How to be Born Again

[jimmyjimmy]

Because if you are not living Mark 16:15-18 then you do not believe the gospel preached by Jesus
and upheld by the apostles and Christians of the first century church.
This is why Pentecost enjoys healings, miracles and the diplay of God's power in our lives.

Do you handle poisonous snakes?

 

[Waggles]

Do you handle poisonous snakes?

NO. But saints who have been accidently bitten by venomous critters have called out on the name
of our Lord and have been instantly healed, and suffered no ill effects.
It's about divine protection; not tempting the Lord.

3 And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out
of the heat, and fastened on his hand.
4 And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves,
No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffers not
to live.
5 And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.
6 Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.
Act 28:3-6

 

[def]

If Nicodemus had asked you, "How can a man be born when he is old?. . ." what answer would you have given him?

For a 21st century Nicodemus:


The Bible is a complex system with many teachings interrelated and interconnected in many ways. In many studies such as “born again”, a network approach, connecting the relevant teachings, is sufficient. Pattern recognition helps to create the network, and can take the form of recognising components, segmenting teachings into categories, and bringing dispersed teachings together through clustering.

The “born again” network (incomplete).

1. List all passages with the term “born again”; there are three (Jn 3:3, 3:7, and 1 Peter 1:23). The first node in the network has to be one of the three, and network connections must reached the other two.
   
   
2. 1 Peter 1:23-25, born again is through the word of God, preached to you. Therefore, we know how it starts. To branch out from here would encounter many other topics such as believe, faith, justification, etc; and it is best to explore the other two passages.
   
   
3. In Jn 3:3, two components have been recognised: born of water and spirit/Spirit. Whether is spirit or Spirit is to be determined from what water represents.
   
   
4. Jesus was born of water and blood (1 John 5:6), and the Spirit testifies. As the Spirit testifies to that event, water is unlikely to be the symbol of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, it is born of water and the Holy Spirit.
   
   
5. Flesh gives life to flesh, the Spirit gives life to the spirit (John 3:6). Water and Spirit are the components of born again, thus, water is the symbol of a person’s spirit - the Holy Spirit gives life to the human spirit (water).
   
   
6. Since water represents the spirit, living spirit can also be called living water. Jesus uses the term “living water” in several places.
   
   
7. Paul speaks of a natural body and a spiritual body (1 Cor 15:44-45), and the living human spirit is the spiritual body.
   
   
8. What is a person’s spirit? When God created Adam from the dust of the earth, God breathed into Adam, and Adam became a living soul. The breath of God is the human spirit. If God gathers his spirit, his breath, all flesh will perish (Job 34:14-15). When a person dies the spirit returns to God (Eccl 12:7).
   
   
9. What happens to a living spirit? The living spirit enters the kingdom of God (Hebrews 12:22-23) to be made perfect, thus reaching the teaching of Jesus that no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born again (John 3:5).
10. etc.

In summary, all passages with that term are listed. As each unknown is encountered, a search of the Bible is conducted to resolve the unknown. If so desire, known variables can also be expanded to get deeper understanding. The result is a network of connected teachings. Pattern recognition and making connections are the keys to understanding the Bible.



Does it make sense?

 

[jimmyjimmy]

For a 21st century Nicodemus:


The Bible is a complex system with many teachings interrelated and interconnected in many ways. In many studies such as “born again”, a network approach, connecting the relevant teachings, is sufficient. Pattern recognition helps to create the network, and can take the form of recognising components, segmenting teachings into categories, and bringing dispersed teachings together through clustering.

The “born again” network (incomplete).

1. List all passages with the term “born again”; there are three (Jn 3:3, 3:7, and 1 Peter 1:23). The first node in the network has to be one of the three, and network connections must reached the other two.
   
   
2. 1 Peter 1:23-25, born again is through the word of God, preached to you. Therefore, we know how it starts. To branch out from here would encounter many other topics such as believe, faith, justification, etc; and it is best to explore the other two passages.
   
   
3. In Jn 3:3, two components have been recognised: born of water and spirit/Spirit. Whether is spirit or Spirit is to be determined from what water represents.
   
