How To Enter The Kingdom of God

HOW TO ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD

John 3:1-7

We sing a song: “What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.” 1 John 1:7; Rev. 1:5. According to scripture, when are those sins washed away?

Now, let’s look at the passage that was read. This is a very familiar passage…we have all read this…we have all heard it many times.

But as familiar as it is, it is even more important.
It is important because in this passage Jesus tells a man what he “must do to enter into the Kingdom of God.”

When it comes to the spiritual realm, there are only two kingdoms.

Paul in Colossians 1:13 says that there is a “domain of darkness” or a “kingdom of darkness“.
And Eph 2 tells us that it is a kingdom in which people “walk according to the prince of the power of the air.”
A kingdom where people refuse to “walk in obedience to God…where they live in obedience to the lust of their flesh…indulging in the desires of their flesh and minds.”
It is a kingdom where people are “dead” in their trespasses and sins….and where they are separated from God…and doomed to be eternally lost.”
Sin….and it only takes one….places a man or a woman in the “domain of darkness”.

Then there is this kingdom spoken of here in John 3 by Christ…the Kingdom of God.

It is a kingdom where God reigns or rules.
A kingdom where people walk in obedience to His will…and where sins are forgiven…and where people who once were “dead” in their trespasses…are now made “alive together with Christ.”
And it is a kingdom where people are no longer separated from God and lost eternally…but a kingdom where people have fellowship with God as well as the promise of eternal life.

So, there are two kingdoms.

One is a kingdom of darkness and death….the other a kingdom of light and life.
And Jesus’ whole purpose for coming to this earth and dying on the cross was to provide a way for us out of the domain of darkness into the Kingdom of God.

But, not only did Jesus come to provide a way for us….but He also came to tell us how to get out of the one and into the other.

And that is why this passage is so important.
Because here in this passage, Jesus tells us “How to enter into the kingdom of God.
So let’s look together at this extremely passage…and learn “How to enter into the Kingdom of God.”

Look at verse 1. “Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; this man came to Him by night and said, “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 them.”

Now as you look at this I want you to notice some things.

First of all, Nicodemus was a religious man!

He was a Pharisees….and if you know anything about Pharisees you know that they were a religious sect that dedicated themselves to learning and observing the Law of Moses.

Not only was he religious, but it says that he was a “ruler of the Jews.”

He was a man of authority….a member of the Sanhedrin which was the supreme court of the Jews.

Not only that, if you go over into John 19:38-39 you find out that after Jesus died, this same man brought about 100 pounds of spices to embalm Jesus’ body with.

Not everyone could afford 100 pounds of spices.
The indication is that Nicodemus was not only a religious man…and a man of authority…but he was also a wealthy man.

So what you have here is a man that had it all.

He had power, he had money, and he was religious.
He was highly respected…highly esteemed.
And, not only that, he comes to Christ and confesses that Jesus is from God.

Now, a lot of people today would look at a man like Nicodemus and say “He’s going to heaven!”

He is religious…He is apparently a good man…an honest man…after all he confessed that Jesus was from God.
“This guy has got to be bound for heaven!”

But look what happens in verse 3.

Nicodemus comes to Christ and Jesus says, “Truly, truly I say to you, UNLESS one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Here was a perfect opportunity for Jesus to make an exception!

He could have said, “You are right Nicodemus…you are a good…religious man…enter right on in.”
But He didn’t do that!

Look at verse 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.”

Look at verse 7: “Do not marvel that I said to you, “You MUST be born again.”

This isn’t optional!

There are no exceptions.
This is something that Jesus says you MUST do!

A lot of people today think they are the exception to this.

We think that because we are a good person…because we live a good moral and ethical life…that Christ is just going to say, “Come on in! What is required of every one else isn’t required of you!”

But Jesus says, “Unless you are born again….unless you are born of the water and the Spirit, you cannot enter into the Kingdom of God!”

He didn’t make an exception for Nicodemus.
And, no matter if you are the nicest person in town He will not make an exception for you.

And the reason he won’t make an exception for you is because entrance into the Kingdom of God is not based on human performance.

It is not based on how good you are…or how religious you are…or how rich you are.
Verse 16 tells us that “God gave His only begotten Son”.
The only reason we even have the opportunity to enter into the Kingdom of God is because Christ died on that cross.
And the fact that “God Gave Him” means it is only by God’s grace that the Kingdom can be ours at all.

