John 3:7

[Lik3]

John 3:7
" You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’"

I have asked before are there different definitions of the "once saved, always saved" doctrine. Could differing denominations have differing beliefs on what it means to be born again? Do Catholics truly define, for example, differ on who is or isn't born again from Baptists? Are there different modes of a person being born again? I admit to not being an expert on Catholicism, but why don't many Protestants believe that Catholics aren't truly born again? Is it about the mode of baptism and confirmation or is it something else? Why also, did Jesus tell Nicodemus that he should not be surprised about Jesus' teaching on being born again? Is it because Nicodemus was a Pharisee and that salvation is from the Jews? Correct me if I am wrong, but didn't Jesus initially preach to save the Jewish people first and foremost because He is/was their Messiah?

 

[Shempster]

Some say that Nicodemus should not have been surprised because people at that time believed in a sort of reincarnation. Not like the Hindus say, but within the human race only.
I have done extensive research into the subject. It appears that much of the documentation mentioning that people did in fact believe in it was likely erased from the books several years after Justinian made it an anathema in 553.
So from that perspective, Jesus may have been saying that we MUST die, but afterwards we can expect to become alive or reincarnate again. I mean think about it.... if we physically die then we are raised up with a NEW BODY, well isn't that what reincarnation is? Isn't that notion a major Christian tenet?

Now I am not claiming this to be true because I don't know. Only that it is a possible explanation.