With Pope Benedict XVI’s shocking resignation this week, Evangelical Christians might be tempted to see this the way a college football fan might view the departure of his rival team’s head coach. But the global stakes are much, much higher. As Pope Benedict steps down, I think it’s important for us to recognize the legacy of the last two bishops of Rome that we ought to honor and conserve: an emphasis on human dignity. (http://www.firstthings.com/onthesquare/2013/02/an-evangelical-looks-at-pope-benedict-xvi)
But on issues of faith, the Catholic Church links regeneration or being “born again” in the life of the Spirit to their sacrament of baptism (CCC, nos. 1215,1265-1266). They see baptism as “the work of Christ which washes away sin and makes us children of God”. For a Roman Catholic, the answer to the question, “Have you been born again?”, would be, “Yes, I was born again in baptism.”
(http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/apologetics/ap0022.html)
When Jesus met a religious leader in John 3, named Nicodemus, He told him that the Kingdom of God is not in signs or religious observance but in being born again. He made it clear that no sacrament or religious observance enables one to be born again but it occurs as a gift of God through faith.
Quite simply, religion is a human effort to get to God. Being born again, is God’s work in the heart enabling faith and repentance. The human effort of religion gives people a false sense of security of being right with God by human effort. Being born again of God is the realization that all our works are merely filthy rags in Gods sight and we are not naturally right with God but must repent of our sin and trust in the work of Christ on our behalf through faith.
If someone were to ask you, upon what basis you believe you are right with God, how would you respond? If you believe you are just naturally good, then you haven’t really seen God’s standard of goodness. If you believe that you’ve tried your best to please God, then you have failed to realize that our best is not good enough. If your answer to the question “upon what basis do you believe you are right with God” is anything but “through repentance and faith in Christ”, then your answer reveals a dangerous false assurance.
In John 3:1-10, Jesus exposes the danger of false assurance and presents the “Starting Point” in the possession of eternal life. It came through 1) The Point of Inquiry (John 3:1–3), 2) The Point of Insight (John 3:4-8), and 3) The Point of Indictment (John 3:9–10).
1) The Point of Inquiry (John 3:1–3)
John 3:1-3 [3:1]Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. [2]This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him." [3]Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." (ESV)
The first two chapters of the Gospel of John have been concerned with the person of Jesus primarily, but it is also true that they have been concerned with man. In the first chapter, John pointed out that when the true Light shone in the world, people as a whole did not respond to him (vv. 10–11). In chapter 2, John tells us that although many seemed to believe in Jesus as a result of his miracles, nevertheless “Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people” (v. 24). The failure of people spiritual things is now John’s theme, and Nicodemus is to be seen as his first concrete example (Boice, J. M. (2005). The Gospel of John: An expositional commentary (186). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.).
The story of Jesus’ interaction with Nicodemus is logically tied to the previous section (John 2:23–25). For this pericope begins with what seems to be a clear connection to the linking section of 2:23–25 by the use of the Greek de (best rendered here as “now”) and the vague expression “there was a man (Borchert, G. L. (1996). Vol. 25A: John 1–11. The New American Commentary (169). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.).
John 2:23–25 described Jesus’ refusal to accept shallow, sign-based faith, since in His omniscience, He understood the people’s hearts. The story of Nicodemus is a case in point, since Nicodemus himself was one of those superficial believers whose heart He read like an open book. Instead of affirming his profession, the Lord refused to accept Nicodemus’s profession of faith, which was solely based on the signs he had witnessed (v. 2). Jesus pointed him to the life-transforming nature of true saving faith.
Nicodemus, in Hebrew, it is equivalent to innocent blood (נַקִי and דָּם), but if Greek, conqueror of people (the same as Nicolaus). As the Jews gave not only Hebrew, but Greek and Latin names also, to their children, both meanings at last met in Nicodemus.”( Lange, J. P., & Schaff, P. (2008). A commentary on the Holy Scriptures: John (123). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.)
Nicodemus was a member of the elite religious party the Pharisees. Their name probably derives from a Hebrew verb meaning “to separate”; they were the “separated ones” in the sense of being zealous for the Mosaic law (and their own oral traditions, which they added to it [cf. Matt. 15:2–6; Mark 7:8–13]).Tthough few in number (there were about 6,000 at the time of Herod the Great, according to the first-century Jewish historian Josephus), they had great influence with the common people (though, ironically, the Pharisees often viewed some with contempt [cf. 7:49]). Despite being the minority party, their popularity with the people gave them significant influence in the Sanhedrin (cf. Acts 5:34–40).
