John 3:3-8
I think we lose sight of the impact Jesus words had on Nicodemus because of our familiarity in the modern day church with the term “born again.” I’m not a Greek scholar, but I can imagine from Nicodemus’s reaction that he took what Jesus said as being along the lines of “unless you are reborn” or “unless you experience another birth”, you cannot see the Kingdom of God. And this “seeing” I think applies not only to the after life, but also to a current awareness, in the here and now, of the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is in the presence of God, and when Jesus was born he ushered in the Kingdom of God. From that momoment on, God has dwelled in the presence of man and made it possible for man to dwell in His presence. Thus Jesus said repeatedly, “the Kingdom of God is at hand.”
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?” Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”
John 3:3-8 NLT