John 3:3, 18-21 – “Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 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.  19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.  20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.  21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”  NKJV

I truly believe that God wants everyone to go to heaven, but I also realize that everyone will not.  Some teachings suggest that everyone will go to heaven without meeting the qualifications the Bible lists and going through God’s door of being “born again.”  Jesus made it clear here and in other places in Scripture that being Born Again was a requirement for salvation and citizenship in Heaven.

When He uttered those words to Nicodemus, it was beyond the ability of this Jewish teacher to comprehend.  Nicodemus’ focus was the natural and physical.  He questioned how this could become a reality.  How could a man be reborn?  In the natural, he could not, so our Lord answered his questions beginning in (v.18). 

If we back up a few verses, we find the Gift of God’s Love in Salvation.  In John 3:14-17 – “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.” 

In 2 Peter 3:9, we find an incredibly powerful and comforting word regarding the attitude of God toward humanity.  He is “not willing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”  Does that mean everyone is saved?  No!  Sadly, man does not always do what God wants; this is no exception. 

God wants everyone to become members of the Family of God and citizens of Heaven, but there will come a day when they stand before the Great White Throne and hear the words, “Depart from Me, for I never knew you.”  That is more than tragic!  God wants everyone to have their sins forgiven and receive the Abundant Life Jesus lived, died, and arose for. 

A pressing question today must be, “Are you Born Again?”  If you are not, I plead with you to turn to the Lord Jesus Christ and “confess your sins, repent, and believe that He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”  Jesus said, “If any man comes to Me, I will not cast out.”  (John 6:36).  He promises that “IF” we confess our sins, He will forgive us of our sins and cleanse us of all our iniquities.  If you know Him, rejoice; if you do not know Him, listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit and call upon His name.

God bless you richly, is my prayer!