John 3: 4
“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”
I expect that Nicodemus was taken off guard a bit by Jesus’ statement that only people who are born again will see the kingdom of God. What could this mean? Considering that Jesus was speaking directly to Nicodemus’ heart, it is not surprising that his mind went into overdrive trying to recover control of the conversation. Logically a person can only be born once! Right?
Q: If you agree with Nicodemus that it would be awkward at best to try and be born again physically, what do you think Jesus was really trying to get Nicodemus to see?
Everything in The kingdom of God requires faith.
He came to Jesus with a great question, but wasn’t expecting a better answer.
We are free to ask questions of the Lord, but we must also be open to HIS answer.
The fall of man in the garden brought death, separation from God to all mankind. God is Holy, cannot, will not have any contact with sin, all contact with His Spirit was broken the moment man sinned. Man became aware of his nakedness. They were no longer surrounded, covered by the Spirit of God, and this condition “our sin nature” contaminates all their offspring. Our bodies function and we have emotional feelings, however we are spiritually dead in sin.
We must be born again ( be made spiritually alive ) to understand, and live within Gods will.
This can only come by repentance and faith in the redeeming power of God’s sacrifice for our sins. The OT teaches this, Abraham was made righteous by his faith. Perhaps Jesus was prompting Nicodemus to read what he had been taught and receive the answer.
That we must be born of the Spirit for new life to happen,..and that our new life only comes through Him in whom he is speaking to,..
Let’s not be too hard on ole’ Nick here,..he was a Pharisee but he didn’t go around doing the things Paul did,..as far as I know anyway. This guy had a genuine interest in Jesus and needed answers,..I am grateful for people such as Nicodemus,..honestly interested and willing to ask the question even if he was a teacher of religion.
All mankind is spiritually dead and are incapable of seeing beyond their own flesh. We can only be born a second time by faith in the sacrifice God has made for us.
Only after we receive this life are we able to receive the teachings of God as He communicates to our spirits.
Great points all!
I don’t think that Nicodemus understood the difference between physical death and spiritual death. Man was created spiritually alive but died spiritually when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit. Since then all men are born spiritually dead, which is to say that we are separated from God (which is also the technical definition of Hell!). Jesus offers a way for us to be reunited with God, which from God’s point of view is to see us ‘born (spiritually) again.’