LutherQuest (sic) Crybabies Still Run from the Scriptures

 "He is calling us crybabies again."
"What if we are?"

I gave the LQ (sic) denizens a simple challenge - address these key passages:

1. Genesis 15:6
2. Romans 4, summed up in Romans 5:1-2
3. Galatians 3:6-7

They have quoted everyone except Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, but they still run from the Scriptures.

A Literary Criticism Exercise - How Do Selected Chapters in Romans 

End and Start?

3 30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

4 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?

2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.

3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

4 23 Now it was not written for his [Abraham's] sake alone, that it was imputed to him;

24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;

25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

5 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

---

The chapters and verses are arbitrary, added later, but the themes are not. We can see how Paul used the ancient literary device of starting a theme and concluding one part of the theme or argument through transitions to the next stage.

One's teachers, parents, grandparents, synod, heroes, or villains should not make any difference. Biblical doctrine is derived from the ruling norm, not from secondary sources. I could explain how the latest LQ (sic) Gerhard quote is not OJ, but why bother with someone who runs away from the Book of the Holy Spirit, the Bible?

 Yet, one of their persistent LQ (sic) fanatics, Jay Webber, spent 50 pages trying to get a tiny audience to share his delusion that Luther was OJ.

Jay Webber's Online Seminary Deceives People about Justification by Faith

 

WELS genius level pontificators Zarling and Bivens did this with Justification. They used the language about Justification by Faith (the Bible, Luther, etc) and applied it to Objective Justification - Calvin, Huber, Halle University, Knapp, Stephan, Walther, Barth.)

Knowing that Jack Kilcrease was educated ELCA and teaches Roman Catholics, serving on the ILT online faculty, I am not shocked that Webber hardened and calcified his Pietistic OJ at the school.

Too bad that Webber inflicted his ignorance and errors on the audience of Emmaus, with Buchholz grinning like a hog in the wallow. But it is even worse to have ILT use the face of Luther to deface Christian doctrine.

Bee Balm and Bee Bread Bloom and Bumblebees Love Them

 Ohio State has a better bee on Bee Balm than I could manage.

The first cluster of Bee Balm is in full bloom. Ranger Bob came over for coffee and gardening plans, but asked first, "What are those flowers in bloom?"

I was watching the older planting of Bee Balm grow shoulder high and bud. The blooms were open and swarming with bumble bees.

Besides that, the beneficial insects were flying in and out, the fighter jets in comparison to the bumble bee tankers. If someone wants a reason to defend the Six Day Creation, consider the flowers without the bees, the bees without the flowers, the beneficial insects without pests to feed their young.

I do not argue from the data, but I think about the engineering and management issues of interdependent species and creatures (I mean evolutes). If the right combination arrives late in that enormous span of millions of years, if not billions, how do they thrive and exist? My highly educated siblings cannot arrive to an event on time, yet all the garden life-forms indicate they have done this forever, on time and under-budget, adjusting to fit the circumstances.

My two favorite unknown insects are a mystery to most gardeners-

1. The springtails, which may weigh more than all of mankind put together, and
2. The ichneumon wasps, which are broken down into 6,000 varities, according to The Snoring Bird, a classic work on the topic.

Birds hunt by sight; the ichneumons hunt mainly, but not exclusively, by scent. Not any caterpillar (or its pupa) will do. Like the over 6,000 other species of the Ichneumoninae— all of them parasitize Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies)— this particular Protichneumon will search for something very, very specific. For her, it is the caterpillar of a green sphinx moth that is artfully camouflaged like a leaf. This ichneumon has a bright reddish-brown abdomen.
Heinrich, Bernd. The Snoring Bird (Kindle Locations 1178-1181). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition. 

Springtails are tiny and help the rotting and recycling effort. Ichneumon wasps are almost as hard to see, yet they work tirelessly in the Creation Garden.

 Bee Bread, also known as Borage, is always a bit ragged looking, but the bees go for the blooms, which quickly turn into seeds and replant their feeder. The flowers are edible and improve one's mood. "I borage, give thee courage."

I plant Borage by sowing the seed, just before or during a rainstorm. By growing a lot of pollinator plants (for bees, beneficial insects, and butterflies), I protect the roses from most predators.