   
4. Jesus was born of water and blood (1 John 5:6), and the Spirit testifies. As the Spirit testifies to that event, water is unlikely to be the symbol of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, it is born of water and the Holy Spirit.
   
   
5. Flesh gives life to flesh, the Spirit gives life to the spirit (John 3:6). Water and Spirit are the components of born again, thus, water is the symbol of a person’s spirit - the Holy Spirit gives life to the human spirit (water).
   
   
6. Since water represents the spirit, living spirit can also be called living water. Jesus uses the term “living water” in several places.
   
   
7. Paul speaks of a natural body and a spiritual body (1 Cor 15:44-45), and the living human spirit is the spiritual body.
   
   
8. What is a person’s spirit? When God created Adam from the dust of the earth, God breathed into Adam, and Adam became a living soul. The breath of God is the human spirit. If God gathers his spirit, his breath, all flesh will perish (Job 34:14-15). When a person dies the spirit returns to God (Eccl 12:7).
   
   
9. What happens to a living spirit? The living spirit enters the kingdom of God (Hebrews 12:22-23) to be made perfect, thus reaching the teaching of Jesus that no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born again (John 3:5).
10. etc.

In summary, all passages with that term are listed. As each unknown is encountered, a search of the Bible is conducted to resolve the unknown. If so desire, known variables can also be expanded to get deeper understanding. The result is a network of connected teachings. Pattern recognition and making connections are the keys to understanding the Bible.



Does it make sense?

The gospel was first announced in Genesis 3:15. Your system would never pick that up.

 

[RisenInJesus]

I don't see Jesus giving Nicodemus instructions on how to be born again. In fact, I see just the opposite. Jesus tells him that he doesn't have anything to do with it.

Jesus did give Nicodemus instructions on how to be born again just a few sentences later...

4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter 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 Do not marvel 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 cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”


9 Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?”


10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? 11 Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who 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 whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

 

[def]

The gospel was first announced in Genesis 3:15. Your system would never pick that up.

Should you ignore a tool for what it can't do, or use it for what it can do?

 

[jimmyjimmy]

Jesus did give Nicodemus instructions on how to be born again just a few sentences later...

4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter 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 Do not marvel 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 cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”


9 Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?”


10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? 11 Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who 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 whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

The answer to his question is found in verse 8.

 

[jimmyjimmy]

Should you ignore a tool for what it can't do, or use it for what it can do?

Realizing its severe limitations is not the same thing as ignoring it.

 

[RisenInJesus]

The answer to his question is found in verse 8.

Again, I think this is another example of one pulling a verse out of context to support the unique Calvinistic theology. Verse 8 is not a stand alone verse. It simply states that the Spirit of God is like the wind in that you cannot see the Spirit but you can see His influence in the lives of everyone who born again. The rest of the passage and the NT for that matter is repeatedly clear that a person must look to Jesus in faith and belief as their Savior to be born again and have eternal life. Jesus even gave the example of the people looking in faith and obedience to the serpent lifted up by Moses as a temporal picture of this spiritual reality
... And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.... John 3:14-15

 

[jimmyjimmy]

Again, I think this is another example of one pulling a verse out of context to support the unique Calvinistic theology. Verse 8 is not a stand alone verse. It simply states that the Spirit of God is like the wind in that you cannot see the Spirit but you can see His influence in the lives of everyone who born again. The rest of the passage and the NT for that matter is repeatedly clear that a person must look to Jesus in faith and belief as their Savior to be born again and have eternal life. Jesus even gave the example of the people looking in faith and obedience to the serpent lifted up by Moses as a temporal picture of this spiritual reality
... And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.... John 3:14-15

Verses 7 and 8 immediately follows, and that is how Jesus answered Nicodemus. The rest describes the RESULTS of the work of the Spirit in the lives of the elect.

7 Do not marvel 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 cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

 

[Wordkeeper]

For a 21st century Nicodemus:





The Bible is a complex system with many teachings interrelated and interconnected in many ways. In many studies such as “born again”, a network approach, connecting the relevant teachings, is sufficient. Pattern recognition helps to create the network, and can take the form of recognising components, segmenting teachings into categories, and bringing dispersed teachings together through clustering.



The “born again” network (incomplete).

