Before we dive into today’s topic, I want to take a minute to introduce this new series. Let me start by clarifying that I would never dare label anything in the Bible as “nonsense.” The Bible is the Inspired Word of God, true and trustworthy from beginning to end.
That said, if I’m being honest, I’ve stumbled across many passages throughout my journey with Jesus that have, at first glance, seemed confusing, puzzling… even nonsensical.
Early in my walk with Christ, I would often wrestle with a confusing verse for a few minutes, then shrug my shoulders and move on, thinking, Well, maybe someday this will make sense. As my faith deepened, I learned to pray in those moments, asking the Holy Spirit to reveal what God wanted me to see.
Sometimes clarity came quickly. Other times? Not at all. And I’ve come to be at peace with that.
Here’s Why
God tells us through His prophet Isaiah that His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9). If the Creator of the universe fits neatly into my human understanding, then He isn’t much of a God, is He?
So, I think it’s OK with God if certain parts of the Bible don’t make sense to us—in other words, if we think they’re nonsense, as long as we never stop trying to understand them, and as long as we don’t discard the rest of the Bible just because some parts of it are hard to understand (as I believe many secular people have done, to the extent that they have even explored the Word of God for themselves).
Anyway, I now believe that every confusing passage will unfold its meaning when God knows I’m ready to receive it—when I need it most.
To be clear, this series is not about poking holes in Scripture. I remain steadfast in my belief that the Bible is the infallible Word of God, the Absolute Truth, even if it contains passages that don’t make sense to me.
This series is about walking together through some of the verses that may have left us scratching our heads—digging deeper, praying for insight, and trusting the Spirit to reveal truth in His perfect timing. I pray that it encourages you—and reminds you that struggling to understand a passage doesn’t mean your faith is broken. It simply means you’re growing, and that you’re persisting in your journey with Him, even through the challenging and confusing parts.
And now, onto today’s post, the first episode:
How Can You Possibly Be Born Again?
One of the most famous — and initially confusing — conversations Jesus ever had was with a man named Nicodemus, a Pharisee and member of the Jewish ruling council. In spite of being part of a group of religious leaders who always seemed to be trying to discredit Jesus instead of recognizing Him for who He was, Nicodemus actually seemed to be seeking the Truth and trying to discern whether Jesus really could be the promised Messiah. It’s recorded for us in chapter 3 of John’s gospel.
Nicodemus comes to Jesus at night, curious but cautious. And Jesus doesn’t waste time or mince words, seeming to sense Nicodemus’ seeking heart:
“Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
It’s a fair question! If you or I were hearing this for the first time, we’d probably ask something similar. And that’s exactly the point: Jesus used a shocking metaphor to crack open a truth that Nicodemus—and all of us—desperately needed to grasp.
To be “born again” is not about biology. It’s about spiritual rebirth. I know the term “born again” has been overused, to the point where we probably skate right past it, no longer pausing to ponder what this really means.
So, let’s unpack it a bit and see if we can re-infuse the term with the rich and deep meaning Jesus intended for it.
When a baby is born, it enters an entirely new world — one it had no power to create, and one it cannot survive in on its own. It cannot understand that world, nor can the baby control it.
Everything must be provided for a newborn baby: nourishment, protection, love, guidance. Birth is a radical break from what came before. It’s no wonder that one of a baby’s first actions outside the womb is to scream its head off. I always wonder if they’re trying to say, “Put me back! I liked things the way they were!”
But you can’t do that. Birth is a beginning. A starting-over. A brand-new life.
Jesus was telling Nicodemus—and telling us—that following Him isn’t about tweaking our old life, polishing it up a bit, or trying harder to be good. It’s about receiving a completely new life from God. A life so new that it requires a spiritual birth, as real and as complete as our physical birth.
We sometimes hear people say, “I’m trying to be a better person” or “I’m working on getting my act together.” But Christianity isn’t about self-improvement or cleaning up your act. It’s about dying to the old self—and being born again into the new.
Jesus uses other confusing metaphors to describe this, too:
Dying to ourselves (Luke 9:23)
Taking up our cross and following Him (also Luke 9:23)
We’ll unpack those powerful yet confusing ideas more fully in a future episode of this series.
But for today, the key is this: Being born again means surrendering the idea that we can fix ourselves—and receiving, by faith, the brand-new life that only God can give.
If this post resonated with you, or even if it stirred new questions, I’d love to hear from you!
And since this is the first episode of Making Sense of Biblical Nonsense, I’d also love your feedback about the idea of the series itself. If you like it, let me know — and if there are particular passages that have always left you scratching your head, suggest them! I’d love to explore them together in future episodes.
You can leave a comment below or send me a message — I’d be honored to hear your thoughts.
Until next time, keep seeking, keep asking, and keep trusting that in His perfect time, God will make all things clear.
Master's Canvas - Writing & Photography by David K. Carpenter 