Nicodemus came to the Lord by night to ask a question. We are not told directly
what his question might have been. But we can surmise from the reply given,
that his question was about the kingdom and no doubt along the same line
as the apostles asked in Acts 1:6
. The question was when it would be setup.
The reply is clear and concise. A man (Nicodemus) or ye (Israel, Nicodemus
being a representative), must be born from above or again to see or to enter
into the kingdom. This places the time. It is when they are resurrected.
So far, up till now, the Lord is the only one who has been born again. Even
He could not enter into His kingdom without being born again or resurrected.
But now He is the firstborn from the dead
.
Since He is counted as the firstborn from the dead, then it must follow that
all who had been brought to life in the OT and such as the Lord raised in
the NT, including Lazarus, the saints raised in Jerusalem at the time of
the Lord's resurrection, and even the various times that Paul died and was
made alive; all of these did not have a true resurrection or a rebirth. As
late as Col 1:18 the Lord is still
the firstborn from among the dead. And when John wrote his gospel,
the Lord was the only one who had ever ascended to heaven. See
John 3:13. So none other has been born again yet.
Our Lord's first begetting was of the Father, and He was God only begotten.
So the Lord was not born of bloods, not of the will of the flesh, not of
the will of a husband, but of God. He was given to have life in Himself and
can give life to as many as it pleases Him.
But what about others? How are they begotten so that they may come to the
second birth? We find the answer in 1 Peter
1:3,23. Peter and other believers of that time had been begotten unto
a living hope. It was accomplished by the Lord's resurrection. In verse 23
it is further explained that they are begotten
(not the word for born), by
incorruptible seed, by (faith in)
the Word of God. So every believer has this begetting, for eternal
life comes through faith, and faith cometh
by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.
This begetting is better known as eternal life, the new nature, the new man,
the spirit of God, and other names given. Would suggest that you read The
Two Natures in the Child of God by E. W. Bullinger and make a list of these
names.
Note that this begetting is by incorruptible seed. If that be true, then
there can be no miscarriage, abortion, or still birth, but all must come
to a living birth or resurrection. So to be born again, one must be a believer,
begotten of God of incorruptible seed by the Word.
Nicodemus confessed that he believed. Therefore he was begotten of God. But
his question was when the time of the kingdom would be, and was told that
it would be at his rebirth or resurrection from the dead. The reader is invited
to search and see. It may eliminate many difficulties, and answer many questions
he may have along these lines.