You will often notice that whenever a media organization is looking for the “official” Christian view of something, their quotation never seems to be from the scriptures, but the leader of what is seemed to them as the most influential group. The great irony is that when Christ first came He was despised and rejected by humanity. We must never let our religious backgrounds, personal experiences, or popular opinion define what is truth.
Please turn to Romans 3 (p.940)
Ironically, it was their very zeal for the law that caused the Pharisees to become ritualized and external. Having unchanged hearts, they would only replace true faith with mere behavior modification and ritual.
Romans 3:10-20 [10]as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one; [11]no one understands; no one seeks for God. [12]All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one." [13]"Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive." "The venom of asps is under their lips." [14]"Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness." [15]"Their feet are swift to shed blood; [16]in their paths are ruin and misery, [17]and the way of peace they have not known." [18]"There is no fear of God before their eyes." [19]Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. [20]For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. (ESV)
According to Jesus, the starting point in the Christian life is rebirth. Before his new birth a person is a child of wrath. They are alienated from God, as Nicodemus was, and he has no real understanding of spiritual things. God comes to him to plant saving faith within his heart, for we are told that even faith does not come from ourselves; it is the gift of God (Eph. 2:8). Then God brings the words of Scripture to our attention. Finally, the Holy Spirit takes the words of Scripture and plants them within the womb of our heart with the result that life is conceived. One now begins to see things differently and the life within begins to grow (Boice, J. M. (2005). The Gospel of John: An expositional commentary (189). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.).
Some claim that everyone is searching for God in their own way. The common mistaken belief is that most people are good and do good things and that God will take that into consideration at the time of judgment.
God makes it clear (through the standard of the law) that this idea comes from a lack of understanding (v.10). Because of the universal human state where everyone falls short of God’s glorious standard (v.10), and any human effort, like a religious practice, or trying to do good things (“the works of the law”) will not satisfy God’s expectations but our actions held up against the standards of the law, show how we all fall short.
Nicodemus was no run-of-the-mill Pharisee; he was a ruler of the Jews and should have known the purpose of the law.That is, he was a member of the Sanhedrin (cf. 7:50), the governing council of Israel (under the ultimate authority of the Romans). Why Nicodemus came to Jesus by night as verse two indicates is uncertain. It was customary for rabbis to pay one another long visits by night, when interruptions were less likely (Rushdoony, R. J. (2000). The Gospel of John (28). Vallecito, CA: Ross House Books.).
In John’s use of ‘night’ elsewhere (3:2; 9:4; 11:10; 13:30) in each instance the word is either used metaphorically for moral and spiritual darkness, or, if it refers to the night-time hours, it bears the same moral and spiritual symbolism. Doubtless Nicodemus approached Jesus at night, but his own ‘night’ was blacker than he knew (Carson, D. A. (1991). The Gospel according to John. The Pillar New Testament Commentary (186). Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; W.B. Eerdmans.)
The fact that Nicodemus was a member of the Sanhedrin probably explains why he came to Jesus by night. He might not have wanted his coming to imply the approval of the entire Sanhedrin, nor did he want to risk incurring the disfavor of his fellow members. Nighttime would also have afforded more time for conversation than during the day, when both he and Jesus would be occupied. The important point, however, is not when Nicodemus came, but that he came at all. Though coming to Jesus does not always guarantee salvation (cf. the rich young ruler, Luke 18:18–23), it is a necessary beginning.
Living in North America, with the plethora of media, means that it is unlikely that someone today had not heard about the concept of being born again. You may have heard this when you were a child, on a radio program or in print. That you have been exposed to this message before is not the issue. What you have done, in terms of repentance and faith, is the important thing in coming to Jesus. Never base your relationship to Jesus on a past act, but on present faith.
By using the respectful term Rabbi, Nicodemus, although a member of the Sanhedrin and an eminent teacher (v. 10), addressed Jesus as an equal. He did not share the suspicion and hostility that many of his fellow religious leaders had toward Christ (cf. 7:15, 47–52). Nicodemus, and others like him (cf. the plural, we know), accepted that Jesus was a teacher who had come from God. The reference to “we” may put Nicodemus with the general others who saw Jesus work miracles or he was speaking for himself and for at least some other members of the ruling body of the Jews. He was speaking from the perspective of collegiality. He said, in essence: “Jesus, we leaders can see that you’re a bona fide teacher. You deserve the title ‘Rabbi,’ and we are prepared to welcome you into our club.” (Sproul, R. C. (2009). John. St. Andrew's Expositional Commentary (50–51). Lake Mary, FL: Reformation Trust Publishing.)
