Born Again

Part 6: Born Again (John 3:1-21)

I. You must be born again (John 3:1-8)

Who is Nicodemus (v. 1)?

Nicodemus was probably an older man (v. 4) who was a very distinguished teacher (v. 10) and a member of the Jewish ruling council, the Sanhedrin (v. 1). The Sanhedrin was a ruling council of 70 members “responsible for religious decisions and also, under the Romans, for civil rule” (Walvoord, 280).

Why did he come by night (v. 2)?

Each other time John refers to “night,” he refers to it with spiritual or moral connotations (John 3:2; 9:4; 11:10; 13:30). It certainly could refer to literal darkness, but it seems that John is emphasizing it to make the point that there is spiritual “night” that overshadows the account.

Why did he call Jesus “Rabbi” (v. 2)?

Nicodemus, a distinguished teacher, respectfully calls Jesus Rabbi. Nicodemus knows that Jesus isn’t an uneducated goof like his colleagues evidently do (John 7:15; 45-52), but that He is a “teacher come from God” (John 3:2). This is a high praise, but not high enough. Jesus is the Messiah, the promised Prophet sent by God Almighty, not just a wise teacher.

Was Nicodemus a Christian at this point? Did he truly believe in Jesus?

We don’t know! There are some debates, especially surrounding the word that most Bibles today translate as “Now” at the very start of 3:1—de in the Greek—that could either imply that Nicodemus believed in Christ but his faith was inadequate for Jesus to entrust himself to him or that Nicodemus did have solid faith and Jesus did entrust himself to him (see D.A. Carson, The Gospel according to John, notes on John 3:1 for further discussion on this). Carson helpfully points out that it doesn’t really matter in the long term, and it’s probably best to see Nicodemus as interested but not fully open to the truth.

We do know, however, that Nicodemus later sides with Jesus when the rest of the Sanhedrin is out to judge him without trial (John 7:45-52) and stands with Christ after His crucifixion, helping Joseph of Arimathea bury His body (John 19:38-42).

[This point is unimportant for the sermon, but it helpful to include for both apologetics reasons and answering critical questions (as well as giving an accurate picture of Nicodemus’ attitude while telling the story during sermons). Why does Nicodemus say “Rabbi, we know...” (v. 2)? Why the plurality? It’s been suggested that Nicodemus brought some of his disciples with him, and both he and Jesus use the plural “we” to refer to themselves and their disciples. The issue with this is that the text says nothing of any of the disciples, of Jesus or Nicodemus, present for this conversation (although, it would make sense that, at the very least, John was, as he is writing this account. The other possibility is that Nicodemus was speaking for at least some of the members of the Sanhedrin, and his “we” betrays “a touch of swagger or nervousness” (Carson).]

Why does Jesus respond like this? It seems a bit out of place.

The issue at hand is seeing the kingdom of God. Nicodemus is telling Jesus that he knows something of who He is—he knows He is from God because he has seen His powerful miracles (see John 2:23). Jesus’ response tells Nicodemus that he cannot understand who Jesus is and what He is doing unless he is born again. Only those who are born again can see the “kingdom of God” (v. 3). Nicodemus claims to see the kingdom, to see who Jesus is.

What does Jesus mean by “born again” and “the kingdom of God” (v. 3)? What about “born of water and the Spirit” (v. 5)?

Repeated often in this passage is the phrase “truly, truly” (3:3, 5, 11), an emphatic statement of truth and veracity. All the words of Christ are true, but these words are used to emphasize the following statements trustworthiness and importance.

The conversation gradually explains what Jesus means by “born again.” Nicodemus first eliminates the obvious impossibility of a grown (“old”) man reentering his mother’s womb to be “born” again. It’s probable that Nicodemus had no idea what Jesus was talking about here, and I don’t blame him. Jesus is being a little bit confusing here.

The “kingdom of God” refers to the kingdom coming at the end of history (1) ruled by a son of David (Isaiah 9:1-7; Zech 9:9-10), (2) by a servant of YHWH (Isaiah 42:1ff; 49:1ff), (3) by YHWH Himself (Isaiah 9:1-7; Zechariah 14:9). How is it that this Kingdom is ruled by YHWH and by a servant of YHWH? In the same was that the “Word” (Logos) was “with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1): Jesus is the Second Person of the Trinity, separate from the Father but still completely God.

