To
relate this picture to human being: When there is no longer a
heartbeat, there is no longer life; when there is a heartbeat there
is life. However, there is more to life than just being alive. Jesus
said…
John
3 ( World English
Bible )
1 Now
there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the
Jews. 2 The
same came to him 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.”
3 Jesus answered him, “Most certainly, I tell you, unless one is born anew, he can’t see the Kingdom of God.”
4 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?”
5 Jesus answered, “Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born of water and spirit, he can’t enter into the Kingdom of God! 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Don’t marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’ 8 The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but don’t know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
9 Nicodemus answered him, “How can these things be?”
10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and don’t understand these things? 11 Most certainly I tell you, we speak that which we know, and testify of that which we have seen, and you don’t receive our witness. 12 If I told you earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven, but he who descended out of heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven. 14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him. 18 He who believes in him is not judged. He who doesn’t believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God. 19 This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does evil hates the light, and doesn’t come to the light, lest his works would be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be revealed, that they have been done in God.”
3 Jesus answered him, “Most certainly, I tell you, unless one is born anew, he can’t see the Kingdom of God.”
4 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?”
5 Jesus answered, “Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born of water and spirit, he can’t enter into the Kingdom of God! 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Don’t marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’ 8 The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but don’t know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
9 Nicodemus answered him, “How can these things be?”
10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and don’t understand these things? 11 Most certainly I tell you, we speak that which we know, and testify of that which we have seen, and you don’t receive our witness. 12 If I told you earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven, but he who descended out of heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven. 14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him. 18 He who believes in him is not judged. He who doesn’t believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God. 19 This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does evil hates the light, and doesn’t come to the light, lest his works would be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be revealed, that they have been done in God.”
Jesus
referred to life that exceeded mere physical life, a life where God
dwells inside you and empowers you via his Holy Spirit. This occurs
at baptism (see Acts 2:38; Romans 6:1-6; Titus 3:3-5; 1 Peter 3:
18-21, etc…) and requires faith, repentance and obedience to the
will of God in all things. The Old Testament spoke of coming to God
as well, for Moses said in the book of Deuteronomy…
Deuteronomy
10 ( World English
Bible )
12 Now,
Israel, what does Yahweh your God require of you, but to fear Yahweh
your God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve
Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 to
keep the commandments of Yahweh, and his statutes, which I command
you this day for your good? 14 Behold,
to Yahweh your God belongs heaven and the heaven of heavens, the
earth, with all that is therein. 15 Only
Yahweh had a delight in your fathers to love them, and he chose their
seed after them, even you above all peoples, as at this
day. 16 Circumcise
therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more
stiff-necked. 17 For
Yahweh your God, he is God of gods, and Lord of lords, the great God,
the mighty, and the awesome, who doesn’t respect persons, nor takes
reward.
Yes,
there more to life that just physical existence. Being united with
your maker, requires you to change; change your heart, your actions
and your will to God’s desires for your life. The picture is true,
life really does begin on the inside. If you desire real life, a
Spiritual one, then you must submit to God’s commands and be born
again, via God’s holy Spirit. God will remake you from the inside
out and the best part is that this Spiritual life will never end, because like God,
heaven never does!