- Title: Born Again
- Artist: Nancy Cupp
- Size: 14x18 inches
- Medium: Acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas
- ©2010 Nancy Cupp, All rights reserved
Butterflies bring such joy with thier beauty. In this painting, I used iridescent paints to mimic the wings of the butterfly. As the lights touch it, it changes in color. When I finished, I wondered what to name it.
As I looked at the painting, I thought of how a butterfly goes through many stages before turning into the beautiful butterfly we all enjoy. Its old nature must go, so that it can become what it was created to be. Each butterfly is unique and beautiful in its own way, just as people are.
Jesus said in John 3:3 “…except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” None of us are perfect, nor can we do good works to earn our salvation. The good news is that Jesus already paid the price for us with His own blood when he died in our place on the cross. To be born again into God’s kingdom, we must believe in Jesus Christ (Yeshua Ha Mashiach in Hebrew), repent and turn away from our sins, confess Him as our Lord, and live the rest of our lives loving God and our neighbor as ourselves.
Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek (gentile): for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord (Jesus Christ) shall be saved.
The good news is that Jesus loves us and made a way for every one of us to be saved, through faith in Him. Gospel means "good news". While we were still sinners, Jesus died for us. None of us can earn our own salvation, no matter how hard we try or how good we think we are. None of us are "good enough". We have all sinned and deserve the punishment of hell. Jesus came to pay for our sins by dying on the cross in place of us. He died for us, so that we may have eternal life.
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. KJV Holy Bible