1. List all passages with the term “born again”; there are three (Jn 3:3, 3:7, and 1 Peter 1:23). The first node in the network has to be one of the three, and network connections must reached the other two.
   
   
2. 
   
   
3. 
   
   
4. 1 Peter 1:23-25, born again is through the word of God, preached to you. Therefore, we know how it starts. To branch out from here would encounter many other topics such as believe, faith, justification, etc; and it is best to explore the other two passages.
   
   
5. 
   
   
6. 
   
   
7. In Jn 3:3, two components have been recognised: born of water and spirit/Spirit. Whether is spirit or Spirit is to be determined from what water represents.
   
   
8. 
   
   
9. 
   
   
10. Jesus was born of water and blood (1 John 5:6), and the Spirit testifies. As the Spirit testifies to that event, water is unlikely to be the symbol of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, it is born of water and the Holy Spirit.
    
    
11. 
    
    
12. 
    
    
13. Flesh gives life to flesh, the Spirit gives life to the spirit (John 3:6). Water and Spirit are the components of born again, thus, water is the symbol of a person’s spirit - the Holy Spirit gives life to the human spirit (water).
    
    
14. 
    
    
15. 
    
    
16. Since water represents the spirit, living spirit can also be called living water. Jesus uses the term “living water” in several places.
    
    
17. 
    
    
18. 
    
    
19. Paul speaks of a natural body and a spiritual body (1 Cor 15:44-45), and the living human spirit is the spiritual body.
    
    
20. 
    
    
21. 
    
    
22. What is a person’s spirit? When God created Adam from the dust of the earth, God breathed into Adam, and Adam became a living soul. The breath of God is the human spirit. If God gathers his spirit, his breath, all flesh will perish (Job 34:14-15). When a person dies the spirit returns to God (Eccl 12:7).
    
    
23. 
    
    
24. 
    
    
25. What happens to a living spirit? The living spirit enters the kingdom of God (Hebrews 12:22-23) to be made perfect, thus reaching the teaching of Jesus that no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born again (John 3:5).
    
    
26. etc.
    

In summary, all passages with that term are listed. As each unknown is encountered, a search of the Bible is conducted to resolve the unknown. If so desire, known variables can also be expanded to get deeper understanding. The result is a network of connected teachings. Pattern recognition and making connections are the keys to understanding the Bible.







Does it make sense?

Going forward, the trick is in choosing the correct parameters.



One way to do this is to identify who were approved by God and what were the reasons (something Nicodemus should have observed and made conclusions from) and how it could be applied to a current situation (the reason why the wind changes directions is because of the circumstances).



For example, Abraham was loyal to God and God approved (I'm going to avoid jargonese like the word believed, justified). This is loyalty at the level of acknowledging God as all powerful and all knowing.



Joshua and Caleb were loyal to God and God approved. This is loyalty at the level of acknowledging God as all powerful and all knowing.



It was the doers of the law who were loyal to God and God approved: something John the Baptist taught. This is loyalty at the basic level of acknowledging God required goodness from His children.



Is God worthy of obedience. If so it is right to be loyal to Him.



Are His commands required to be be followed as a show of loyalty? Then it is loyal to follow them.



Are His laws required to be be followed as a show of loyalty? Then it is loyal to follow them.



Every instance of praise from God is a result of loyalty to a worthy Being and His requirements.



Now applying the pattern to Nicodemus and the Pharisees, they were not loyal to God at the most basic level, law (as opposed to commands since the Jews did not have a close enough relationship with God to know his spontaneous commands. The key to the getting to a close relationship is to know His voice, agree with the need to be good.



Romans 2

17But if you bear the name “Jew” and rely upon the Law and boast in God, 18and know His will and approve the things that are essential, being instructed out of the Law, 19and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth, 21you, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one shall not steal, do you steal? 22You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?23You who boast in the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonor God? 24For “THE NAME OF GOD IS BLASPHEMED AMONG THE GENTILES BECAUSE OF YOU,” just as it is written.



Now applying the lesson learnt, we see that the correct action for Nicodemus was to be born again, meta noia, change mind, have a different mindset. Turn from selfishness to love for our fellow men, from keeping our extra coat to giving it to the one in need, from serving mammon to serving God, from being against Jesus to being for Him.



