Unless a man is born again. . . what? What exactly does a man need to be born again for? What is it that is impossible for a man do do, unless he is born again (regenerated)? John, Chapter 3, in Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus, has some answers for us.

“This man (Nicodemus) came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him (Nicodemus), “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” “- John  3:2-3

The first thing we notice in these two verses is that Nicodemus, in reference to Jusus’ miraculous signs, recognized that God was with Him. The Jewish religious leaders all knew that. The second thing we notice is that Jesus didn’t confirm that Nicodemus’ statement was true, but he took the conversation to a new level – the subject of needing to be ‘born again’ (regenerated). That must have been a novel concept to someone who, like other religious leaders of the time, believed that pleasing God, and thus salvation, was dependent on keeping the Law (the original Big Ten and many more).

Let’s take a closer look at several important words/terms in verse 3 in relation to the kingdom of God.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” “- John  3:3

Unless (if not, that is, unless) one is born (From a variation of to procreate (properly of the father, but by extension of the mother); figuratively to regenerate) again(from above; by analogy from the first; by implication anew) he cannot ( to be able or possible: – be able, can [do, + -not]) see(properly to see (literally or figuratively); by implication (in the perfect only) to know: – be aware, behold, (+ not tell)X consider, (have) known (-ledge), look (on), perceive, see, be sure, tell, understand, wist, wot. ) the kingdom of God.

Jesus further emphasized the ‘born again’ (regeneration) principle a couple of verses later:

“Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” ” – John 3:5-6

One ‘birth’ is completely of the flesh, and other ‘birth’ is completely from above. This can be problematic if one thinks that the spiritual rebirth is initiated by man’s decision. If you are reading this and it isn’t problematic or you, consider what Jesus said two chapters earlier in the book of John:

“But to all who did receive him (the Word make flesh, Jesus), who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” – John 1:12-13

It would appear from the text that no human action initiates our being born again (regenerated), neither a purely physical act, nor mental act of human decision.

When most of us believe that our rebirth in Christ happens after we make a strictly human decision to accept the gift of salvation, freely offered, this is definitely cause for a thoughtful pause, is it not? Could it be true that unless we have experienced a supernatural act of regeneration by God that we cannot even see, know, consider, or understand the gospel message?

What is the text of a few passages in John tell us, and what does it do to our doctrine of ‘how’ God saves men?