 This majestic Veterans Honor rose was placed on the altar in memory of all veterans and Christina's cousin, Pete, below. No man-made chemicals were used to protect the flower, which was defended by the Creator's beneficial creatures: hover flies, ichneumon wasps, and spiders.

 Pete Ellenberger served his new country, like many in his family.

ELDONA on Branding the Micro-Mini Sects

Answering every question except - why is ELDONA so obsessed with beards the size of hay bales?

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Heiser did not know about Objective Justification until Rydecki was kicked out of WELS? How can a Ft. Wayne graduate and disciple of David Scaer make such a claim, especially after working with Higher Things (the LCMS OJ-Jungendbund)?

 Higher Things has a hilarious speaker who shouts each message into the camera while reading his cue cards. "When do you want your couch delivered, mam?" Klemet Preus was president of the Jungendbund and an ardent UOJ activist when Heiser spoke for them years ago.
Heiser was at Ft. Wayne when Robert Preus was arguing UOJ and promoting Church Growth.

False Doctrine - And the Cure - Illustrated

Funding Planned Parenthood abortions - for years, through Thrivent.

Luther says this about false teachers:

False Doctrine Tolerated

"And such false teachers have the good fortune that all their folly is tolerated, even though the people realize how these act the fool, and rather rudely at that. They have success with it all, and people bear with them. But no patience is to be exercised toward true teachers! Their words and their works are watched with the intent of entrapping them, as complained of in Psalm 17:9 and elsewhere. When only apparently a mote is found, it is exaggerated to a very great beam. No toleration is granted. There is only judgment, condemnation and scorn. Hence the office of preaching is a grievous one. He who has not for his sole motive the benefit of his neighbor and the glory of God cannot continue therein. The true teacher must labor, and permit others to have the honor and profit of his efforts, while he receives injury and derision for his reward."

Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VII, p. 110f. Second Sunday in Lent. 2 Corinthians 11:19-33; 12:1-9. Psalm 17:9.

God Punishes Ingratitude by Allowing False Teachers

"In the second place such teachers are disposed to bring the people into downright bondage and to bind their conscience by forcing laws upon them and teaching works-righteousness. The effect is that fear impels them to do what has been pounded into them, as if they were bondslaves, while their teachers command fear and attention. But the true teachers, they who give us freedom of conscience and create us lords, we soon forget, even despise. The dominion of false teachers is willingly tolerated and patiently endured; indeed, it is given high repute. All those conditions are punishments sent by God upon them who do not receive the Gospel with love and gratitude."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VII, p. 111. Second Sunday in Lent. 2 Corinthians 11:19-33; 12:1-9. John 5:43.

False Teachers Flay Disciples to Bone

"In the third place, false teachers flay their disciples to the bone, and cut them out of house and home, but even this is taken and endured. Such, I opine, has been our experience under the Papacy. But true preachers are even denied their bread. Yet this all perfectly squares with justice! For, since men fail to give unto those from whom they receive the Word of God, and permit the latter to serve them at their own expense, it is but fair they should give the more unto preachers of lies, whose instruction redounds to their injury. What is withheld from Christ must be given in tenfold proportion to the devil. They who refuse to give the servant of truth a single thread, must be oppressed by liars."

Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VII, p. 111f. Second Sunday in Lent. 2 Corinthians 11:19-33; 12:1-9.

Avarice in False Teachers

"Fourth, false apostles forcibly take more than is given them. They seize whatever and whenever they can, thus enhancing their insatiable avarice. This, too, is excused in them."

Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VII, p. 112. Second Sunday in Lent. 2 Corinthians 11:19-33; 12:1-9.

They Lord It Over Us

"Fifth, these deceitful teachers, not satisfied with having acquired our property, must exalt themselves above us and lord it over us...We bow our knees before them, worship them and kiss their feet. And we suffer it all, yes, with fearful reverence regard it as just and right. And it is just and right, for why did we not honor the Gospel by accepting and preserving it?"

Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VII, p. 112. Second Sunday in Lent. 2 Corinthians 11:19-33; 12:1-9.

