Many cultures place significant emphasis on the latter phase of an individual’s life. King Solomon wrote … “A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death better than the day of birth” (Eccl 7:1 NIV).
Some individuals earn and gain the praise of men for their accomplishments, but then finish their earthly course poorly. In the spiritual realm, that is opposite of the Divine plan for mankind. Everyone enters the world devoid of relationship with God. “For as in Adam all die” (1 Cor 15:22a NIV). That is bad news, but the good news is “so in Christ all will be made alive” (1 Cor 15:22b NIV).
The Apostle Paul reiterated that Truth: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 6:23 NIV).
John succinctly wrote: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him” (John 3:36 NIV).
A ruler in Israel, troubled in his soul and weighed down with many responsibilities “came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.” In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again” (John 3:2-3 NIV). Nicodemus, puzzled by such a statement continued questioning Jesus. “How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!” (John 3:4 NIV).
This Pharisee was viewing life through the lens of his successful career rather than from God’s perspective. Nicodemus’ was spiritually deficient. Though before men he appeared as lacking in nothing, yet before God he was condemned and in need of a Savior. Jesus recalled Old Testament Scripture to bring Nicodemus to the point of decision. “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life” (John 3:14-15 NIV).
It was in that encounter with the One who would go to the Cross and bear his sins and those of all mankind, that Nicodemus found that which transformed his life from the spiritual status of condemnation to a permanent standing as a child of God. Scripture does not reveal the conclusion of Nicodemus’ conversation, nor how long he pondered the words of the Savior. However, Nicodemus appears again in Scripture revealing that, indeed, he had placed his faith in Christ. The scene was the Cross of Christ shrouded in darkness for three hours. There, God the Father judged the humanity of Christ for the sins of every individual. The magnitude of that judgment was reflected in the words of Jesus prophetically written by David … “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent” (Ps 22:1-2 NIV). The humanity of Christ willingly experienced spiritual death on our behalf.
“Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, ‘I am thirsty.’ A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’ With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit” (John 19:28-30 NIV).
The Apostle John gives a postlude to the crucifixion. “With Pilate’s permission, he [Joseph of Arimathea] came and took the body away. He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night” (John 19:38-40 NIV). Nicodemus had believed in the saving work of Christ.