were concerned because people were following Jesus instead of John the Baptist.
Invite a student to read John three:27–30 aloud. Ask the class to follow forth, looking for what John the Baptist understood most his part in relation to Jesus Christ.
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What did John the Baptist want his disciples to understand about his role? (He had been sent before Jesus Christ to ready others for Him.)
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What analogy did John the Baptist apply (verse 29)?
Explain that the bridegroom represents Jesus, the bride can represent those who were coming unto Christ, and the friend of the bridegroom represents John the Baptist.
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What practise you retrieve John the Baptist meant when he said, "He must increase, simply I must decrease" (poetry 30)? What does this show near the character of John the Baptist?
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What could Jesus Christ do for people that John the Baptist could non practise?
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What tin nosotros learn from John the Baptist'southward case about what we can exercise to influence others for proficient? (Students may place a diversity of truths, only make sure information technology is clear that we tin influence others for good by directing them to Jesus Christ.)
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Why is information technology so important that we use our influence to direct others to Jesus Christ?
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When accept you seen someone direct others to the Savior?
Invite students to consider ways in which they can directly others to the Savior. Encourage them to seek the guidance of the Holy Ghost in their efforts to exercise so.
Summarize John iii:31–36 by explaining that John the Baptist alleged that Jesus had been sent by God and that all who believe in Him can receive everlasting life.
To aid students memorize John 3:5, invite students to write the first letter of the alphabet of each discussion in the poetry in their scripture written report journals. Encourage students to practise saying the scripture aloud using the get-go letters and referring to the scripture passage equally needed. When students tin can say the unabridged passage using the first letters, invite them to practice reciting the passage from retention. You could invite them to practice reciting this scripture at the beginning or cease of class for several days.
Commentary and Groundwork Information
John three:three. To be built-in again
Like Nicodemus, some people may wonder how to exist born over again. President Ezra Taft Benson taught: "In add-on to the physical ordinance of baptism and the laying on of hands, one must be spiritually built-in again to gain exaltation and eternal life" ("Born of God," Ensign, July 1989, 2–four). Therefore, existence born once again requires more than than simply being baptized and confirmed. In club to exist born again i needs to live in such a manner that the Holy Ghost changes the eye.
Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:
"Nosotros brainstorm the process of being born once again through exercising faith in Christ, repenting of our sins, and being baptized by immersion for the remission of sins past one having priesthood authorization. …
"Total immersion in and saturation with the Savior's gospel are essential steps in the process of being born again" ("Ye Must Be Born Again," Ensign or Liahona, May 2007, 21).
Elderberry D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained that to be born again is a procedure that requires time:
"You may ask, Why doesn't this mighty change happen more than rapidly with me? … For most of us, the changes are more gradual and occur over fourth dimension. Being born again, unlike our concrete birth, is more a process than an event. And engaging in that process is the key purpose of mortality.
"At the same time, let us not justify ourselves in a casual endeavor. Let us not be content to retain some disposition to practise evil. Allow us worthily partake of the sacrament each week and keep to draw upon the Holy Spirit to root out the last vestiges of impurity within us. I testify that as you keep in the path of spiritual rebirth, the atoning grace of Jesus Christ will take away your sins and the stain of those sins in you, temptations will lose their appeal, and through Christ y'all volition become holy, as He and our Begetter are holy" ("Built-in Over again," Ensign or Liahona, May 2008, 78).
John 3:5. Nosotros need ordinances in order to gain conservancy
The Savior'due south teaching in John three:5 affirms that ordinances are necessary to enter the kingdom of God. As the Prophet Joseph Smith taught, "Being born again, comes past the Spirit of God through ordinances" (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 95).
President Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles likewise stated, "Practiced conduct without the ordinances of the gospel volition neither redeem nor exalt flesh; covenants and the ordinances are essential" ("The Only Truthful Church building," Ensign, Nov. 1985, 82).
John 3:7–8. Why did Jesus compare existence "born again" to the wind?
In response to Nicodemus'due south defoliation nigh existence born again, the Savior compared being born of the Spirit to the air current. (The Greek word for spirit is pneuma, which may also be translated every bit breath or wind.) Just as the wind is hard to see, so it is hard to see the process of being born once more. Nosotros can come across the furnishings of the current of air but struggle to know when it starts and when it ends also as where information technology comes from. A like decision can be drawn nearly the process of beingness built-in again. Information technology is difficult to see exactly when information technology starts or when it ends, but its effects are very visible as actions and desires change.
John 3:16. "For God so loved the earth"
Of this verse Elder Bruce R. McConkie of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles declared:
"This is perhaps the most famous and powerful unmarried verse of scripture e'er uttered. It summarizes the whole plan of conservancy, tying together the Father, the Son, his atoning sacrifice, that conventionalities in him which presupposes righteous works, and ultimate eternal exaltation for the faithful.
"… Similarly, our Lord 'so loved the globe that he gave his own life, that equally many as would believe might go the sons of God.' (D&C 34:three.)" (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, three vols. [1965–73], 1:144).
Source: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/new-testament-seminary-teacher-manual/introduction-to-the-gospel-according-to-st-john/lesson-62-john-3?lang=eng