We Are Their Foot-Rags
"Sixth, our false apostles justly reward us by smiting us in the face. That is, they consider us inferior to dogs; they abuse us, and treat us as foot-rags." 
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VII, p. 112. Second Sunday in Lent. 2 Corinthians 11:19-33; 12:1-9.

False Teachers Are Peacocks

"The peacock is an image of heretics and fanatical spirits. For on the order of the peacock they, too, show themselves and strut about in their gifts, which never are outstanding. But if they could see their feet, that is the foundation of their doctrine, they would be stricken with terror, lower their crests, and humble themselves. To be sure, they, too, suffer from jealousy, because they cannot bear honest and true teachers. They want to be the whole show and want to put up with no one next to them. And they are immeasurably envious, as peacocks are. Finally, they have a raucous and unpleasant voice, that is, their doctrine is bitter and sad for afflicted and godly minds; for it casts consciences down more than it lifts them up and strengthens them." 
What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, II, p. 642.

Another Solemn Declaration without Biblical Support. UOJ Alert

  JP did not comprehend Paul - imputation is directly related to faith. The ELS-WELS-LCMS swindlers love this. So does ELCA.

Make a decision for UOJ, y'all.
Total agreement, with slight variations in the ELCA-WELS-ELS-CLC (sic)

WELS Discussion Page
God's forgiveness is not a self-existent abstraction floating around in the supernatural world, waiting to be grabbed by our self-generated faith. God's forgiveness is, rather, firmly rooted in and dependent on the gracious love of the Father, and the righteousness and obedience of the incarnate Son. And this forgiveness cannot be received in faith by fallen humanity apart from the converting and regenerating work of the Holy Spirit. So, a belief in the mystery of the Trinity is always implicit in a belief in God's forgiveness, even if it is not consciously being reflected upon in every moment. No Trinity = no forgiveness.

The above written by David Jay Weber on Facebook post on the Trinity. WELS page.

 Must accept (make a decision) for universal absolution when Jesus rose from the dead - pure Halle Pietism.

4] Now, since it is necessary to believe this, and it cannot be otherwise acquired or apprehended by any work, law, or merit, it is clear and certain that this faith alone justifies us as St. Paul says, Rom. 3:28: For we conclude that a man is justified by faith, without the deeds of the Law. Likewise 3:26: That He might be just, and the Justifier of him which believeth in Christ.

Smalcald, II.

But look at how Jay Webber's online school tilts the words of Luther.

The Feast of the Holy Trinity, 2019

By Norma A. Boeckler

The Feast of the Holy Trinity, 2019

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship

Bethany Lutheran Church, 

10 AM Central Daylight Time

The melodies are linked in the hymn name. 

The lyrics are linked in the hymn number.

• The melody site is linked here.
• TLH Lyrics site is linked here.

The Hymn # 246               Holy, Holy, Holy               

The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual       

The Gospel               

Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Athanasian Creed             p. 53
The Sermon Hymn #297  M. Loy       The Gospel Shows

The Son Reveals His Unique Mission

 

The Communion Hymn #308            Invited Lord     

The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #660    I'm But a Stranger Here  

            

 By Norma A. Boeckler

Luther’s Trinity Sermons Linked Here

Romans 11 33 ω βαθος 

1. πλουτου 
2. και σοφιας 
3. και γνωσεως θεου

ως ανεξερευνητα τα κριματα αυτου και ανεξιχνιαστοι αι οδοι αυτου.

34 τις γαρ εγνω νουν κυριου η τις συμβουλος αυτου εγενετο

35 η τις προεδωκεν αυτω και ανταποδοθησεται αυτω

36 οτι 

1. εξ αυτου και 
2. δι αυτου και 
3. εις αυτον τα παντα αυτω

 η δοξα εις τους αιωνας αμην

KJV Romans 11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? 35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? 36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

KJV John 3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. 3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. 9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? 10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? 11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? 13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

 By Norma A. Boeckler

Pentecost Monday Gospel:

KJV John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

 By Norma A. Boeckler

Background for the Sermon - The Trinity
The great and wise among the theologians and church leaders like to claim they cannot find the Trinity in the Scriptures. They plant their doubts in the minds of many, without offering any evidence for their statements.