Entrance is based on believing what Christ says here in vs. 3 and 5 and 7…and then doing what He says.

In other words, entrance into the Kingdom of God is based on faith and obedience…and it has nothing to do with who you are…how good you are…what you have done.
It is not based on human performance…and there are no exceptions!

Just recently I talked with a fellow who had just recently gone to a relative’s funeral and he told me that because this relative was “a real nice and decent man” he had no doubts that he had gone to heaven.

If that is your thinking…if that is your idea….you keep in mind that Jesus himself said, “Unless you are born again, you will not enter into the Kingdom of God.”

There are no exceptions!

So, what does Jesus mean in verse 3 when He says, “unless one is BORN AGAIN he will not see the Kingdom of God.”

What does he mean by “BORN AGAIN?”
What do you have to do to be BORN AGAIN?

There are several different ideas on this issue.

The most popular…and the one that the majority of people have embraced is the idea that you are BORN AGAIN when you simply “accept Jesus as your personal savior”…and ask Him to come into your heart….by saying a prayer of forgiveness.
Others says that you are BORN AGAIN when you have an experience with the Holy Spirit…when the Holy Spirit comes on you and saves you….and manifest itself to you by giving you different gifts.
Some simply equate being BORN AGAIN with repenting; changing your life style.

There are several different ideas but surely, in a matter as important as this one…Jesus didn’t have several things in mind.

So what does it take to be BORN AGAIN?

Well, Jesus tells us in verse 5.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”

Jesus says you must be “born of water and the Spirit.”
Do you know what is interesting about this?
Almost every religious group today agrees that you must be “born of the Spirit.”
They agree with the second part of what Jesus says here.

But they try to ignore…or excuse the being “born of water.”

And in doing so they are saying that being “born of water” means being “born without water.”
Some say that the water here is the water that is broken when a child is born from the mother’s womb.

For 1500 years after Christ said these words…no one disputed what Christ meant here by being “born of water.”

Everyone understood and accepted this as talking about
It was only after John Calvin came on the scene that any one taught that this meant anything other than baptism.

But let me show you a couple passages of scripture. Turn to Galatians 3:26.

“For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”

Notice he says they are “sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”

When did they become “sons of God?”
Well, verse 27: “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”

And now look at verse 29: “And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.”

When Jesus says that you must be “born of water”…He is talking about being baptized.
Over and over again in scripture…when you read the accounts of others that were added to the kingdom….every one of them were baptized.
There were no exceptions. In Acts 2:38-47…they were baptized.
Simon the sorcerer in Acts 8.
The Ethiopian Eunich in Acts 8.
Saul in Acts 9.

Cornelius in Acts 10.
Lydia and the Philippian jailer in Acts 16.
The disciples at Ephesus in Acts 19.
Everyone of them were baptized.
No one was ever added to the kingdom…or the church…without the water!

And some say, “Well, Nicodemus didn’t even know about baptism at the time.”

Let me tell you, Nicodemus was a Pharisee…one of the Jewish court.
John the Baptist had caused quite a stir with the Pharisees when he came baptizing.
And if you look at John 3:26 you will find that Jesus himself was apparently baptizing people.

If you want to be “BORN AGAIN”…Jesus says you must be “born of water”…and the only water ever involved in anyone’s salvation in scripture is the water’s of baptism.

You have to twist this passage….or ignore what Jesus says here…to say that you can be born again with out it.

But Jesus says you have to be BORN OF THE SPIRIT ALSO.”

What is He talking about?

Well some think that this means that the Spirit “comes on you in a miraculous way” and makes you a child of God…and that man has no part in it.

If that were true, then the Spirit would make ALL men children of God and there would be no need for Jesus to tell Nicodemus here that he had to do anything!

So what does He mean when he says you must be “BORN OF THE SPIRIT”?

Look at Romans 8: 12-13: So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh– 13 for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

Anyone can be baptized…but just because you are baptized doesn’t mean that you are going to be saved.

Baptism is only where it begins…you must live according to the Spirit afterwards.

There are only two kingdoms: the kingdom of darkness and the Kingdom of God.

God wants you to come into His kingdom.
Jesus has made that possible by His death on the cross.
What you must do is be born again…you must be baptized…and you must live according to the Spirit afterward.
It is not optional…there are no exceptions.