# Is Seeing Believing?



## Stargazer65 (Nov 7, 2011)

John 3:3 "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

What does it mean to "see the kingdom of God" in this passage? Is it merely saying that you cannot enter into the kingdom of God as is stated later in the passage, or is he saying you cannot perceive as in the parables (seeing yet they do not see).
Is he telling Nicodemus about our total inability to believe apart from regeneration, or just stating that we must be born again to enter into the kingdom of God?


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## NB3K (Nov 7, 2011)

Stargazer65 said:


> John 3:3 "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
> 
> What does it mean to "see the kingdom of God" in this passage? Is it merely saying that you cannot enter into the kingdom of God as is stated later in the passage, or is he saying you cannot perceive as in the parables (seeing yet they do not see).
> Is he telling Nicodemus about our total inability to believe apart from regeneration, or just stating that we must be born again to enter into the kingdom of God?



Here are three passages dealing with why Israel did not believe:



> Mat 13:11 And he answered them, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.
> Mat 13:12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
> Mat 13:13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
> Mat 13:14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: "'You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.
> ...





> Mar 4:11 And he said to them, "To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables,
> Mar 4:12 so that "they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven."





> Rom 11:7 What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened,
> Rom 11:8 as it is written, "God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day."
> Rom 11:9 And David says, "Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them;
> Rom 11:10 let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and bend their backs forever."


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## Stargazer65 (Nov 8, 2011)

Thanks Jason.

Anyone else have any thoughts?


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