Nicodemus Questions Christ

Next Part When Was Jesus Born Again?

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 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” (vs. 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” (vs. 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 verse 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” (vs. 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” (vs. 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 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 verse 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.”

Next Part When Was Jesus Born Again?