John 3:3-6, Born of the Spirit Part I

3 Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." 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. 

Jesus tells Nicodemus that he must be born again. This surprising twist shocked Nicodemus, who could not understand what this could mean. This second birth, which could also be translated “born from above,” required divine initiative and was only possible through God’s work. 

The new birth requires being born again of the Spirit. Jesus did not say to Nicodemus, “I wish everyone would believe in me.” Instead, he said, “You must be born again to see—and therefore be—in the kingdom of God.” Faith in Jesus requires new birth–a baptism of water and the Holy Spirit. This is the creation of something new, formed by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit who covers us with water, cleansing us of our sins and giving us new hearts. 

In speaking of water and the Spirit, Jesus refers to Ezekiel 36:24-28 and Jeremiah 31:31-34. Specifically in Ezekiel (vv. 25-27) God promises this: 

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. 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. And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. 

Before coming to faith in Jesus, our stony hearts are dead to his truth, his beauty, and his glory that is the glory of God himself. Instead, they are prone to sin and what is not of God. Psalm 51:5 confirms this natural, fallen state: “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” We are reborn by God who cleanses us of our congenital sins and gives us new hearts to know and love Jesus his Son. 

Praise the Lord who has given you new birth and a new heart to know and love Jesus.