What Does It Mean to Be Born of the Spirit?

Please Help Us Keep These Thousands of Blog Posts Growing and Free for All

$5.00

Christian Living Based on John 3:8

“The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it is coming from and where it is going; so is everyone who has been born of the Spirit.” — John 3:8

In the midst of Jesus’ profound nighttime conversation with Nicodemus—a leading Pharisee and member of the Sanhedrin—he introduces one of the most vital yet widely misunderstood truths in all of Scripture: the necessity of being “born again.” In John 3:3, Jesus declares, “Unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus, bewildered, takes this literally and asks, “How can a person be born when he is old?” (v. 4). Jesus then begins to expound the spiritual nature of this new birth, explaining that it is not from water alone, but “of water and the Spirit” (John 3:5). Then, in verse 8, Jesus offers a metaphor that is both simple and deeply profound: the wind.

“The wind blows where it wishes…” Here, Jesus uses the movement of wind—uncontrollable, invisible, but undeniably real—as an illustration of those born of the Spirit. The Greek word for both “wind” and “spirit” is πνεῦμα (pneuma), creating a deliberate play on words that links the nature of the Spirit to the unpredictable but undeniable force of wind. This statement is not about chaos or emotion, but about the unseen power and initiative of God in producing spiritual life in the hearts of those who submit to His truth.

This verse does not teach mystical, arbitrary spiritualism. Rather, it emphasizes the sovereign operation of the Spirit through the revealed Word of God (John 6:63), working according to God’s will—not man’s effort or heritage—to create new life. To be “born of the Spirit” is not a reference to emotional experience, inner light, or subjective impressions, but to the transformation brought about when a person responds in obedient faith to the gospel. This devotional will explore what it truly means to be born of the Spirit, what Jesus was teaching Nicodemus, and how this new birth is recognized—not by subjective feelings—but by spiritual fruit and scriptural obedience.

Nicodemus: A Man of Religion, Not Regeneration

Nicodemus came to Jesus by night, likely out of caution or fear, yet he came respectfully. He acknowledged Jesus as a teacher from God, having seen His signs (John 3:2). But Jesus cuts directly to the heart of the matter. Despite Nicodemus’ religious training, his respectability, and his Jewish heritage, Jesus says plainly: “Unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (v. 3). This declaration shatters the Pharisaic notion that lineage or law-keeping grants entrance into God’s kingdom.

The phrase “born again” is translated from γεννηθῇ ἄνωθεν (gennēthē anōthen), which can mean “born again” or “born from above.” Jesus’ point is not about a second physical birth, but a spiritual rebirth that originates from heaven. Nicodemus’ confusion demonstrates how easily religious minds can misunderstand spiritual truth when clouded by tradition.

To clarify, Jesus references being born “of water and Spirit” (John 3:5). This is not two separate births but one unified act. “Water” is not symbolic of natural birth, as some mistakenly interpret, nor is it a reference to amniotic fluid or emotional cleansing. Rather, it refers to baptism, the point of new birth in the New Testament. As Peter would later preach at Pentecost: “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). Thus, baptism, accompanied by genuine faith and repentance, marks the moment when the believer is born anew—of water and the Spirit.

This is not a ritualistic act but a faith-based, obedient response to the gospel. The Spirit operates through the Word to convict, instruct, and sanctify (John 17:17), and in baptism, the believer is raised to walk in “newness of life” (Romans 6:4). That is the spiritual rebirth Jesus speaks of—not mystical, but transformative.

The Wind and the Spirit: Unseen Yet Evident

In John 3:8, Jesus draws Nicodemus’ attention to the wind. “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it…” The wind is not seen, but its effects are known. You see the rustling trees, feel the cool breeze, and hear its whistle. In the same way, the Spirit’s work is not outwardly visible in the moment of transformation, but its evidence is unmistakable in the life that follows.

