Ye must be born again

 

Nicodemus said what everyone else was thinking “…and said unto Him Rabbi we know that thou art a teacher come from God for no man can do these miracles except God be with Him.”  It had become obvious this was no ordinary man, that He was from God, and wielded the power of God.  Even early in His public ministry, it was evident that He was special, even if some would not admit it.  Jesus ignored the attempted platitude and turned the conversation to the individual need of Nicodemus; “Jesus answered and said unto him Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”  Almost as if to say, not so much of your approval of me, what about God’s approval of you?  What is of more concern is your status with God.  Jesus is speaking to one of the topmost men in Israel, which was the most religious nation in the world, and He is questioning whether he is in the kingdom or will ever even see the kingdom of God!  External religion is nothing to God, indeed it is dead so far as God is concerned, and what you need is to be born again, born from above, you need a new beginning, new life, for your religion is dead and you are dead with it.  All the ceremonies, all the religious rites are empty platitudes, and an insult to God.  Formal religion is nothing to God!

Nicodemus was shocked, “How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”

Not wishing to enter into a debate, Jesus simply repeated what He had said before, but expands it out by saying “Verily, verily  I say to thee except a man be born of water and of the Spirit. He cannot enter into the kingdom of God; that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”  In simple terms Jesus is saying you were born of the flesh in water(the water of the womb)-that is natural birth.  You need to be born supernaturally by the Spirit, otherwise you have no place with God.  You were born once naturally, you need to be born again spiritually.  Twice over He has declared an utterance of absolute truth.  He continues “Marvel not that I say unto thee Ye must be born again.”  Wm. Barclay writes:

“All over the New Testament this idea of rebirth, re-creation occurs.

1 Peter speaks of being born anew by God’s great mercy (1 Peter 1v3).

1 Peter speaks of being born anew from an imperishable seed (1 Peter 1v22-23).

James speaks of God bringing us forth by the word of truth (James 1v18).

Titus speaks to us of the washing of regeneration (Titus 3v5).

Romans speaks of dying with Jesus and rising anew (Romans 6v1-11).

1 Corinthians speaks of new believers as new-born babes (1 Corinthians 3v1-2).

2 Corinthians speaks of us being a new creation in Jesus (2 Corinthians 5v17).

Galatians says that in Jesus we are a new creation (Galatians 6v15).

Ephesians says the new man is created after God in righteousness (Ephesians 4v22-24).”