Hearing or reading that error should be warning enough for the individual to find a guide more reliable. The Scriptures themselves serve that well. They combine direct teaching with passages that assume the Holy Trinity - The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

For example, the Father commanded by His Word the formation of the entire universe in six, 24-hour days.

Genesis 1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

His Word was and is the Son, as explained in John 1 -
John 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made.

So the Father fashioned the universe through the Logos, Who is the Creating Word, the Son. The Spirit witnesses to this through the Scriptures. Some might think that the Spirit is left out of many formulations in the Bible - only naming the Father and the Son, but the Scriptures are the Spirit's witness to that relationship. John's Gospel shows that to be true. Jesus' farewell sermons in John emphasize the work of the Spirit.

Besides those examples are many invocations of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, or passages where all three Persons of the Trinity are named within two verses.

God's revelation is not like a dogmatics book with a category for each topic. I. The Godhead. A. The Father. B. The Son. C. The Holy Spirit. Instead we have the unity of the Three Persons and the Three-ness of God are taught in the plainest words possible. That Trinitarian  structure is behind many passages in the Bible.

Those who deny the Trinity is Biblical - how do you explain the almost countless three-fold passages in the Bible? Paul is fond of such things, such "faith, hope, and love, these three abide..." and he names the Trinity frequently. Mankind has tried to get rid of the Biblical seven-day week, but all efforts have failed. Our propensity for using three reasons, three points - we assume that is our normal thinking pattern. What influences that three-foldness in our language and thoughts?

"But the word Trinity is not found in the Bible!" That is a claim worn thin from centuries of hair-splitting. The word Trinity was used later to condense all the debates in the Early Church about the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one word standing for the entire Biblical revelation - without all the wordiness of those debates.

Just as some passages teach the humanity of Jesus and others His divinity, so the Bible emphasizes one Person over another. The two natures of Jesus are not divided - they are the human and the divine natures united in Jesus. Likewise, a passage will emphasize one Person of the Trinity or two Persons, to help us understand the true nature of God.

John's Gospel is especially focused on revealing that Jesus has the same will and teaching as the Father - perfect harmony. That corrects the false concept, easily formed, that the Father is harsh  and angry, but the Son is kind, gentle, loving, and forgiving. The Son is the Voice and the Will of the Father, but they are two Persons of the godhead.

 Christ Instructing Nicodemus by Crijn Hendricksz

The Son Reveals His Unique Mission

KJV John 3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

By associating passages with each other, which is the only way to view the Scriptures, we can see how much is being revealed to us in a few words.

A Pharisee, a ruler of the Jews
In Mark 5, we translated the healing of the daughter of a ruler of the synagogue, Jairus. He is named so we can assume he was well known as one of the first Christians in the early church. Nicodemus was another ruler, so they likely knew each other or came to be very close in those early days after the resurrection of Christ. We know from John that Nicodemus risked everything to care for the crucified Messiah after His death. 

John 19 39 And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight.

So we know Nicodemus was a convinced and faithful believer, by the frightening time of Jesus' death and burial. Thus the early church contained many knit together by the preaching  and miracles of Jesus.

2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

The best explanation for coming by night is the initial faith which drew him to Jesus, combined with a fear of being found out and punished. That description of coming by night was repeated in John 19, which is ironic. The one who was being very careful before was one of the first to identify with the slain Savior, truly risking life and reputation, knowing the opposition of Rome and the Jewish leaders. The miracles of Jesus confirmed His divine status. They were seen and confessed by thousands. If they did not know everything He taught, they knew there was no one like him.

Those who listened and hoped, based on the Scriptures, saw Jesus as the fulfillment of all that had been promised. In trusting God's Promises, they trusted Jesus.

3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Jesus should have thanked Nicodemus for his kind words, but instead, He questioned the leader's faith, challenging him with this statement. Apparently this is quite the puzzle, because so many people read it the wrong way.

Our NT Greek students know that the word used by Jesus is not "again" - palin - but "from above" - anothen. Again and again in our readings, palin is used for again, anothen is not. That is because the primary meaning for anothen is "from above." That is clear from its spelling - then is "from" and ano is "above."