As Nicodemus acknowledged, “No one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” Like the people in the previous section (2:23), he was impressed with and believed that the undeniable power manifested in Jesus’ miracles was divine. Undoubtedly, he was also aware of John the Baptist’s testimony about Christ. That, coupled with the evidence of them, may have caused Nicodemus to wonder if Jesus was the Messiah. But in His miracles he sees a proof merely that “God is with Him.” Thus, while unable to repress his convictions, he is afraid of committing himself too far (Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Jn 3:2). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.).
That you may have respect for Jesus as being a good moral teacher or honorable historical figure is not enough. You will notice that whereas Nicodemus had come to discuss the validity of Jesus’ ministry, Jesus had decided to discuss the reality of Nicodemus’ faith! So instead of having a quiet chat about Jesus, Nicodemus found himself confronted by a challenge that focused on the very basics of personal salvation! (Keddie, G. J. (2001). A Study Commentary on John: Volume 1: John 1–12. EP Study Commentary (125). Darlington, England; Auburn, MA: Evangelical Press.)
Jesus answered Nicodemus’s unasked question in verse three (cf. Matt. 19:16). As Nicodemus had not asked a question, it indicates that Jesus demonstrated omniscience (2:25) by answering this, as yet, unspoken question (Mills, M. S. (1999). The Life of Christ: A Study Guide to the Gospel Record (Jn 3:2–4). Dallas, TX: 3E Ministries.).
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”The phrase amēn amēn (truly, truly) appears in the New Testament only in John’s gospel. It solemnly affirms the veracity and significance of what follows. In this instance, Jesus used the phrase to introduce the vitally important truth that there is no entrance into God’s kingdom unless one is born again. The Greek word anōthen here is multidimensional and can mean “again” or “from above” as well as the less likely “from the beginning.”( Borchert, G. L. (1996). Vol. 25A: John 1–11. The New American Commentary (173). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
The new birth, or regeneration, is the act of God by which He imparts eternal life to those who are “dead in … trespasses and sins” (Eph.2:1; cf. 2 Cor. 5:17; Titus 3:5; James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:3, 23; 1 John 2:29; 3:9; 4:7; 5:1, 4, 18), showing them how they fall short of God’s holy standard, enabling them to repent of their sins and trust in Christ alone for eternal life. This brings them into the family of God (John 1:12–13).
The kingdom of Godin its universal aspect refers to God’s sovereign rule over all of His creation. The term “kingdom” is to be understood in a dynamic sense; it means “reign” rather than “realm.” It is God’s rule in action (Morris, L. (1995). The Gospel according to John. The New International Commentary on the New Testament (189). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.).
To ‘see’ the kingdom is synonymous with entering the kingdom (cf. 3:5). Jesus’ Pharisaic contemporaries believed all Jews would enter the kingdom of God through resurrection on the last day, the only exceptions being those who denied the faith and committed acts of apostasy (Mishnah, Sanhedrin 10:1–4). To be born a Jew was to be an inheritor of the kingdom of God. Nicodemus would have been astounded by Jesus’ statement that he as a Jew would not see the kingdom of God unless he were ‘born again’ (Kruse, C. G. (2003). Vol. 4: John: An introduction and commentary. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (107). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.).
The implications of Jesus’ words for Nicodemus were staggering. All of his life he had diligently observed the law (cf. Mark 10:20) and the rituals of Judaism (cf. Gal. 1:14). He had joined the ultrareligious Pharisees, and even become a member of the Sanhedrin. Now Jesus called him to forsake all of that and start over; to abandon the entire system of works righteousness in which he had placed his hope; to realize that human effort was powerless to save. Jesus asserted that the entrance into the kingdom of God that Nicodemus desired could not be achieved by legalism or outward conformity. It requires an inner change. Membership in the kingdom of God is not a prerogative of any particular race or culture, nor is it hereditary. It is given only by the direct act of God (Tenney, M. C. (1981). John. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Volume 9: John and Acts (F. E. Gaebelein, Ed.) (47). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House).
