“Jesus answered, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.’”

The Gospels record not just a few times when Jesus talks of spiritual things that completely go over the heads of His audience, even His disciples. A pivotal one in Jesus’ ministry comes from John 6, when Jesus tells His many followers that they must eat of His flesh and drink His blood to have eternal life (verses 53-54). Many deserted Him at that time because they couldn’t discern the spiritual meaning.  The ones who did remain probably scratched their heads as they tried to understand.  Remember the Holy Spirit had not been poured out yet and those who deserted Jesus may have grasped it later as the events of the Crucifixion and Resurrection came to pass or through the preaching of the disciples.

Today’s verse is also another event when Jesus explains to His audience, an audience of one, that spiritual rebirth is required to enter the kingdom of God. Jesus doesn’t mince words as He explains this to Nicodemus, who is a teacher of the Law. Jesus appears incredulous in verses 10-12 when Nicodemus is dumbfounded at Jesus’ teaching on being “born again”, which highlights the fact that head knowledge doesn’t always equate with understanding of spiritual things. Ezekiel 36:25-26 had foretold of this spiritual re-awakening: “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”

Jesus starts off with “Truly, truly, I say to you” which should make our ears perk up. Throughout His teachings, when Jesus starts off a sentence with this saying He is saying “listen closely, I am out about to speak Truth.” As a teacher of the Law, Nicodemus would naturally hold to the tenets of the Mosaic Law with all its requirements. What Jesus is telling him is that following the Law through the flesh will not get you into heaven. Is it any wonder Nicodemus is dumbfounded?

Spiritual rebirth is necessary because our spirit is dead to God. And it is the prompting of the Holy Spirit that compels us to even seek out Jesus as He explains in John 16:8-11 that the Holy Spirit is coming to convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgment. When we trust Jesus as our Lord and Savior, a spiritual washing and regeneration occur. His Holy Spirit comes to live inside the believer, and the believer’s spirit comes alive. This regeneration encompasses not only our entry into Heaven but also means we come alive in Christ, NOW (Ephesians 2).

And this new life will bear new fruit. Through the process of sanctification, the believer is now positioned to do good and to grow more Christlike in their attitude, emotional wellbeing, rejection of sin, and rejection of the world, because we have His peace, His strength, and His discernment to carry us. It truly is a matter of letting go of our own weak attempts and letting the Holy Spirit move in and through us.  

John wrote of the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus. Therefore, it is no surprise when John writes more of this new birth and the fruit it bears in 1 John. I would encourage you to read through this letter looking for the results this new life promises. You won’t be disappointed!

Dear Heavenly Father,

You promise us so much but sometimes I struggle to fully grasp all that has been freely given to me. Convict me of my weak attempts to do things on my own and instead show me the better things that a life hidden in Christ promises. I praise you for giving your Son, so that I can have this new life. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen