What Does It Mean to Be Born Again? Jesus' Answer to Nicodemus' Question 'How Can These Things Be?'

What Does It Mean to Be Born Again?

In the hushed darkness of night, a learned religious leader approached Jesus with a burning question. Nicodemus—a Pharisee, a ruler of the Jews, a master of Israel—came seeking answers, yet found himself utterly bewildered by Christ's response: "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

Confused and perhaps a bit frustrated, Nicodemus asked: "How can these things be?"

This question still resonates today. What exactly does it mean to be "born again"? How can someone experience a second birth? And why is this spiritual transformation necessary for entering God's kingdom? Even with all our religious education and access to scripture, many still struggle to grasp this foundational Christian concept.

The Spiritual vs. The Physical: Why We Struggle to Understand

The dilemma Nicodemus faced continues to challenge us today: we often try to understand spiritual concepts through physical reasoning. When Jesus spoke of being "born again," Nicodemus immediately thought in literal, physical terms: "How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?"

This misunderstanding reveals our natural tendency to interpret spiritual truths through worldly perspectives. We live in an age where we can find tutorials for almost anything on YouTube—how to repair engines, build fences, or master new skills. Yet understanding spiritual transformation often eludes us.

Why? Because we prioritize the physical over the spiritual. Our shopping lists grow longer than our prayer lists. Our recreational pursuits command more attention than our spiritual development. We excel at solving practical problems but struggle with spiritual realities.

Born Again: The Biblical Foundation Nicodemus Should Have Known

Jesus's rebuke to Nicodemus was surprisingly sharp: "Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?"

This rebuke wasn't merely rhetorical. As a prominent religious leader, Nicodemus should have recognized the concept of spiritual rebirth from Old Testament passages that clearly described an inner transformation:

• Jeremiah 31:33 - God promised to "put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts"

• Ezekiel 11:19 - God would "give them one heart" and "put a new spirit within you"

• Ezekiel 18:31 - God commanded Israel to "make you a new heart and a new spirit"

• Psalm 51:10 - David prayed, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me"

These scriptures laid the foundation for understanding spiritual rebirth. They reveal that being "born again" means receiving a divinely-transformed heart and spirit—a complete renewal from the inside out.

Look and Live: How to Be Born Again

To explain how spiritual rebirth happens, Jesus referenced a powerful Old Testament story from Numbers 21 that illustrates the simplicity of salvation:

"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life."

This story provides a perfect parallel: When the Israelites were dying from venomous snake bites in the wilderness, God didn't remove the snakes. Instead, He instructed Moses to make a bronze serpent and place it on a pole. Those who simply looked at the bronze serpent were healed.

Being born again works the same way. We've all been bitten by the serpent of sin and face spiritual death. The remedy isn't trying harder, performing religious rituals, or achieving moral perfection. It's simply looking to Christ in faith—believing that His death on the cross pays for our sins.

Born of Water and Spirit: What Happens When You're Born Again

Jesus elaborated to Nicodemus: "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."

What does this mean? Being "born of water" refers to repentance and cleansing from sin, while being "born of the Spirit" points to the supernatural work of God's Spirit creating new life within us. When someone is born again:

1. They receive forgiveness of sins - Just as water cleanses physically, God's forgiveness washes away spiritual impurity

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

3. They receive the indwelling Holy Spirit - God's Spirit takes residence within them, empowering them to live differently

4. They gain eternal life - As Jesus promised, "whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life"

This transformation isn't achieved through religious rituals or good works—it's received through faith in Jesus Christ. It's not something we earn; it's something God does within us when we believe.

The Miracle That Still Happens Today

The power of spiritual rebirth continues to work miracles today. The gospel still transforms lives in ways that confound secular explanations:

• The drunkard becomes sober

• The depressed find joy

• The broken family discovers healing

• The lost find purpose

These transformations aren't the result of psychological techniques or self-improvement strategies. They come from the power of God, working through the new birth to create new creatures in Christ.

How Can These Things Be?

Returning to Nicodemus's question: "How can these things be?"

The answer is both simple and profound. It happens not through human effort but divine intervention. Not through earthly wisdom but heavenly power. Not through religious ritual but personal faith.

God offers us eternal life—not because we deserve it, but because Christ died in our place. The One who should have been on the tree was you and me, but Christ became a curse for us.

All we need to do is admit our guilt and look to Him in faith.

How can these things be? Through the matchless grace of God, who makes the impossible possible—who brings spiritual life to those dead in sin.

Will you, like Nicodemus, move beyond confusion to conviction? Will you look to Jesus and live?

🔥 Ready to dive deeper into God's Word? This blog post is just a glimpse of the powerful expository preaching found in our verse-by-verse Bible teaching series on the Gospel of John. Don't miss out on the full message that could transform your understanding of what it means to be born again! Click here to listen to the complete sermon and experience the life-changing truth of God's Word. 📚 #ExpositoryPreaching #VerseBySerseBibleTeaching #Sermon