Charles Spurgeon Commentary John 3:12

"If I told you earthly things and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you heavenly things?" — John 3:12 (ASV)

And ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

There are mysteries in our holy religion which we would not tell to everybody. It would be casting pearls before swine to mention them to unregenerate men. Christ tells Nicodemus that the primary truths must be believed before the more advanced doctrines can be revealed.

If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

For regeneration is, as it were, one of the commonplaces of the Christian religion. It is a thing that very often takes place among people; but if this foundation truth is not believed, how can people expect that yet higher truths will be revealed to them?

If I have told you earthly things—

Things that take place here below, such as the new birth—

And you do not believe, how will you believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

If I lift the veil, and talk to you about greater mysteries still, if you do not believe about regeneration, where will you be if I begin to talk of any Godhead, and of all the inner secrets?

If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

Regeneration is a work that is accomplished here on earth and belongs to this present life. High as the mystery is, it lies only at the very threshold of the temple of divine truth: If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? No doubt, unbelief hides much of heavenly truth from us; but if we begin to doubt the very elementary doctrines of our holy faith, how will the great Master take us on and up to the higher knowledge that he is ready to teach us?

And you believe not, how shall you believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

Christ will not go on to teach us the deepest doctrines of the Christian faith if we will not learn what is simplest. Should the boy be taught the classics if he will not study the spelling-book? If people will not believe that there is such a thing as the new birth, should they be taught the doctrine of union to Christ, and all those higher truths that rise out of it? They would not believe these things if they were taught them.

If I have told you earthly things,

Things that have to do with men while here on earth.

If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

If these elementary truths about the new birth stagger you, what is the use of my going on to anything higher? You would not understand it, or receive it.