In the text, Jesus teaches Nicodemus, a Pharisee and member of the Jewish ruling council, what it means to be born again. Like many church folk, who work hard in the church and do many good things to show others that they are true believers, Nicodemus did not truly comprehend what “being born again” was all about.
“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ John 3:3-7
This faith that Jesus is talking about is God’s grace that makes all the difference in our lives when we are able to see it and experience it. We should ask ourselves, do we see life as a prize to be won or as a gift to be received? Jesus invites us to embrace the lessons of grace. Do not worry about trying to impress God by showing how religious you can be. Real faith occurs when no one is watching because God is concerned about our salvation.
Jesus invited Nicodemus to live from a different perspective. Being born from above means having a faith that carries you rather than a faith that you have to carry. When we see and experience God’s grace, it makes all the difference in our lives. We should allow the spirit of God to change our perspective and pray to God to help us to accept the gift of his grace!
God is good all the time, and all the time God is good!