As people who are born again (read: Christians) we can see the Kingdom of God, but we also ought to be looking for it.

Everything in this discussion has to do with life. Being “born,” seeing the “kingdom of God” (to a Jew this would have implied participation in the future resurrection; cf. John 11:24), “eternal life” (John 3:15-16). The primary issue of this life we all live is that we will all die.

In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes. —Benjamin Franklin, letter (1789)

Benjamin Franklin

So what do we do with that? We can try to avoid death for as long as possible, and indeed our world does so. Popular culture tries everything it can to avoid not just death, but even the very signs of old age. Wrinkles and gray hair are seen as bad things; have you ever stopped and thought of why that is? Because our entire world is deathly afraid of death, the one inescapable thing. We like so much to think that we control our destinies, and death stares us in the eyes and laughs at us. That scares us.

“Born again of water and the Spirit...” doesn’t do much to help our confusion. This either refers to:(1) Natural birth and spiritual birth, interpreting “water” as amniotic fluid and seeing this as two births—this interpretation is unlikely. (2) One birth, “water” referring to Christian baptism, whereby the Spirit brings rebirth through water baptism. [This doesn’t seem likely. Although the word “water” leaps off the pages to our contemporary Christian eyes, it wouldn’t have to Nicodemus or to most in this context (perhaps to John’s readers, but certainly not to anyone present for the actual conversation John is recounting). (3) “Water” refers to John the Baptist’s ministry of repentance-baptism, and Nicodemus needs both to receive the Holy Spirit and to publicly repent of his sins. (4) Other interpretations have been raised, but are only supported by late and lazily-connected contextual clues and references.

It is most plausible that being born of “water and Spirit” (3:5) is a “conceptual unity” (Carson), and that one must be born of water and Spirit (not two separate things, but one new birth). To be born again means to have your whole life cleansed, to have your heart and mind transformed by God. It doesn’t matter who you are—where you grew up, who your parents are, how smart with things of the Bible you are, how long your family has been at a particular church, how good you are at speaking the truth of Scripture, how good you are at baseball or basketball or football or soccer, how well you perform in any area of life—everyone must be born again to see God’s Kingdom, to enter God’s Kingdom (seeing and entering are made equal here).

In Ezekiel 36:25-27 God makes a very clear connection between water and His Holy Spirit, both of which cause His people to be completely transformed.

Ezekiel 36:25–27 ESV

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.

Could this refer to baptism? It is possible, but not plausible. Christian baptism had been happening for at least decades by the time the Apostle John wrote his Gospel, and if he wanted his readers to understand a clear connection here, he easily could have made it much clearer than it is.

We are by nature beings of flesh (“That which is born of the flesh is flesh”), but in order to enter the Kingdom of God we must receive a new nature from the Holy Spirit (“that which is born of the Spirit is spirit”). Romans 12:1–2 tells us “1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Just like the wind, the Spirit of God cannot be controlled or understood by us. We cannot see it or control Him, but we can see His undeniable and unmistakable work.

When a Pharisee like Paul, a zealous murderer of Christians, becomes a faithful evangelist and missionary? That is the unmistakable work of the Holy Spirit. When a man like Tom Terrants, the KKK member who tried bombing Jewish people and got some people killed, radically transform their worldview and become Christians? That is the unmistakable work of the Holy Spirit.

Just like the Holy Spirit is unable to be controlled or understood by us, so those who are born of the Spirit cannot be controlled or understood by those who are not. The challenge to all readers is in verse 7: “You must be born again” (John 3:7, emphasis mine). This is Christ’s emphasis to Nicodemus, but he isn’t getting it. He cannot understand Jesus, who is of the Spirit and sent by the Father, because he is not born of the Spirit.

II. The Spirit gives life (John 3:9-15)

Nicodemus’ question in v. 9 is incredulous: How can this happen? Jesus’ answer is sharp and pointed.

You are the Revered Professor Doctor, and do you not understand these things?

D.A. Carson

This isn’t a new thing just showing up in the New Testament. Nicodemus, a master of the Scriptures and religious authority in the people of God, should have already known that entrance in to the Kingdom of God required not just obedience, but complete transformation. He didn’t just fail to understand, but he failed to believe in who Jesus was claiming to be. If Nicodemus can’t get this basic fact (“earthly things”), what use would it be for Jesus to explain greater details of life in the Kingdom of God (“heavenly things”)?