Hey, this pattern recognition thingy will take you far, because you’ll see there’s a lot of reiteration going on in the text, saying the same thing in different ways.

 

[ViaCrucis]

If you were asked what Jesus was asked by Nicodemus, what would your reply be? If Nicodemus had asked you, "How can a man be born when he is old?. . ." what answer would you have given him?

Since I'm not the Son of God and can only quote what the Lord Himself said, the response ought to be what Jesus our Lord Himself said, that the new birth is being born of water and the Spirit. And ever since the Church has unanimously and without question confessed this:

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Wordkeeper]

Since I'm not the Son of God and can only quote what the Lord Himself said, the response ought to be what Jesus our Lord Himself said, that the new birth is being born of water and the Spirit. And ever since the Church has unanimously and without question confessed this:

-CryptoLutheran

Is being born again turning away from selfishness and worldliness or is it getting wet?
Apparently getting wet didn't get this dude approval from God:

Acts 8
13Even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed.

14Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, 15who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit.18Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, 19saying, “Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! 21“You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. 22“Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you. 23“For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity.”

 

[ViaCrucis]

Is being born again turning away from selfishness and worldliness or is it getting wet?

Neither, being born again is being regenerated and receiving new birth from God; and the ordinary means of when/where this happens is in the Sacrament of Baptism, which God has attached certain promises, such as the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38) and being clothed with Christ (Galatians 3:27).

The story of Simon Magus doesn't negate God's word and promises attached to Baptism, after all, God has said that His word cannot be voided (Isaiah 55:11), when God makes a promise, He keeps that promise--even when and where we reject it, or toss it aside, as Simon Magus did. It is not God's word and promise that fails when we turn away and reject Him.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Wordkeeper]

Neither, being born again is being regenerated and receiving new birth from God;

If this information was in the Old Testament, as Jesus indicated when he exhibited surprise that Nicodemus had missed out some very important theme, trend, pattern, where is it to be found? I mean, this irresistible transformation initiated by God?

andthe ordinary means of when/where this happens is in the Sacrament of Baptism, which God has attached certain promises, such as the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38) and being clothed with Christ (Galatians 3:27).

What are the promises attached to John's baptism and those attached to Jesus' baptism?

The story of Simon Magus doesn't negate God's word and promises attached to Baptism, after all, God has said that His word cannot be voided (Isaiah 55:11), when God makes a promise, He keeps that promise--even when and where we reject it, or toss it aside, as Simon Magus did. It is not God's word and promise that fails when we turn away and reject Him.

-CryptoLutheran

The promise to Simon Magus is contingent on his being born again, meta noia, have a change of mind, often mistranslated as repent:

Acts 8
22“Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you. [/quote]

 

[ViaCrucis]

If this information was in the Old Testament, as Jesus indicated when he exhibited surprise that Nicodemus had missed out some very important theme, trend, pattern, where is it to be found? I mean, this irresistible transformation initiated by God?

Nicodemus, as a devout rabbi, shouldn't have found what Jesus was saying that surprising, after all tevilah is was as much a major aspect of Jewish religion then as it is today.

What are the promises attached to John's baptism and those attached to Jesus' baptism?

I'm not aware of any promises attached to John's baptism, as John's baptism was a baptism of repentance looking forward to and in anticipation of the coming of the Messiah--it was a call for Israel to ready itself for the coming of the Christ.

The promise to Simon Magus is contingent on his being born again, meta noia, have a change of mind, often mistranslated as repent:

Acts 8

22“Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you.

Simon received baptism and believed, as many others among the Samaritans did, but Simon blasphemed in seeing the Holy Spirit as power that could be bought and sold and used for personal gain--St. Peter sees this and rebukes Simon for it, commanding him to repent. St. Peter does not say that Simon must seek out repentance in order to be born again, he already received the new birth in his baptism, what St. Peter does say is for Simon to repent and seek God's forgiveness. Tradition tells us that Simon never did repent, but instead went on to to found his own sect and set himself up as the divine representative--numerous stories, certainly apocryphal and legendary, are known from the patristic period; Simon ultimately became seen as the archheresiarch, the first founder of a heretical sect and even as the founder of Gnosticism itself.

