Nicodemus Questions Christ

Now for the verse that causes so much unnecessary controversy and confusion for so many. This should never be. Let’s examine why.

A series of verses in John 3:1-36 is commonly misunderstood by people who believe that they can be “born again” in this life, as physical human beings, and, therefore, “see the kingdom of God.”

In this account, Nicodemus questioned Christ, who answered, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (Jn 3:3). Confused, Nicodemus replied, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered…Except a man be born of water [the first physical, human birth] and of the Spirit [again later, at the resurrection], he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (Jn 3:4-5). To see and enter into God’s kingdom, you must become spirit. But people are physical. Entering the kingdom is impossible for them, because Paul wrote that “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God” (I Cor. 15:50)!

While Nicodemus knew exactly what being born meant, he was confused about how it could happen again—a second time. This is why he asked about re-entering his mother’s womb. However, ministers and religious leaders today are deceived and confused in a different way. They claim that being born again has nothing to do with an actual birth—but that it is a feeling, an experience, a “conversion” and the like.

In I Cor 15:5, Christ explains what it means to be “born of water and of the Spirit,” and why, if this does not happen, one “cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” Yes, the kingdom is something that can be “entered into.” But Christ explains His “born of water and of the Spirit” phrase when He states, “That which is born of the flesh IS flesh” and then “that which is born of the Spirit IS spirit” (I Cor 15:6).

Of course it is. Flesh and blood cannot enter the kingdom of God—but spirit can! Human beings are made of dust (Gen. 2:7; 3:19), not spirit. Those born again are composed of spirit.

When born as humans, we are delivered from a physical mother. When born of spirit, we are delivered from a spiritual mother, the Church. People are destined to be born again as spirit, like Christ was, just as surely as they are born physically of a human mother, like Christ was. This will become plain.

Because Christ wanted no room for misunderstanding, He likened spirit to wind. Wind, like spirit, is invisible. It cannot be seen. Christ told Nicodemus, “The wind blows where it lists [does], and you hear the sound thereof, but cannot tell from where it comes, and where it goes: so is every one that is born of the Spirit” (Gen 2:8). Those who are born of spirit will be like wind—they will be invisible! But human beings are flesh and blood, and can be seen.

Another comparison is important. Wind often demonstrates enormous POWER. While invisible, its effects are easily seen. The force of hurricanes, typhoons, tornadoes and straight-line winds can be tremendous. But people possess relatively little power. The power of wind vastly exceeds that of the strongest human being—or a million put together!

So, there is a limitation on who can actually see and enter the kingdom. Anyone can see physical things. Therefore, the kingdom cannot be something physical, or everyone could see it. Understand these critical points that Christ made. You must be spirit to see the invisible kingdom of God!

Proper understanding of the Bible’s teaching about being born again is vital—absolutely paramount—to both “see” and to “enter into” the kingdom of God.

Grasp this about the John 3:1-36 account! Christ was making an exciting, thrilling announcement about the kingdom of God coming to earth—and that people can be born into it. But His “newscast” was received as a threat to the religious leaders. They saw themselves as losing power to both this kingdom and Christ because of His influence over the people.

When Nicodemus approached Christ, he acknowledged in Jn 3:2, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God.” He plainly admitted that he knew who Christ was and that God had sent Him to earth. Notice that Nicodemus was speaking for more people than himself when he said, “we know.” Nicodemus was a Pharisee. He was referring to himself and the other Pharisees who understood who and what Christ was. These religious leaders well understood that Christ’s true authority to teach the truth and perform miracles came “from God.” They could not deny God’s power evident in the miracles He performed. But they still resented Him. On different occasions, they called Him a blasphemer, drunkard, heretic, seditionist, bastard, ignorant, demon-possessed, false prophet—and crucified Him!

The Romans usually installed the Pharisees into positions of rulership under their occupying authority. This gave the Pharisees important status and made life generally better for them than for the admiring multitudes that Christ taught, healed, cast demons from and performed other miracles for.

Like the Pharisees, many today see the plain truth of the Bible, yet choose to ignore it in order to hold to their own traditions and ideas—and status! The Pharisees felt threatened by the potential for immediate loss of personal power to this new kingdom. This is why Christ spoke so bluntly to them when He said, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

When Was Jesus Born Again?

Despite the plainness of these verses, there are those who still dispute them. They reject the obvious meaning that the “born again experience” occurs at the resurrection, claiming that upon “accepting Jesus,” one can “see the kingdom” in his mind’s eye. In addition to ignoring that the kingdom must be “entered into” as well, this conclusion leaves them with another serious dilemma.

If Christ were not born again when He was “born from the dead,” then when else could He have experienced this? Remember, almost all professing Christians believe that one is born again upon “conversion.”

When did Christ experience conversion? When did He accept Himself? No one can explain this!

Since Christ had the Holy Spirit from begettal in Mary’s womb, when was He “converted”? Understand! The Bible clearly teaches that the Holy Spirit is given at conversion (Acts 2:38). Yet, Christ had God’s Spirit from conception. Would any suggest that He could “see the kingdom of God” when just an embryo inside His mother? Did Christ “give His heart to the Lord (Himself)” as an embryo in His mother’s womb?

These questions of when Christ was born again take on greater significance for another reason. True Christians copy Christ. The apostle Peter wrote, “Christ...leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps” (I Pet. 2:21).

It is impossible for Christians to follow Christ’s example of rebirth at conversion because He was never converted in the human sense. He had the Holy Spirit from the moment His physical existence began.

We have learned another important point about being born again that applies here. Remember, Christ said, “that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” This reinforces all the above verses about Him being born from the dead. After His Resurrection and return to heaven, Jesus was composed of Spirit—He was then like wind.

Before continuing, you must grasp this! The example that Christ set, which Christians must follow, is that He was born (again) from the dead, not at conversion. Like Christ, we will also be composed of spirit, and be like wind.

Christ’s Advance Announcement

Before we can delve more deeply into the truth of when one is born again, some background is needed as a foundation for truly understanding the big picture of this doctrine.

Wherever He went, Christ continually announced the kingdom of God. It was the subject of most of His parables. Like a newscaster ahead of his time, Christ came announcing a total change in the way the world would be governed at His Return—at the establishing of God’s kingdom. With this change would come unprecedented world peace, happiness and prosperity.

The prophet Malachi spoke of a Messenger to come: “Behold, I will send My messenger [John the Baptist], and he shall prepare the way before Me: and the Lord [the Messiah], whom you seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger [Jesus] of the covenant, whom you delight in” (Mal 3:1).

Christ came as a Messenger. And when He commissioned His twelve apostles and sent them to preach, the only instruction He gave was to preach about the kingdom of God (Luke 9:1-2). When He later sent out His seventy disciples (Lk 10:1), He also commanded them to preach the kingdom (Lk 10:9).

The terms “kingdom” and “kingdom of God” are found throughout the New Testament. Yet it is absolutely astonishing how nearly everyone has lost the knowledge and true meaning of what they refer to! Like the truth about being born again, this understanding has been suppressed for 2,000 years!

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