Jesus’ statement, “so is everyone who has been born of the Spirit,” does not suggest randomness or subjectivity. Rather, it underscores that the new birth is not under human control or manipulation. No one can produce it through family connection, intellectual pursuit, or emotional excitement. It is God’s work, carried out through the Word, received in obedient faith.

Titus 3:5 says that God “saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we did in righteousness, but in accordance with His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit.” The “washing” is again a reference to baptism, tied inseparably with the Spirit’s renewing work. This is not magical, nor does the water itself confer salvation. Rather, it is the moment of spiritual rebirth where one moves from death to life, from alienation to adoption.

The idea that spiritual birth is an indistinct feeling or experience is not supported in Scripture. Nowhere are believers told to trust internal impressions as evidence of salvation. Instead, they are urged to examine their conduct, doctrine, and fruit (2 Corinthians 13:5; Galatians 5:22–23). The Spirit leads through the Word—not through mystical whispers. “The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life,” Jesus said (John 6:63).

Born of the Spirit: A New Identity and Direction

When one is born of the Spirit, a radical transformation occurs. The believer is no longer of the world, though still in it (John 17:16). Their values change, their behavior changes, and their priorities change. They no longer walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit (Romans 8:5). The old self, defined by sin, is put to death, and the new self is created in righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:24).

This is not the result of personal resolve but the outcome of surrendering to God’s plan of redemption. The Spirit does not possess people or control them against their will. Rather, He enlightens the mind through Scripture, pricks the heart through conviction, and leads the obedient into deeper sanctification. “If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law,” Paul wrote in Galatians 5:18—because the law cannot produce righteousness, but the Spirit can when the heart is yielded.

Being born of the Spirit also means bearing the fruit of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22–23 outlines these qualities: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” These are not instant perfections but growing evidences of a new nature. Just as the wind’s presence is felt through its movement, the Spirit’s presence is seen through a believer’s transformation.

Discernment Against Counterfeit “Spiritual Births”

Many today claim spiritual rebirth based on feelings, visions, or supernatural experiences. But this is not what Jesus taught. The Spirit does not bypass the mind or override scripture. Claims of being “born of the Spirit” apart from baptism, apart from repentance, apart from the Word—are contrary to the biblical model.

The apostles, guided by the Holy Spirit, never declared someone born again unless they had responded in faith and obedience to the gospel. The Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8, Cornelius in Acts 10, Lydia in Acts 16—all believed, repented, and were baptized. Their transformation followed—not preceded—this surrender to God’s revealed plan.

1 Peter 1:23 affirms that believers are “born again not of seed which is perishable, but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.” The Spirit uses the Word as His instrument. Any claim of spiritual rebirth that is divorced from the Word and its commands is illegitimate.

Living Daily as One Born of the Spirit

Those who are born of the Spirit live not for themselves but for Him who died and was raised (2 Corinthians 5:15). They walk in the Spirit, set their minds on the things of the Spirit, and crucify the flesh with its passions (Galatians 5:24–25). They are led not by impulse or cultural values but by Scripture, which the Spirit inspired (2 Timothy 3:16–17).

This is a daily calling. Jesus said in Luke 9:23, “If anyone wants to come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.” To be born of the Spirit is to begin a new life, but it also means continuing in faith, enduring to the end (Matthew 24:13), and growing in maturity through study and obedience.

Conclusion: The Wind Still Blows

The wind still blows. The Spirit still works. He still convicts through the Word. He still brings dead souls to life when they hear, believe, repent, and obey the gospel. His operation is not felt through mystical tingling or vague impressions but seen in the changed lives of those who walk in truth.

Are you born of the Spirit? If so, your life should show it—not in sensational claims, but in holiness, obedience, and love. If not, the call is still open. The gospel still saves. And the wind still moves wherever God wills. Will you yield to it?

You May Also Benefit From

What Does It Mean to Die in Faith Without Receiving the Promises?

About the Author

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220+ books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).