Quote: Describing the consternation Nicodemus must have felt, R. C. H. Lenski writes: “Jesus’ word regarding the new birth shatters once for all every supposed excellence of man’s attainment, all merit of human deeds, all prerogatives of natural birth or station. Spiritual birth is something one undergoes, not something he produces. As our efforts had nothing to do with our natural conception and birth, so in an analogous way but on a far higher plane, regeneration is not a work of ours. What a blow for Nicodemus! His being a Jew gave him no part in the kingdom; his being a Pharisee, esteemed holier than other people, availed him nothing; his membership in the Sanhedrin and his fame as one of its scribes went for nought. This Rabbi from Galilee calmly tells him that he is not yet in the kingdom! All on which he had built his hopes throughout a long arduous life here sank into ruin and became a little worthless heap of ashes”. (The Interpretation of St. John’s Gospel [Reprint; Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson, 1998], 234–35)
The hardest thing in the starting point of genuine faith is convincing someone that they are not naturally good. That was the purpose of the law of God, and until someone stops comparing themselves with the lost humanity around them and compares themselves to the perfect holiness of God, they will not see the desperate lostness of their condition.
The “Starting Point” in the consideration of eternal life came through:
2) The Point of Insight (John 3:4-8)
John 3:4-8 [4]Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" [5]Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. [6]That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. [7]Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' [8]The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." (ESV)
Jesus’ shocking statement was far more than Nicodemus had expected. Incredulous, Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”Certainly, this highly educated Pharisee was not so obtuse as to have misinterpreted Jesus’ words in a simplistically literal sense. He knew our Lord was not talking about being physically reborn, but he replied in the context of the Lord’s analogy. How could he start all over, go back to the beginning? Jesus was telling him that entrance to God’s salvation was not a matter of adding something to all his efforts, not topping off his religious devotion, but rather canceling everything and starting all over again. At the same time, he clearly could not grasp the full meaning of what that meant. His questions convey his confusion, as he openly wondered at the impossibility of Christ’s statement. Jesus was asking for something that was not humanly possible (to be born again); He was making entrance into the kingdom contingent on something that could not be obtained through human effort. But if that was true, what did it mean for Nicodemus’s works-based system? If spiritual rebirth, like physical rebirth, was impossible from a human standpoint, then where did that leave this self-righteous Pharisee?
Most people, at one time or another, wish they could start life over again. But second thoughts usually bring us to the conclusion that another trip through life would involve just as many opportunities for mistakes as the first time. Nicodemus saw only complications and impossibilities in Jesus’ challenge. But Jesus later made the point in discussing the possibility of salvation with his disciples that “with man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God” (Mark 10:27) The only way a person can really start over in life is by being born from above—“born again” by receiving God’s eternal life and the regenerating Holy Spirit. Starting over may be naturally impossible; but Jesus makes it a supernatural possibility (Barton, B. B. (1993). John. Life Application Bible Commentary (56). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House.).
Jesus answered Nicodemus’s confusion in verse five by elaborating on the truth He introduced in verse 3: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” The phrase born of water and the Spirit parallels the phrase “born again” in verse 3; thus, only one birth is in view. The expression ‘water and the Spirit’ is a hendiadys, a figure of speech using two different words to denote one thing, something suggested by the fact that both ‘water’ and ‘Spirit’ are anarthrous (without the article) and governed by the one preposition (lit. ‘of water and spirit’, ex hydatos kai pneumatos) (Kruse, C. G. (2003). Vol. 4: John: An introduction and commentary. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (109). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.).
Nicodemus would not have understood Christian baptism (which did not yet exist) nor misunderstood John the Baptist’s baptism. “Born of water and the Spirit” are not in contrast with each other, but combine to form a parallel with the phrase “born again” in verse 3. (D. A. Carson, The Gospel According to John, The Pillar New Testament Commentary [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1991], 191–96.)
You cannot produce a spiritual birth with physical means. This is why “born of water” in v. 5 cannot mean literal water, for baptism would mean applying a physical substance (water) to the physical being. This action could never bring about a spiritual birth (Wiersbe, W. W. (1992). Wiersbe’s expository outlines on the New Testament (218). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.).
Jesus was not equating this prior act of the Holy Spirit in new birth (regeneration) with the subsequent act of the reborn person in believing in Christ (conversion to Christ). The distinction made in theology between regeneration and conversion must be maintained. John 3:3–8 is about regeneration, while John 3:14–21 is about conversion. The former is what God does; the latter flows from this and is where we come consciously to respond to the gospel. This shows us that salvation is rooted in God’s free grace alone. Being born again—regeneration—is God’s sovereign act; our coming to Christ in faith and repentance—conversion—is (what we are enabled to do only from this first activity) (Keddie, G. J. (2001). A Study Commentary on John: Volume 1: John 1–12. EP Study Commentary (132–133). Darlington, England; Auburn, MA: Evangelical Press.).
