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     Jesus began His ministry stating the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matthew 4:17).  During His trial before Roman governor Pilate, He acknowledged His kingship, and His kingdom was not of this world (John 18:36, 37).  Ten days after Jesus ascended into heaven, the apostle Peter declared Jesus is on His throne in heaven (Acts 2:30-36).  Since every kingdom has subjects (citizens), who and where are they of this “not of this world” kingdom?

     A Pharisee who was a Jewish supreme court judge (Sanhedrin), had heard Jesus and witnessed His miracles, thus he had some questions.  Jesus immediate response was, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:2, 3).  Certainly, being a Jew, Nicodemus (the judge), had been reared knowing he was a descendant of Abraham, thus part of God’s chosen people — ancient Israel and was thus a citizen of the kingdom of Israel.  However, at that time it lacked a king, being ruled by a Roman caesar and governors.

     Regardless, the Jews looked forward to a king (messiah) to re-establish the kingdom of Israel in Jerusalem.  The scribes looked forward to a descendant of David to be that Christ (messiah — anointed king) (Mark 12:35).  That belief was based upon the prophetic promise given to King David by the prophet Nathan — “And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you.  Your throne shall be established forever” (2 Samuel 7:12-16).  Nicodemus would have known of this prophetic expectation, and since he was born a Jew into the kingdom of Israel, it must have been a shock when Jesus said he must be born again in order to enter the kingdom of God.  Implicitly, he was not a citizen of Jesus’ kingdom!

     Nicodemus asked how he could be born again, thinking of a reentrance into his mother’s womb (John 3:4).  Obviously, this rebirth would not be a fleshly birth.  Jesus continued His message, that the rebirth was spiritual — of water and the Spirit (John 3:5).  Thus the beginning of the unfolding of the mystery of the “not of this world” kingdom Jesus said was about to come (Mark 1:14).

     The apostle Paul would later write of God and Jesus, “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13, 14).  So Paul had become part of that “not of this world” kingdom.  How did he do that?

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