Dalam Alkitab dalam Yohanes 3: 1-10, Jesus spoke with Nicodemus about being born again. What did Jesus mean, when He said to Nicodemus that you must be born again to see and enter the Kingdom of God? What does it mean to be born again of water and Spirit?
“Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God and cannot enter into the Kingdom of God”
There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. 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. 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?
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. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind blows where it lists, and thou hears the sound thereof, but cannot tell whence it comes, and whither it goes: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knows not these things? (John 3:1-10)
Nicodemus was a Pharisee, a teacher, and a ruler of Israel
Nicodemus was a Pharisee, a teacher and a ruler, and a master of Israel. But Nicodemus did not understand what Jesus meant by becoming born again. Nicodemus was a rich and powerful member of the supreme judicial body in ancient Jewry, the great Sanhedrin. He was one of the top teachers in the nation. He was gifted, brilliant, and had a deep understanding of Scripture, and of the messianic prophecies.
By night, Nicodemus went to Jesus and asked Him, “Rabbi, we know that Thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that Thou doest, except God be with him”.
But before Nicodemus could continue his argument, Jesus interrupted Nicodemus. Yesus berkata, that unless a man becomes born again, he cannot see, nor enter the Kingdom of God. But why did Jesus say this?
Nicodemus was a ruler, he was rich, he was religious, he knew the Scriptures, he was a teacher, he believed in God, he feared God, he accepted the supernatural, and he respected Jesus. However…… through all these things he couldn’t enter the Kingdom of God.
A carnal man can’t understand the things of the Spirit
Nicodemus didn’t understand, what Jesus meant by being born again. Because of the fact that Nicodemus was carnal, Nicodemus referred to the carnal birth. When Jesus answered Nicodemus, he still couldn’t understand what Jesus meant. Yesus berkata, that he as a teacher of Israel should have known what He meant. Because how can someone, who preach and teach the words of God, doesn’t understand the things of the Kingdom of God?
Nicodemus had a great intellectual knowledge of the Scriptures, the written word. But Nicodemus didn’t know and didn’t understand the Living Word.
Nicodemus didn’t see Jesus as the Son of God, while the Scriptures testified about Him. Itu, Nicodemus should have known, that Jesus was the Son of God. Nicodemus saw that God was with Him, but he only saw Jesus as a Teacher, who was sent by God.
Jesus manifested the Kingdom of God in the natural realm
Before Jesus came to this earth and became fully human, He lived with God; His Father. Jesus lived in the Kingdom of God and came to this earth, to preach the Kingdom of God. He not only preached the Kingdom of God, but He manifested and brought the Kingdom of God to this earth.
While Jesus preached and brought the Kingdom of God to God’s people (the house of Israel), signs and wonders followed Him.
The Kingdom of God became visible in the natural realm, through the preaching of the Word, prophecies, forgiveness of sin, healing, deliverance, signs, and wonders.
Nicodemus, one of the Pharisees, heard and saw the works of Jesus. Nicodemus saw that God was with Jesus, but he thought Jesus was a teacher. When Nicodemus expected Jesus to confirm that He was a teacher, Jesus began to speak about being born again.
Why did Jesus speak about being born again?
Why did Jesus speak about being born again? Baik, because Jesus answered Nicodemus’ question regarding His works. Jesus spoke about the new creation. Jesus told him, that it’s impossible to see the Kingdom of God and enter the Kingdom of God, without being born again; born of water (water baptism) and of the Spirit (baptism with the Holy Spirit).
Jesus was born of water and born of the Holy Spirit. He was the Firstborn of the new creation; Anak Tuhan.
He was the First of many, that would follow and would also become sons of God (Ini terpakai kepada lelaki dan perempuan); born of water and of the Spirit.
Jesus represented and manifested the Kingdom of God, because He came from the Kingdom of God and lived in this Kingdom. Although He lived in this world and was fully human, Jesus didn’t belong to this world. During His life on earth, Jesus walked in this Kingdom.
Jesus knew the Kingdom of God and that’s why He could preach and bring the Kingdom of God to God’s people on earth.
If a person from country A, will be sent as an ambassador to country B, without knowing the rules, regulations, and the law of country A, it will be impossible for this person to fulfill his task as an ambassador and represent country A. Because how can an ambassador represent a country, without knowing the law, regulations, and culture of this country? It is impossible.