Simon's baptism and consequent blasphemy/apostasy does not nullify baptism itself. Again, the failures and foibles of man do not negate the promises of God.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Wordkeeper]

Nicodemus, as a devout rabbi, shouldn't have found what Jesus was saying that surprising, after all tevilah is was as much a major aspect of Jewish religion then as it is today.

Tevilah and mikveh were purification rituals, hardly analagous to baptism. Baptism was unique to John the Forerunner, and was a way to get in, rather than a way to stay in, the group having God's approval and thereby escaping His wrath.

I'm not aware of any promises attached to John's baptism, as John's baptism was a baptism of repentance looking forward to and in anticipation of the coming of the Messiah--it was a call for Israel to ready itself for the coming of the Christ.

The promise to those who got in was the ability to escape God's wrath, always available to those who were in the group labelled the Remnant. That was the reason the Jews sought John out: he had got the essence of the Law right, something Second Temple Judaism had not.

Simon received baptism and believed, as many others among the Samaritans did, but Simon blasphemed in seeing the Holy Spirit as power that could be bought and sold and used for personal gain--St. Peter sees this and rebukes Simon for it, commanding him to repent. St. Peter does not say that Simon must seek out repentance in order to be born again, he already received the new birth in his baptism, what St. Peter does say is for Simon to repent and seek God's forgiveness. Tradition tells us that Simon never did repent, but instead went on to to found his own sect and set himself up as the divine representative--numerous stories, certainly apocryphal and legendary, are known from the patristic period; Simon ultimately became seen as the archheresiarch, the first founder of a heretical sect and even as the founder of Gnosticism itself.

Simon's baptism and consequent blasphemy/apostasy does not nullify baptism itself. Again, the failures and foibles of man do not negate the promises of God.

-CryptoLutheran

You're not saying anything I didn't. Baptism is the invitation to examine the requirements and promises of the new covenant. Whilst John's baptism promised escape from wrath, further to studying and accepting God's requirements and promises under the Old Covenant, Jesus' baptism promised escape from the CONDITION that brought on wrath, further to studying and accepting God's requirements and promises under the New Covenant, through
being IN Christ.

 

[RisenInJesus]

Verses 7 and 8 immediately follows, and that is how Jesus answered Nicodemus. The rest describes the RESULTS of the work of the Spirit in the lives of the elect.

7 Do not marvel 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 cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

First, there is no reference anywhere in the passage to "the elect" as defined by Calvinism.. Jesus says whoever. Secondly, Jesus is clearly spelling out details of how a person becomes born again as Nicodemus asks for further information... Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?” John 3:9

Notice the number of times Jesus used the word BELIEVE to show Nicodemus that this was the necessary factor which resulted in one being born again, being condemned or not condemned.

Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? 11 Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who 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 whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.


Again, verse 8 is not a stand alone verse.

 

[jimmyjimmy]

Again, verse 8 is not a stand alone verse.

No verse is, but the answer to His question is also not found in the book of Galatians. Verses 7-8 are the answer that Jesus gave to his question. If that's not clear, I don't know what can be.

 

[def]

Now applying the lesson learnt, we see that the correct action for Nicodemus was to be born again, meta noia, change mind, have a different mindset. Turn from selfishness to love for our fellow men, from keeping our extra coat to giving it to the one in need, from serving mammon to serving God, from being against Jesus to being for Him.

Hey, this pattern recognition thingy will take you far, because you’ll see there’s a lot of reiteration going on in the text, saying the same thing in different ways.

I am glad you see the importance of pattern recognition, but there is also a need to construct a network of related teachings, logically connecting the related teachings.

I am not such how you jump from born again to change mind, a different mindset. Nicodemus was a Pharisee, he is strict with observing the Law, I would say he had the right mindset.

"Change of mind" is an earthly thing, but Jesus was speaking of heavenly things (Jn 3:12). I am sure Nicodemus would understand earthly things that you have mentioned: loving fellow men, giving away an extra coat, serving God. Jesus cannot be explaining something to Nicodemus that Nicodemus already know.

There are two components to be born again: born of water and Spirit. From pattern recognition, water is determined to be a person's spirit (man is dust + spirit). We are born of dust, and born again (another birth) of the spirit. It is the born again spirit that gives everlasting life.