Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” John 3:3
Jesus spoke this answer to Nicodemus, a religious leader, a member of the Jewish ruling council. Apparently, Nicodemus was unaware of the way to heaven. If that was the case, how could anybody under his instruction know what God required for admission into eternal life? If he was blind so were all his followers. If Nicodemus was actually knowledgeable about heaven, he would not need any further instruction. But, the fact is that Jesus came to bring Truth to a world in darkness. He is the Messiah, the Son of God, sent by God the Father to save the world. Mercifully, Jesus did reveal the truth to Nicodemus so that we all might know how to get to heaven. There is nothing more important than to know that we are ok with God.
Nicodemus asked a question many of us might ask. How can someone be born when they are old? Surely they cannot enter their mother’s womb a second time to be born! Jesus went further to explain.
“Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going.
So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
There are two birth experiences that are necessary:
1. Birth to the Flesh
All of us have a birthdate when we were physically born. We are the product of the seed of our human father. Also, we are the product of God since He is our Creator. Psalm 139 tells us that God knit us together in our mother’s womb and that we were fearfully and wonderfully made. Our bodies are our visible being.
2. Birth to the Spirit
By faith in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit gives eternal life to our spirit. As we open our inner being to Jesus, our spirit comes to life as the Holy Spirit enters our being. Jesus is the imperishable spiritual Seed given by God the Father to create Life within our invisible being.
For God so loved the world that He sent His only Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 comes within the conversation with Nicodemus. Another word for the born again experience is regeneration.
Another word for regeneration is rebirth, related to the biblical phrase “born again.” Our rebirth is distinguished from our first birth, when we were conceived physically and inherited our sin nature. The new birth is a spiritual, holy, and heavenly birth that results in our being made alive spiritually. Man in his natural state is “dead in trespasses and sins” until he is “made alive” (regenerated) by Christ. This happens when he places his faith in Christ (Ephesians 2:1). The only means of regeneration is by faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross. No amount of good works or keeping of the Law can regenerate the heart. “By works of the law no human being will be justified in [God’s] sight” (Romans 3:20). Only Christ offers a cure for the total depravity of the human heart. We don’t need renovation or reformation or reorganization; we need rebirth.