Please turn to Ezekiel 36 (p.724)
Since Jesus expected Nicodemus to understand this truth (v. 10), it must have been something with which he was familiar. Water and Spirit often refer symbolically in the Old Testament to spiritual renewal and cleansing (cf. Num. 19:17–19; Isa. 4:4; 32:15; 44:3; 55:1; Joel 2:28–29; Zech. 13:1). In one of the most glorious passages in all of Scripture describing Israel’s restoration to the Lord by the new covenant, God said through Ezekiel
Ezekiel 36:24-28 [24]I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. [25]I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. [26]And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. [27]And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. [28]You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. (ESV)
All through this text the personal pronouns of “I” signify that it is God Himself who is taking this action. It is not a religious activity that someone must do in order for God to act. Here, and in other Old Testament passages (Is. 32:15; 44:3), the terms “water” and “Spirit” are linked express the work of the Holy Spirit that internally cleanses a person, signified here as being “sprinkled with clean water”. He washes or cleanses us through the washing of the word of God (1 Pt. 1:23). He changes our heart enabling us to repent of sin and believe. Obedience would naturally flow from such a change.
Jesus is here pointing to the dawning of a new eschatological era. John the Baptist has inaugurated this era, and submission to his message—his water baptism, which is the precursor for Christian baptism—is expected. Jesus now is the baptizer “in Spirit” (1:33), who will complete the dawning of this time. But above all, Nicodemus must understand that this era will be an era when the Spirit of God moves among humanity (Burge, G. M. (2000). John. The NIV Application Commentary (116). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.).
Jesus continued in verse six by further emphasizing that this spiritual cleansing is wholly a work of God, and not the result of human effort: “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” Just as only human nature can beget human nature, so also only the Holy Spirit can effect spiritual transformation. The term flesh (sarx) here refers merely to human nature (as it does in 1:13–14); in this context, it does not have the negative moral connotation that it frequently does in Paul’s writings (e.g., Rom. 8:1–8, 12–13). Even if a physical rebirth were possible, it would produce only flesh. Thus, only the Spirit can produce the spiritual birth required for entrance into God’s kingdom. Regeneration is entirely His work, unaided by any human effort (cf. Rom. 3:25).
Although Jesus’ words were based on Old Testament revelation, they ran completely contrary to everything Nicodemus had been taught. For his entire life he had believed that salvation came through his own external merit. Now he found it exceedingly difficult to think otherwise. Aware of his astonishment, Jesus continued in verse seven, “Do not marvel/be amazed. It was absolutely necessary for Nicodemus to get over his astonishment at being so wrong about how one is accepted into God’s kingdom and seek to be born again if he was to enter. And he could never do so based on his own righteous works.
In the phrase “you must be born from again/from above,” “you” is in the plural, which shows that this requirement does not extend solely to Nicodemus but to the entire group he represents (cf. “someone” in 3:3, 5; “we” in 3:2, 11). This includes the Pharisees and the Sanhedrin—and thus the Jewish religious leadership—but ultimately the entire nation (Köstenberger, A. J. (2004). John. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (124). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.).
Being born again is not something that you do. When Jesus said, ‘You must be born again,’ he was stating a fact, not uttering a command. He was not saying, ‘You must give birth to yourself again.’ The new birth is not something we can induce or produce. It is God’s work from beginning to end. It is a subconscious work initiated by God in the hostile territory of spiritually dead hearts and dispositions. It is the supernatural renewal of souls that are captive to sin (Keddie, G. J. (2001). A Study Commentary on John: Volume 1: John 1–12. EP Study Commentary (132). Darlington, England; Auburn, MA: Evangelical Press.).
Then the Lord illustrated His point in verse eight with a familiar example from nature: “The wind blows where it wishes and you hear its sound, but do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Jesus illustrated his point by a play on words applicable both in Hebrew and Greek. The word for “spirit” (Heb., rûah; Gr., pneuma) is the word for “wind” in both languages and can be translated either way, depending on the context. Possibly Nicodemus called on Jesus at the time when the evening wind was blowing through the city so that it was a ready illustration (Tenney, M. C. (1981). John. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Volume 9: John and Acts (F. E. Gaebelein, Ed.) (48). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.).
The wind cannot be controlled; it blows where it wishes. And though its general direction can be known, where it comes from and where it goes cannot be precisely determined. Nevertheless, the wind’s effects can be observed. The same is true of the work of the Spirit. His sovereign work of regeneration in the human heart can neither be controlled nor predicted. Yet its effects can be seen in the transformed lives of those who are born of the Spirit.
