Jesus had not yet died on the cross when he told Nicodemus that he had to be born again to enter the kingdom of God. Jesus also implied that Nicodemus should have known this, because he was a leader of Israel.
then if faithfulness in a family/bonded relationship with the God of Abraham / the Moses is the only salvation( from Egypt and everything it represents , from the constant usurping to the slavery to strange gods), then he was telling Nicodemus that Nicodemus was not in a faithful relationship with the God of Abraham..... not born of the right family tree ( which is through him and always had been )....thus no credits either towards being deemed
"righteous" if there is no connection to the tree of life/ source of life .
but the tree of knowledge of what we deem "good and evil " grows with out roots or connections to anything see? it has it's own family also. they all kind of " do what they will" they can do anyhting and live anyway with no connections , no roots and love no nothing.
He is saying we have to be born of connection to him and only to him and faithful to that " family" relationship or there is no salvation for anyone for any other reason .
We have to know that we can born of a
church and be a servant of God and be blessed in this life .
and it will rain on our crops if we forgive etc. just like the law provides .
but to blessed in the next age ( kingdom age ) is only from faithful family relationship without him is impossible. if you don't go up the mountain, you won't go up the mountain.
it has nothing to do with faithful commitments to a building or a belief or doctrines .
because trust me when I say he will rattle your beliefs , and everything that can be shaken will be shaken. because judgement starts first with the true house of God. which is your heart.
Jhn 3:5
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and
of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Jhn 3:6
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
THEN
Jhn 19:38
¶
And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave
him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.
Jhn 19:39
And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight.
Jhn 19:40
Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.
Jhn 19:41
Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid.
Jhn 19:42
There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation
day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.
SEE he GOT it ! he made the connections in his head . and then made the connection with his will and then did . He figured it out some place in there .. see he came to bury his relation, his family , he gave so much for his cousin(kinsmen redeemer). Who was also his Lord and redeemer but for mostly only ' his relation'. because he didn't know if Jesus would raise. He was just making a connection to a relationship and being faithful to that connection to 'The Faithful Son' of David . He was Sure Jesus was that and he wanted to be connected to that. be Jesus raised now or not. the lamb at passover didn't raise from the dead every year!