The humor is that Jesus said, "You must be born from above," and Nicodemus heard, "You must be born again." So "born again" is used all the time, specifically as an adult conversion experience. Nicodemus heard the secondary meaning, which was bad enough, but asked an absurd question based on his misunderstanding.

This shows how an initial attraction is not enough. Until one believes the Son as He is, everything will be mysterious or distorted.

4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?

Nicodemus' question revealed his lack of comprehension, which seems alarmingly off the mark. But how many have done the same thing and built their cathedrals of thought around their errors. For instance, the great scholars of the time decided the Scriptures were not accurate, but they could use their great knowledge to find out the "kernal of truth" somewhere in the ancient Scriptures, which they thought were no different from other world religions.

In other words, they wanted to deal - without faith - with the Bible, which is given to us to stir up faith and confirm it many different ways.

But their great labors, though rewarded by other unbelievers, served to challenge many other scholars to support the truth of the Bible by their lifelong work.

Professor Lenski was first a pastor and a district president when he began teaching at the seminary at Capital University. He created a complete set of New Testament commentaries which not only taught the clear meaning of the Word, but also dealt with many questions about doctrine from various eras and denominations. He taught inerrancy and Justification by Faith, as Missouri's Dr. Walter A. Maier did.

How did his denomination respond? They were largely trained by him and owned his commentaries. They did everything possible to silence him and they replaced him (upon retirement) with a liberal professor who taught against the inerrancy of the Bible. 

So, if Lutherans can surrender the basics of Biblical study in this great age of technology, science, and higher education, then we should not be appalled at Nicodemus for his question.

5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

He stated this in such a way as to make being born from above - water/Spirit born. John 3 foreshadows Holy Baptism the way John 6 foreshadows Holy Communion. The grammar of the sentence unites water and Spirit, and we know the Spirit always works with the Word and never apart from the Word.

People want to argue from the exception (always) but this is a general principle - those in the Kingdom are believers who are baptized. Children become believers through baptism and adults gladly become baptized to enjoy God's Promises in baptism - rebirth, forgiveness, a new life.

The carnal view of Christianity is completely rejected, though it is the dominant view today - grand buildings, all the trappings of ancient Rome, etc.

Believers are Spirit-born. Lutherans are the true Pentecostals. We see the Spirit at work through the Word in everything. Spirit and wind are the same word in Hebrew and Greek. The analogy is perfect. We know the wind is present when it blows our belongings into our neighbor's yard, when the umbrella patio table tries to fly. The wind is invisible but has enormous power. The Holy Spirit is the same in working through people. Some are driven to take the Gospel to pagans, as our Philippine missionary does. Others support that effort. 

I have taught a class where they want to reduce congregational work to business principles, so I tell the students - "If we have believers together and they are taught the Word, God will accomplish His will, and the results may be slow but remarkable in time." Why is one province of India mostly Christian - Kerala? Their tradition is that Doubting Thomas began the church there. Some of course scoff at that, but how does anyone explain the subcontinent being pagan except for that one?

The Spirit moves us to accomplish God's will, and those efforts are blessed similar to the Sower and the Seed, the abundance making up for the difficulties - and then some, many times over.

9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? 

10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? 11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? 13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

The Christian Faith is so different that unbelievers are puzzled and cannot see the attachment people have to the Gospel and the attitudes they have as a result. 

Jesus was abrupt with Nicodemus, which should jolt people into remembering that it is the Word that converts, not personality, not all the things promoted in marketing. At that point, Nicodemus did not know the fundamentals, but drawn to Jesus, he must have felt the power and conviction of the Savior's words. They were sharper than any two-edged sword, ripping away his training in works and replacing it with faith in the Teacher above all teachers. 

As I hasten to point out, people cannot find the Virgin Birth in John's Gospel. But what is this? The Son of Man descended to earth. How did that happen in John's view? That is completely in harmony with the Virgin Birth, just as Paul's opening in Romans is.

The spiritually blind cannot see it and deny it.

As abrupt as Jesus seemed to be, how did He end this conversation? Not with condemnation but with the Little Gospel. And this as well - 

17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

This is the true nature of  God the Father and God the Son - witnessed by the Holy Spirit - the Savior's work is not to condemn the world but to save the world through faith in Him.

 Duerer