This verse guards against a physical dependence for the new birth such as the water of baptismal regeneration or another accompanying phenomenon. Sights, sounds, and smells are irrelevant. Nor are the time and place of new birth essential, though many people can point to both. Regenerational reality comes from the presence of the Holy Spirit. We are not improved caterpillars but by faith have become spiritual butterflies. A verse like this challenges our modern dependence on quick fixes and guaranteed formulas. (Gangel, K. O. (2000). Vol. 4: John. Holman New Testament Commentary (51–52). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.).
Illustration:In the mid-1970s, Charles Colson, an adviser to President Nixon who became embroiled in the Watergate scandal, was converted to Christ and wrote a book titled Born Again, which sold millions of copies. A few years later, President Carter revealed that he was a “born-again Christian.” Suddenly, the words “born again” became part of the nomenclature of culture. Many people began to call themselves “born-again Christians.” That term, however, is a kind of stuttering, because “born-again Christian” is really a redundancy. It’s like speaking about “an unmarried bachelor” or “a three-sided triangle.” All bachelors are unmarried and all triangles have three sides. The simple reality is this: everyone who is truly a Christian is born again. There are no other kinds of Christians. There’s no such thing as a non-born-again Christian or an unregenerate Christian. Yes, there are plenty of unregenerate church members and plenty of unregenerate people who profess to be Christians, but a person cannot be in Christ unless he or she is regenerate. By the same token, if you are regenerate, you are a Christian.
It is because of human weakness that people have to “stutter” like this to get their point across. Francis Schaeffer used to talk about “true truth.” He was making the point that there are people who have a subjective view of truth, but he was talking about objective truth that corresponds to objective reality. Much the same kind of thing is going on when someone says, “I’m a born-again Christian.” He means that he is a converted person. He is not just professing faith. He is saying that he is not just a member of a church. Rather, he is declaring that he has experienced a supernatural transformation of his soul and has been brought from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. That’s what it means to be regenerate. (Sproul, R. C. (2009). John. St. Andrew's Expositional Commentary (53). Lake Mary, FL: Reformation Trust Publishing.
The “Starting Point” in the consideration of eternal life came through:
3) The Point of Indictment (John 3:9–10)
John 3:9-10 [9]Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?" [10]Jesus answered him, "Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? (ESV)
Although he was a renowned teacher, Nicodemus proved to be a poor learner. His question, “How can these things be?” indicates that he had made little progress since verse 4. Despite Jesus’ further clarification in verses 5–8, Nicodemus still could not accept what he was hearing. He could not let go of his legalistic religious system and realize that salvation was a sovereign, gracious work of God’s Spirit.
Because of his position as verse ten indicates as the teacher of Israel, Nicodemus could have been expected to understand the things Jesus had said. His lack of understanding was inexcusable considering his exposure to the Old Testament. That he was the teacher indicates that Nicodemus was a recognized, established teacher in Israel. Jesus found it inexcusable that this prominent scholar was not familiar with the foundational new covenant teaching from the Old Testament regarding the only way of salvation (cf. 2 Tim. 3:15). Sadly, Nicodemus serves as a clear example of the numbing effect that external, legalistic religion has on a person’s spiritual perception—even to the point of obscuring the revelation of God.
Please turn to Romans 10 (p.946)
His ignorance also exemplified Israel’s spiritual bankruptcy (cf. Rom. 10:2–3). In Romans 10 Paul’s explained how someone can be very religious, yet miss what true faith is. Speaking of the Jews:
Romans 10:1-10 [10:1]Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. [2]For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. [3]For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. [4]For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. [5]For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. [6]But the righteousness based on faith says, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down) [7]or "'Who will descend into the abyss?'" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). [8]But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); [9]because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. [10]For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. (ESV)
Although nothing in John 3 suggests Nicodemus was converted that evening (and v. 11 strongly implies that he was not) Later, he boldly defended Jesus before the Sanhedrin (7:50–51), and helped Joseph of Arimathea prepare His body for burial (19:38–39)—actions that indicate the presence of genuine faith in his life. Sometime after that memorable evening he spent with Jesus but before the crucifixion, Nicodemus came to understand sovereign grace and experience the reality of the new birth.
(Format note: Outline & some base commentary from MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). John 1–11. MacArthur New Testament Commentary (99–107). Chicago: Moody Press.)
