Bible Discussion Thread

Jesus is telling Nicodemus that being born again is not a new teaching. It is there in the scriptures which he should have known. He is explaining what it means to believe in Jesus. The faith of Jesus includes a renewal of obedience to the commandments. Jesus quotes the scriptures in Deuteronomy 30:11-14: "For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, 'Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it? ' Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, 'Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it. ' But the word is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it. " Paul quotes this same passage in Romans 10:6-8: 6 But the righteousness that comes from faith talks like this: Don 't say in your heart, "Who will go up into heaven? " that is, to bring Christ down 7 or "Who will go down into the region below? " that is, to bring Christ up from the dead . 8 But what does it say? The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart that is, the message of faith that we preach . This is evidence that instead of rabbinical law rituals of purity like hand washings and circumcision , Jesus taught a renewal and rebirth of God 's law which is His commandments also summed up in the law of love.