NOTES for Joh 3:5
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. |
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As much as we are in a better position, than Nicodemus, who heard these words the first. Obviously, it was very difficult for him to understand them, but it's much easier for us, knowing already what took place afterward.
All our life, all our thoughts and acts are penetrated by sin from birth - egoism, pride, fulsome praise, condemnation... Sin leads to incorrect (fallen) actions, having very ponderous consequences, which in their turn provoke new sins in us, and in our neighbors. And all this rolls, as a snowball, taking more and more speed. Certainly, such a life has nothing in common with the Kingdom of God. Can we stop it? If yes, then how?
Jesus says that a new birth is necessary for that, or regeneration, because the old life has to stop completely, and it is only after that, a new life can begin. Our participation, our desire is indispensable here, - what is called by the word "repentance". It is exactly through repentance that we come to freewill death in the water of Baptism, where ends our sinful life; and the next step is the acceptance of the new life, which the life-giving Holy Spirit, sent to us by the loving Heavenly Father grants us . And here we are, newborn babies, washed by water and Spirit, entering in the Kingdom of God...
It is so ideally. In practice - it is only partial for us. Our repentance is incomplete; we continue to repent even after the Baptism. Consequently, our sinfulness does not die completely, and we ought to be cleaned again and again. And birth from the Spirit - is rather not regeneration, but the generation in us of a new life similar to the grain of mustard, which will have to grow and grow. Yes God will make of us that fertile soil, in which the growing Kingdom will come to maturity and bring fruits!
Other notes
For Joh 3:1-21
1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: |
2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. |
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. |
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? |
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. |
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. |
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. |
8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. |
9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? |
10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? |
11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. |
12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? |
13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. |
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: |
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. |
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. |
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. |
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. |
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. |
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. |
21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. |
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For Joh 3:1-15
1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: |
2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. |
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. |
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? |
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. |
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. |
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. |
8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. |
9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? |
10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? |
11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. |
12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? |
13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. |
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: |
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. |
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For Joh 3:1-15
1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: |
2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. |
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. |
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? |
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. |
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. |
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. |
8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. |
9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? |
10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? |
11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. |
12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? |
13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. |
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: |
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. |
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