Christians are ambassadors of the Kingdom of God
It is the same with Christians. Christians should represent the Kingdom of God on earth. But many Christians don’t know much about God and the Kingdom of God.
How can you, as a born again believer, represent the Kingdom of God if you don’t know that much about the Kingdom?
- How can you preach the Kingdom of God, if you don’t know the law and regulations?
- And how can you preach the Kingdom of God, if you don’t obey and keep the law and regulations of this Kingdom?
- How can you preach the Kingdom of God, if you don’t know the King or don’t obey the King and His will?
- How can you represent the Kingdom of God, if you keep doing your own will, making your own rules and living by your own rules? It is impossible!
You can’t preach the Kingdom of God out of the flesh
Only when you become born again in Christ, you will be able to see the Kingdom of God and enter the Kingdom of God.
You enter the Kingdom of God, while you are still living here on earth and not after you die. (Baca juga: Why the new heaven and the new earth will not come for many?).
When you become born again, your (restored and) new position is in Jesus Christ in Heaven. When you are duduk di dalam Kristus, you shall bring the Kingdom of God to this earth. You shall preach life and distribute life to the people and restore (heal) them in the Name of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit, and raise the dead (both spiritually and naturally).
What does it mean to be born again of water and Spirit?
Being born again or regeneration is translated from the Greek word paliggenesia (G3824) and means: (Rohani) rebirth (the state or the act), that is, (figuratively) spiritual renovation; specifically Messianic restoration: – regeneration.
Being born again does not mean a mere reformation of lifestyle, attending church services, becoming religious, a church membership, or doing humanitarian works. It doesn’t stop with a sorrow for sin and repentance.
People can be kind, loving, and humanistic and faithful church members and involved in many church activities.
They can have a great knowledge of the Bible or even be a theologian, a preacher, a pastor or a teacher, and still be unregenerate.
Nicodemus is actually the perfect example.
Nicodemus was a Pharisee, a religious man. He was serious about God and a teacher of the Scriptures. Namun begitu, Nicodemus was not born again and wasn’t spiritual.
No one can enter the Kingdom of God by good works, a pious lifestyle, personal skills, effort, or goodness. There is only one way to see and enter the Kingdom of God, and that is through Jesus Christ and the process of regeneration; the new birth.
The new birth is the spiritual counterpart of the natural birth. There is no other way for sinners to be cleansed from their sin and iniquity and justified and enter the Kingdom of God than through regeneration in Christ. (Baca juga: Why flesh and blood can’t inherit the kingdom of God?).
What does it mean to be born again in Christ according to the Bible?
If you don’t enter the Kingdom of God during your life here on earth, you won’t enter the Kingdom of God after you die. Only if you are willing to die to ‘self’ and give your life to Christ and make Jesus the Lord of your life and follow Him, only then shall you receive eternal life. (Baca juga: The Author of eternal salvation).
If you die to ‘self’ you shall no longer walk as you walked before your repentance, from your sinful nature in your old habits. Because how can a dead person pick up his old life? It’s impossible. A dead person is buried and this is also the case if your flesh is buried in Christ through baptism.
The carnal person (the old you) is buried in the baptistery. Itu, the old you don’t exist anymore.
After you lay down your old life (baptism), your spirit shall be raised from the dead, by the power of the Holy Spirit and you shall receive the Holy Spirit (baptism with the Holy Spirit). From that moment the Holy Spirit dwells inside of you.
Only when the Holy Spirit comes and lives inside of your dead body, regeneration will take place. A new creation is risen from the dead, when you died to the flesh and your spirit was raised from the dead in Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Without Jesus Christ and His redemptive work, it’s impossible to become the new creation.
When your spirit becomes alive and you become a new creation, it’s time to feed your spirit and renew your mind dengan Firman Tuhan. Jadi itu, your spirit shall grow up and mature and reign over your flesh (soul and body), and you shall walk after the Spirit as the new creation, anak Tuhan (both males and females), whom God has perfectly created in Jesus Christ.
You shall walk in the Kingdom of God in obedience to Jesus Christ; perkataan itu, being a representative of the Kingdom of God in the place you live. You shall preach and manifest the Kingdom of God to the people, through the forgiveness of sin, making them whole and reconciling them to God, so that many souls will be saved from eternal damnation.
'Jadilah garam bumi'
