The Nugget:
John 3:3 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.
My Comment:
No one can enter heaven or see the kingdom of God without first being born again. The expression “born again” may also be expressed “born from above.” Many people believe they are “born again” because they have been baptized in or with water. This could not be true in this context, for Jesus was not schooling Nicodemus, a leading Pharisee and teacher of the Jews, about ritual water baptism. Jesus was surprised that Nicodemus was not aware of this teaching from his knowledge of the Bible. Jesus had reference to the prophecy of Ezekiel (Ezekiel 36:25-27). Ezekiel makes it clear that being born again is the work of the Holy Spirit, and so does Jesus in the immediate context of John 3:5. The Holy Spirit produces the work of the new birth in us when we believe in Christ for salvation. When this work of grace wrought in us by the Holy Spirit takes place, He produces the fruit of the Spirit in us as a result of the regenerative change or transformation that takes place in us. Jesus said we must be born again. It is not optional.
For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:
(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 1166 for John 3:3.
(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1186 or in Logos 5 Bible software for John 3:3.
(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:
John 3:3. answered and said. FS108H1, Mt +11:25. ver. 10. Dt 1:41n. Mt 4:4. Mk +11:14. Verily. ver. 11. See on Jn +1:51. 5:19. 6:26, 53. 8:34. 10:1. 13:16. Nu 5:22. Mt +*5:18. Mk 14:18. 2 C *1:19, 20. Re *3:14. Except. FS184C, Mt +4:9. Jn 6:44. be born. or, begotten. ver. 4-6. Jn *+1:13. Ps 87:5. Is 43:7. Ezk **36:26. Mt 1:2. 3:14. *18:3. 1 C *2:14. 2 C 5:16, 17. Ga *6:15. Ep *2:1, 4, 5. T **3:5. Ja +*1:18. 1 P +*1:3, 23. 1 J 2:29. 3:9. *5:1, 18. again. or, from above. or, anew. Gr. anōthen (S#509g, Ja 1:17). From above, i.e. by Divine power (CB). ver. **7, 31. Jn +1:13. 19:11, 23. Dt 30:6. Mt 27:51. Mk 15:38. Lk 1:3. 8:8. Ac 26:5 (from the beginning). 2 C **5:17. Ga 4:9. 6:15. Ep 2:10. Col 2:12. Ja *1:17. *3:15, 17. 1 P 1:23. he cannot see. ver. *5, 36. Jn 1:5. *12:40. Dt *29:4. Ps *15:1. Je 5:21. Ezk 44:9. Mt 5:8, 20. *13:11-16. 16:17. 18:3. 19:23. Mk 10:15. +*16:16n. Ro 8:8. 1 C 2:14. +**6:9, 10. +*15:50. 2 C *4:4. He +*12:14. 1 J *3:2. the kingdom of God. ver. 5. Jn +*18:36, 37. 1 Ch 28:4, 5. Mt +3:2. 10:7. +12:28. +*21:43. 25:34. Mk +1:15. 10:15. Lk +4:43. 10:9. +*22:29, 30. Ac +*1:3, 6n. 8:12. *14:22. 19:8. 20:25. 28:23, 31. Ro 9:8. +*14:17. 1 C 4:20. +*6:9, 10. +*15:50n. Ga 5:21. Ep 5:5. Col 1:13n. 4:11. 1 Th 2:12. 2 Th +*1:5. 2 T +*4:1n, 18n. He 12:28. Ja +*2:5. 2 P **1:11. Re +*5:10. 12:10.
jonah 2.9 but i will sacrifce unto thee with the voice of
thanksgiving; i will pay that that i have vowed. salvation
if of the lord.
jn 3.3 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. several good cross refs help
us understand what the lord means in vs.
1. vs 5 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.
2. v6 that which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that
which is born of the spirit is spirit.
3. jn 1.13 which were born, not of blood, nor of the will
of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of god.
4. ga 6.15 for in christ jesus neither circumcision availeth
any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.
5. titus 3.5 not by works of righteousness which we have
done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the
washing of regeneration, and renewing of the holy spirit.
6. jas 1.18 of his own will begat he us with the word of
truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
7. 1 pe 1.23 being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of
incorruptible, by the word of god, which liveth and abideth
forever.
8. i jn 2.29 if ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every
one that doeth righteousness is born of him.
9. 1 jn 3.9 whosoever is born of god doth not commit sin; for his
seed remaineth in him; for his seed remaineth in him: and he
cannot sin, because he is born of god.
10. 1 jn 5.1 whosoever believeth that jesus is the christ is born of
god; and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that
is begotten of him.
11. 1 jn 5.18 we know that whosoever is born of god sinneth not; but
he that is begotten of god keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth
him not.
12. 11 co 4.4 in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them
which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of christ, who is the
image of god should shine unto them.
psm 147.1 praise ye the lord: for it is good to sing praises unto out god; for
it is pleasant; and praise is comely.