John 3:3-5

3 In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”

4 “How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!”

5 Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.

A baby being born does not have much choice, and does not have much to do with the birthing process. It was not the baby’s idea to be born. It only comes about from the will and actions of the parents.

Spiritually it is not very different. We are born into God’s kingdom, not by our own efforts, but by the power and will of God. This is what being born again means. Literally, in Greek, it means born from above. Just as a baby cannot take credit for his or her arrival on Earth, none of us can take credit for our being included into God’s family.

There is one key difference however. The first time we are born, we have absolutely no say in the matter, the second time we may choose whether or not it will happen. Those that believe in election will say we do not even choose that, but that is not the point here. The point is, unless we are enlightened by God, given spiritual birth by God, we cannot grasp, let alone enter, the Kingdom of Heaven.

Jesus made this statement in response to Nicodemus, who was acknowledging Jesus as a great teacher and prophet. Nicodemus was a very religious man, and was one of the highest ranking religious people of his day. Nicodemus was likely a very good man. Yet, Jesus was in essence saying that was not enough. He was saying that man’s efforts, our efforts, are not good enough. Our efforts will not get us to the Kingdom of Heaven, through our own efforts; we cannot even understand what the kingdom of heaven is all about.

John 3:3 says one cannot see the kingdom if he is not born again, and verse five says one cannot enter the kingdom if he is not born of water and the spirit. They are essentially saying the same thing. In verse 3 he is saying that it cannot even be grasped (seen) without the new birth, and in verse five it makes clear that one cannot enter without the spiritual re-birth implied in verse 3. Verse three says what must happen while verse five tells us how it happens. It is something that happens to us as opposed to something we do. Being born from above means that one has been born by God, just as a baby is delivered here in physical birth.

John has already talked about this in 1:12-13, where is says that those that believe can become children of God, and he says this birth is not from our efforts, but from God’s effort. (See Romans 9:16, John 6:44, Ephesians 2:8-10.)

We do choose to believe – whether it is the result of election or not – but from that point it is God who must do the work. It is possible to understand the basic gospel message and to decide to put one’s faith in that message.

When we believe, God saves us. The word “salvation” means deliverance. It refers both to the eternal deliverance into Heaven, and the current deliverance from sin into righteousness. It is something that has happened, is happening and will continue to happen.

This cannot happen though, unless we are born again, or born from above. Once that happens, God will impart His spirit and will keep us in himself until the end. Our salvation or deliverance, both now and in eternity, is based more on what God does and has done, than on what we can do.