Spiritual Perception

John Chapter 3: Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; 2 this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Nicodemus came by night. He probably didn’t want to be seen in serious conversation with Jesus, but he had questions. “Rabbi,” he said, as he began to butter up this Galilean teacher, WE know you are from God, because of the signs (miracles) we’ve seen you perform.” He may have been a scout for the Sanhedrin, but he seems to have had a specific curiosity of his own, too, about Jesus. This man was not a heathen, in the sense of no knowledge of God. He was a religious leader. A Pharisee, a member of the Sanhedrin; so he knew what the Old Testament scriptures teach about God, and apparently was interested in serving God, as he understood Him. This kind of spiritual ignorance is different from the arrogant rebellion of those who simply reject the whole concept of God as He has revealed Himself to man, because they really don’t want to understand Him, and consider themselves morally superior to Him. Nic just didn’t have the complete picture, yet.

Jesus made it plain that Nicodemus could not see ( eido: perceive, have knowledge of, understand) the kingdom of God until he was born again. In that sense, he was no different from the heathen.

4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” (What a concept!)

5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water* and the *Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”
*Water and Spirit: Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. John 7:37-39

So, without the new birth, one cannot perceive of, nor enter into the kingdom of God. Jesus, the only Savior said that. To a ruler of the Jews.

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh,

since Adam’s sin, all human beings are born in the same condition that Adam became: spiritually dead. Having Abraham’s genes is not enough. Without an activated human spirit, we have no receiver for God’s truth.

….and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. By the new birth we become spiritually alive, with a human spirit that can perceive the truth of God’s Word.
7 Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” We cannot see wind, but we can see the result of the wind: bending trees, blowing debris, etc. The Spirit is likewise invisible, but leaves evidence of His presence.

9 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things?

Nicodemus had the equivalent of a PHD in Old Testament history and the Mosaic Law. The Old Testament had prophesied for centuries about the Savior Who would come to redeem the condemned human race. He would be God’s only Son, the Jewish Messiah. His redemption would change the hearts of men and give them spirit to understand and love God. So, you’re a Doctor of Divinity, Nicodemus, and you don’t get this? It’s because you are physically alive, but spiritually dead. The natural man cannot perceive the things of the Spirit of God. He is not equipped. I Corinthians 2:14

11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony. 12 If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man. 14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; 15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.

The story of the serpent in the wilderness (Numbers 21:5-9) was simply an example of faith in the promise of God. You’re dying from snake-bite (original sin); there is one way to survive that fatal condition: look at the serpent on the pole (crucified Savior) and believe. That’s how it works.

16 “For God so loved the *world, that He gave His *only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not *perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to *judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 He who believes in Him is not *judged; he who does not believe has been *judged already, (why?) because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

*World: mankind. *Only begotten: uniquely born (God-Man). Only one born this way. *Perish: be eternally separated from God. *Judge: condemn. *Judged already: born a sinner. Not because of personal sins, but because he is spiritually dead and has rejected the only atonement for his sins. There is no more sacrifice for sins.

“He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” John 3:36

At some point, Nicodemus believed. We know, because he was with Joseph of Arimathea when they asked for the body of the crucified Jesus, to provide a proper Jewish burial. Nicodemus also brought myrrh and aloes (very expensive ointments) to prepare the body (John 19:38-40). So, this very wealthy, aristocratic ruler of the Jews had finally believed in the Lamb of God and received his very own human spirit; equipment with which to understand the truths that the Messiah had been teaching him in that encounter by night.