New Birth, Part 2
Last week, we discussed the fact that the new birth -- being born again -- is foundational and necessary as the doorway into God's Kingdom. This week, we will take a look at the passage in Scripture where Jesus teaches about the new birth, and we will see how this truly is a multidimensional experience.
John 3:1-12 TPT – The Passion Translation:
1 Now there was a prominent religious leader among the Jews named Nicodemus, who was part of the sect called the Pharisees. 2 One night he discreetly came to Jesus and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one performs the miracle signs that you do, unless God’s power is with him.” 3 Jesus answered, “Nicodemus, listen to this eternal truth: Before a person can even perceive God’s kingdom, they must first experience a rebirth.”
In Jesus’ response here, he changes the dimension. He goes from the earth and time to heaven and eternity.
4 Nicodemus said, “Rebirth? How can a gray-haired man be reborn? It’s impossible for anyone to go back into the womb a second time and be reborn!”
Nicodemus directs the conversation back to the dimension of earth and time. Listen to how Jesus answers him.
5 Jesus answered, “I speak an eternal truth: Unless you are born of water and the Spirit, you will never enter God’s kingdom. 6 For the natural realm only gives birth to things that are natural, but the spiritual realm gives birth to supernatural life!
Here Jesus is establishing the reality of a different real, dimension and the necessity for us to engage Heaven.
7 “You shouldn’t be amazed by my statement, ‘You all must be born from above!’ 8 For the Spirit-Wind blows as it chooses. You can hear its sound, but you don’t know where it came from or where it’s going. So, it is the same with those who are Spirit-born!” 9 Nicodemus replied, “I don’t understand; what do you mean? How does this happen?”
Nicodemus is not grasping eternity and the different dimension or realm Jesus is presenting. Jesus continues to explain and to give an example.
10 Jesus answered, “Nicodemus, aren’t you the respected teacher in Israel, and yet you don’t understand this revelation? 11 I speak eternal truths about things I know, things I’ve seen and experienced—and still you don’t accept what I reveal. 12 If you’re unable to believe what I’ve told you about the natural realm, what will you do when I begin to unveil the heavenly realm?"
Jesus establishes His origin and the source of His understanding about the new birth. He declares, “I have seen, and I have experienced eternity, that is where I came from."
He further declares that we must understand the impact of the eternal on the temporary, or natural, realm to understand the heavenly realm.
How do we do that? Through the new birth.
We make heaven’s realm the reality in and for our natural or earthly realm. What a beautiful process and reality.
