As I was reading this, vs 17 reminded me in a very powerful way of the grace of God that is sometimes so hard to believe! It says that "God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him." God is perfect, holy and righteous, and he created a beautiful and perfect world that has become dark and ugly in so many ways. I can't imagine how it grieves him to see the heinous sin all around that is so bad it's unmentionable at times. Even working in an alternative school as a counselor, I hear about the lives and activities of the kids I work with that make me sick. It would make perfect sense if Jesus did come to condmen and destroy the world. But no, he loves us so much that he sends his only, precious son to fulfill his plan of salvation. Mind boggling!! And when I make it more personal and realize that he loves me that much in spite of the ugly selfishness of my own heart- wow!

Nicodemus certainly didn't grasp this concept. But it is a hard one to grasp, even to a regenerated heart. He is only able to understand the physical concepts of things like birth, wind and water. He doesn't understand that wind and water are referrring to the life giving and regenerating works of the Holy Spirit, completely spritual concepts. I keep coming back to the fact these last few weeks that without that work, a person can't begin to understand.