This is where all people must start in their journey with Christ, and this is especially where young men and women ought to pay attention. Young Christians (those who are young in the time they have been Christians—so including potentially people young or old in age) must begin with the basics, with “milk.”

How is it that Jesus can tell us of these “heavenly things”? He has authority to because He Himself is from heaven (“descended from Heaven”) and thus can speak authoritatively on heavenly things. He is from heaven, it is his home in the first place.

In vv. 14-15, Jesus moves from connecting Ezekiel’s water-spirit prophecy to Moses’ well-known narrative about the bronze serpent (Numbers 21:4-9; cf. 2 Kings 18:4).

Numbers 21:4–9 ESV

4 From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. 5 And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.” 6 Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. 7 And the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. 8 And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.

God gave new physical life (healing) to those who looked to the bronze snake raised on a pole, so why is it so crazy that He would give new spiritual life (eternal life) to those who would look to the Son of Man lifted up? He is lifted up both literally on a cross and figuratively, that is, exalted and glorified (John 17:5; 8:28; 12:32; cf. concerning the Resurrection and exaltation Acts 2:32-33; Romans 8:34; Ephesians 1:20; 2:6; Colossians 3:1; 1 Peter 1:21). Just like the Israelites in Moses’ time were challenged to turn to the bronze snake for new life, Jesus is challenging Nicodemus to turn to Him for new birth (Carson).

III. God’s free and costly grace (John 3:16-21)

The word “so” in v. 16 is not emphatic, but descriptive. Best rendered (for our culture), “For God loved the world in this way...”

Love is very important to John’s Gospel, particularly the love between the Father, the Son, and the disciples (God’s children, John calls them in 1 John 3). It is normally these relationships that the Evangelist talks about in his Gospel, so it is very surprising that he now turns and speaks of the Father’s love for the world. Think about the audience. Whether these are the quoted words of Jesus or the additional thoughts of the Evangelist, Jewish backgrounds are present. They had the idea in their heads that God loved the children of Israel, and rightly so. But they missed the truth that God’s love is not restricted by race, ethnicity, nationality. The world is so wicked (1 John 2:15-17) so God’s great, selfless, redemptive love for the world is that much more beautiful.

Christians are called not to love the world (1 John 2:15-17) in selfish, participatory ways. God loves the world in selfless, costly love of redemption (Carson).

The love of God toward the world is shown by the fact that He gave up His Son, His only Son. This is not cheap love. Yes, God’s gift of grace is free, but it is only free in the sense that we do not have to do anything to receive it. Was this gift free to God? No, it was very costly. He gave His only Son to die.

This passage says that God gave His only Son so that those who believe in Him would not perish, but have eternal life. This sounds great, but something that is missed so often is verses 17-21. Yes, God has sent His Son so that we might have eternal life, and His Son didn’t come to condemn the world—however, all who choose not to believe in Him are condemned by their unbelief. John 3:36 says “36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” God’s wrath remains on him, the unrepentant sinner, because he was unwilling to accept the free (yet costly) gift of God’s grace; that is, the wrath of God poured out on His only Son in our stead.

What does the author mean by “perish” (v. 16)?

The idea of eternal life requires the opposite: eternal death. What does this look like?

Are there any chances to escape Hell?

No (Hebrews 9:27). This is eternal, conscious torment (Revelation 14:11;

God is a God of love—why wouldn’t He save everyone?

2 Peter 3:9 ESV

9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

God does not want anyone to perish, but He has given us the choice: YHWH as our God, or ourselves as our god; eternity in Paradise, or eternity in Hell.

There is a speeding train hurtling toward the world, and we’re on the train tracks. The conductor is blaring the horn, and people who have noticed the train are crying out to those on the tracks, “Get out of the way!”

Take it this way: God is standing *here,* between His wrath and you. With one hand He is holding back His wrath for sin, for your sin, and He is pleading with you to take His other hand, to escape the coming judgment and be welcomed home—your true home. You were never created to experience God’s wrath. Hell was not created to be your eternal home, it was created for Satan and his demons (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:10).

Some never choose to take His hand. Why? Perhaps it is stubbornness—they are stuck in how they’ve always done it. Perhaps it is pride—they can do it themselves. Perhaps it is anger—why would they want to spend eternity with a God who took their loved one away from them? What do we do for these people? We pray that God would break their will, that He would show them His great love for them, and that they would submit to Him as their Lord.

What if one of these is you?