Nicodemus was a Pharisee who came to Jesus by night. Presumably, he came by night because he was afraid of what the other Pharisees would think if they knew he was with Jesus. He told Jesus that he and all of the Pharisees knew there was something special about Jesus because the miracles Jesus did showed that God was with Him.

Jesus did not enter into that debate with Nicodemus for He could see that Nicodemus did not need intellectual clarification concerning His identity. Jesus saw immediately that Nicodemus needed to be born again.

John 3:3
3 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. (KJV)

Nicodemus was dumbfounded. He must have thought this was the strangest thing he had ever heard, and he challenged the Lord.

John 3:4
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? (KJV)

John 3:5
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (KJV)

Certainly one has to be born as a human being before they can enter the kingdom, but Jesus told Nicodemus that one must experience another, spiritual birth to qualify for the kingdom. As Jesus spoke of being born of water and born of the Spirit, He was drawing a contrast between physical birth and spiritual rebirth. That is clear from verse 6 where Jesus said,

John 3:6
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (KJV)

When people believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for their sins, the Holy Spirit brings them into spiritual union with Jesus Christ, and they are forever changed.

2 Corinthians 5:17
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (KJV)

The Holy Spirit seals the believer in Christ and becomes the life-force within the believer. He reveals the Word of God. He gives guidance. He convicts of sin. He gives the joy of the Lord. In Ephesians, Paul says, we must do everything possible to maintain unhindered fellowship with Christ through the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 4:30-32
30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. (KJV)

Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com

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http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/