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Opening Prayer: Lord, as we gather to study Your Word, open our hearts and minds to understand the depth of our need and the greatness of Your salvation. Help us see clearly the contrast between Adam's failure and Christ's victory, and may we respond in faith to Your call for spiritual rebirth. In Jesus' name, Amen.

From Fall to Faith: The Journey from Adam's Disobedience to Christ's Redemption

LESSON 3: THE REQUIREMENT: SPIRITUAL REBIRTH

Scripture Focus: John 3:1-8

Key Word Study: "Born Again" (Greek: gennao anothen**)**

Gennao anothen can mean "born again" or "born from above." Both meanings are significant—we need a new birth that comes from God's initiative, not human effort.

Cultural Context: Nicodemus

Nicodemus was a Pharisee and member of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council. As a religious leader, he would have believed that being born Jewish and following the law was sufficient for righteousness. Jesus' words challenged this assumption completely.

Biblical Insight

Jesus uses the metaphor of wind (Greek: pneuma, which also means "spirit") to illustrate spiritual rebirth:

  • Invisible but real: We can't see the wind, but we see its effects
  • Beyond human control: Wind blows where it will; spiritual birth is God's work
  • Mysterious yet evident: We can't fully explain it, but we can observe its results

Discussion Questions

  1. Why do you think Jesus emphasized that spiritual rebirth is absolutely necessary?
  2. How would you explain "being born again" to someone who has never heard this term?
  1. THE RESPONSE: CONFESSION AND FAITH

Scripture Focus: Romans 10:8-13

Key Word Study: "Confess" (Greek: homologeo**)**

Homologeo means "to say the same thing" or "to agree with." When we confess Jesus as Lord, we're agreeing with God's declaration about Jesus' identity and authority.

Key Word Study: "Believe" (Greek: pisteuo**)**

Pisteuo goes beyond intellectual agreement to complete trust and reliance. It's an active faith that changes how we live.

Biblical Insight

Paul presents salvation as both simple and profound:

  • Simple: Available through confession and belief
  • Profound: Involves acknowledging Jesus' lordship and trusting in His resurrection
  • Universal: Available to "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord"

Discussion Questions

  1. What does it mean practically to confess Jesus as "Lord" of your life?
  2. How does believing in Christ's resurrection change how we view death and life?